Happy New Year - Beeuniversal · 2016. 1. 8. · Happy New Year Connect readers and welcome to the first 2016 Summer Solstice edition. It is now that time of year where we analyse

Happy New Year Connect readers and welcome to the first

2016 Summer Solstice edition. It is now that time of year where we

analyse our current life positions and our-selves. It is that time where new resolu-tions and promises are made – and let’s not lie; they’re often a little unrealistic and unachievable. “This year I’m going to cut

out bread, sugar, and coffee, and lose ‘x’ amount of weight by going to the gym 6 times per week,” – the standard self-proclamation that usually goes out the window at the next dinner party. More realistically though, the new year may also be a time when we analyse our friendships and relationships. Whether those around us are worth keeping or if we are the partner who needs to work on our commitment to the partnership. In light of this edition’s theme of ‘Friendship’ I was encour-aged to reflect on my own position within friendships. Amongst this self-realisation I experienced a great sense of gratitude and positive confirmation – I truly do have a beautiful collective of inspiring souls surrounding me. This is something I may not have been able to say a few years ago (read more on page 4). I invite you now to reflect on your current position amongst friends. What is the best trait you find within your friends and what is the best trait ‘you’ offer to ‘your’ friends? Further, how could you be-come a better friend this year and how could you perhaps encourage friends to be a better friend to you? If you’re unsure, do not fear. This edition will indeed inspire new thought and positive change to lay the foundations for a rejuve-nating year.

With love from guest editor Jade WalkerIf you’d like to be a guest editor of Connect Magazine, contact us for more information.

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Distribution:Kellie Curtis, Sandi Jones, Lois Logan, Deano O’CallaghanJacquita, Jade Walker, Mari Heart and Jack Miller.

30 ......................................................... Book and Movie Reviews31 ..........................................Therapy of the Season - Hypnosis32 ..................................................................... Ask the Sisterhood33 ..................................................................... Ask the Sisterhood34 ......................................... Horoscopes by Lyndall McQuinn 35 ............................................................ Astrology by Lani Sharp36 .......................Siddha Stories by the Universal Storyteller37................................................. Feng Shui - by Roseline Deleu 38 .......................................................... Essential Oils / Tarot Card39.....................................Herb of the Season - by Jade Walker40 ............................................................. Recipes by Jade Walker 41............................................................... Recipes by Jade Walker 42 -43 ......................................... Melbourne: Services Directory 44 ........................................................ Central: Services Directory 45 ...................................................................................... Focus ON46 ............................. Voices of Victoria / Introducing Column

Friendshipby Jade Walker

Summer Solstice - Let Your Light Shine!by Michelle Teunon.

Time for You: Being Your Own Best Friend by Elizabeth Anne Rogers

Imagine Peace by Amy Heseltine

6 Things I am Unlearning about Lifeby Laura Miller

Friends of the Earth by Friends of the Earth.

Loss, Grieving and Beyond by Annabel Muis

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Final day to receive editorials and advertising is the 25th of February for the Autumn Equinox edition. _______________________________________

An Independent Magazine Published by Bee Universal Inc. www.connectmagazine.org

Special Features

Regular Features

www.connectmagazine.org 4 Summer Solstice 2015 - VIC

Friendship; the word alone sounds a bit ‘airy-fairy’. Friendship bracelets, 2-piece silver heart necklaces and pretty child-hood things come to mind. Flashbacks to ring-a-ring-a-rosy, school buddies holding hands and sharing lunches in the court-yard follow. Throughout early high school friendship was dictated by break-ups and make-ups, he-said she-said, and some of the funni-est and life-shaping times in teenage-hood. ‘Mate’, ‘buddy’, ‘babe’, ‘Mum’, ‘Dad’, ‘brother’, ‘sister’... call it what you will. Whether nine or 90, friendship is a necessity one cannot go without. For me, friendship has never shown such genuine worth until today. In fact friendship was responsible for one of the darkest moments of my late teens. Yet this gloomy tunnel of despair led to quite the opposite. I’ll take you back to that chapter. Throughout early high school I was a part of a big circle of friends, which some would call ‘the popular group’. It was a cir-cle packed full of laughs, partying, boyfriends and break-ups, and plenty of back-stabbing: pretty normal for high school. Come Year 12, my happiness was drowned like a tsunami destroying a perfect day at the beach. It started with a ‘little birdy’; the story of an implication I had been caught in. Without opening old-wounds that have since healed, I will say this – that implication found me in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was an implication that, like the birdy’s story, was true and something I wasn’t proud of.

It came to D-day of confessing to the friend I had hurt, following initial profuse denial. I knew this wasn’t good. But in that time I had my best-friends’ support ensuring me it would all blow over. I knew this time would be stormy for a few months but I thought the storm would pass soon and we could all forgive and move on. After-all, situations alike were not unheard of in female high school circles. But the following day at school was the beginning of my high-school hell. My confession had been twisted like a melted iron rod, and very soon my ‘friends’ were following suit. They were believing the stories or at least siding with the betrayed. “How can they think I would make up an embarrassing confession like this’. “Are they actually believing this,” I racked my brain every day. Now, when it should have been a prime time of my life, friendship was turning into the greatest test of my self-control. Before I knew it my friends were dropping off. It got ugly. Rumours too good to be in a fiction book spread like wildfire. I was even brutally assaulted by a woman I barely knew, while my ‘friends’ stood by and watched. I couldn’t go to school without leaving by lunch time in a mess with tears because I’d been taunted with accusations of something I didn’t do. But soon I was putting myself in every wrong position. I was making terrible choices and giving into the character I had originally despised to be. I was no longer innocent by a long shot. The word ‘friends’ soon became the bane of my existence. Something I no longer barely had; something I became so infuriated with that I wouldn’t even allow it, yet became deeply jealous of those who possessed it. Something that drove me into such a dark moment that I almost no longer wanted to live that moment any longer. But dare I know it yet, this was the germination of a shrivelled seed about to sprout and grow into something of great magnificence. What would seem like friendship being the root of all evil, this shit-storm of a time was in fact the pure essence needed to enable this new seedling to flourish. Here is how the seed grew:

Friendship

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The pruning phase

Of course life didn’t just become perfect and friends did not remain that way either. I still had many lessons to learn. So the leaves of the growing stem often died and grew back again. But every time they did, they grew a little stronger and greener.

The blossoming phase

Fast forward almost eight years to today, and that dark friendship experience is a time I praise with gratitude. A time I never used to be able to recite without streaming tears, is now a time I attribute to the reason why I have found the most genuine friendly souls that share in a new life that I was able to grow.

It is now, that friendship fulfils my life with abundance.

The art of friendship is not just a word to explain two people who hug, greet, trust and like or love one another. It is a life necessity that travels with us from birth to death, evoking life lessons with every interaction. Friendship can challenge us to the core - like the best friend who turned into a condescending b-word, or the one who fabricated rumours behind your back. Friendship can comfort you in the darkest hour when your heart is broken, you lose a loved one, or when life is just “Really shit right now” – “It’s okay Babe; I’ll bring round the chocolate”. It can bring you gifts, opportunities, and life development. And most of all, it brings life abundant in a sense of wholeness, and the shaping of wisdom. The lesson here in light of friendship is that the act of this meaning is a daily giving gift. Even when a friendship may come to a terrible end, it can always result in the opening of a completely new journey… if you let it.

By Jade Walker. Plant-based foodie and natural health enthusi-ast. Recipe writer and blogger at www.jadewalker.com.au.Currently studying a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy.

The germination phase

My unimpressive amount of school absence meant my chances of going to university to study journalism were looking grim. But when Dad one day encouraged me to apply for an upcoming posi-tion for a cadetship at the local paper I couldn’t have been more driven. I was so adamant to get it that I had already checked out of school in my mind. I didn’t just want this job – I needed it. And off the back of this jumbled emotional state – it drove me all the way to landing the job. Something I wouldn’t have done without the recent circumstances.

The sprouting phase

Friends took on new meanings in this professional setting. I

quickly found out what it was like to be immersed

amongst like-minded people and the absence of high-school

commotions – all at the fragile age of 17 going on 18. I was able to prema-

turely shed the old layer that most wouldn’t until a couple of years on. With the motivation of new friends around me, I was sprouting into a new individual. Of course working in the cut-throat world of media didn’t come without its own catty debacles. But all of it went part in parcel for the new shaping of me.

The plant phase

Because of the position that friendship, or the lack-thereof, had put me in some years ago, I was now completing a 3-year cadetship at barely 21-years-old and gained skills that see me right through to today. This ‘bad’ friendship experience had paved the way to something good. It also left ample space for new friends to fill their place.

“Friendship that flows from the heart cannot be frozen by adversity, as the water that flows from the spring cannot congeal in winter.”

James F. Cooper

www.connectmagazine.org

Summer is the time of year when the sun is at the height of its power – its flame is fully ignited, bursting with energy and radi-ance. During these months you are most likely to feel vibrant and alive, naturally at your most active and making the most of days filled with more light and warmth before you begin your descent into winter once again. The energy of summer is expansive and symbolises reju-venation, growth, joy, spiritual-awareness, and passion. Summer is the time to assimilate your lessons, communicate your inner hopes and intentions and take action to make them become a reality. This energy propels you onward with such momentum that it is hard not to connect to your deepest desires and ask how you can express your full potential. In doing so, you also support others to grow to the fullest realisation of their potential.

Summer Solstice – the longest day of the yearIn Australia this year the Summer Solstice, or Midsummer, falls on De-cember 22nd. Being the longest day of the year, the sun is at its most powerful. After Midsummer the sun begins to wane and the journey into the harvest season begins. Winter will soon be returning. Solstice is a call to look back and be ever thankful for your harvest and everything that you have to be grateful for in your life. It also serves to remind you to look forward and begin preparations for shorter days on your horizon. The ancients knew that life came from the sun – it was life giving, life supporting, and without it life would be lost. Hence, fire was an important part of Midsummer celebrations, as it represented the sun. Folks would feast, dance and jump the fire for luck and fertility.

Let your light shineMidsummer is a time of renewed energy and the renewal of the self. As the sun is at the height of its power, you too have the capacity to shine brightly. With warmer days and longer nights, you naturally want to spend more time outside and be more social, which helps to plant the

seeds of your intentions. Your self-expression is at its peak during these months. Passion and desire is heightened, and you have more energy to carry you through your days.

Where to from here?

As another solar year completes its cycle, Solstice invites us to pause and reflect on where we have been and take stock of where we want to go from here. For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, Summer Solstice naturally falls at an auspicious time as we embark on a new calendar year, prompting us to reflect on the previous year and set in-tentions for the coming year. Consciously aligning with these energies can offer an even more powerful opening to new growth and harmony.

Summer and TCMIn Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), summer relates to the Fire ele-ment, which is represented by the colour red and the organs of the Heart, Pericardium (the protective covering of the heart), the Small Intestine and San Jaio (the ‘Triple burner’, which assists with the as-similation and excretion of food and fluids). The central organ of the Fire element is the Heart, which is thought to house our consciousness, or ‘Shen’. Our consciousness contributes to our mental-emotional activity, including thinking, feeling, memory and imagination. Therefore the Shen is considered to be the source of our self-awareness and is an important contributor to our emotional harmo-ny. Each of the other Fire organs also have a Heart-Mind connection. When out of balance, the Fire element can experience nervous energy and agitation, over-excitement, insomnia and poor self-image. When in balance, the Fire element feels joy, fulfilment, enthusiasm, spontaneity, sensitivity and passion. The highest expression of the Fire element is Love – of self and of others. Coming from this place, it is easy to tap into your inspiration and live out your full potential.

6 Summer Solstice 2015 - VIC

SUMMER SOLSTICE – Let your light shine

‘Focus on your potential, instead of your limitations’ – Alan Loy McGinnis

www.connectmagazine.org/victoria

Summer foods

Summer offers a varied and abundant choice of foods – there are fruit and vegetables of every colour to brighten up your meals. Beware of too much cold food or liquid, as it weakens the digestive organs. Cold-ness causes contraction, which interferes with digestion. It is good to eat less and lightly on hot days. Heavier foods such as meat, eggs and excesses of nuts, seed and grains, can cause sluggishness. You may like to warm the body with hot-flavoured spices so that you feel the ef-fects of the heat less. Try adding a little red and green hot peppers, cay-enne pepper, fresh ginger, horseradish and black pepper to your meals.

The wheel keeps turning…

Summer serves as somewhat of a rebirth – a wonderful time of renewal of self after the turning of the wheel over the past year. Autumn signified a decline in daylight hours and temperature, offering a chance to let go in preparation for the colder, darker months of Winter. After a time of rest and reflection during Winter, Spring saw the beginning of a new phase of growth and a final opportunity to cleanse , clearing the way for your true self-expression during the next phase - Summer. It’s like the child has become an adult, however as part of your growth you must accept that once again change is on its way. The wheel keeps turning.Awaken early and reach to the sun for nourishment as gardens do. Work, play, travel, be joyful and go ahead and shine!

Summer ideas:

R Feast with friends and share your intentions and desires.R Eat less and lightly on hot days. Try adding some hot peppers or spices, or warming foods such as ginger and horseradish to your meals. R Spend time daily feeling into your spirit’s needs. Be cautious not to get too carried away in the mind or the excitement of the season. Being in nature or plenty of grounding will help. R What are 3 lessons you are grateful for experiencing during 2015?

R What would you like your life to be like in 2016? R Try this visualisation to help you manifest your hopes and wishes for the coming year. Take a few minutes to visualise what it is you would like to achieve. See your life in action as if you are already there. How would you be behaving? What would you be doing, thinking or feeling? What is your environment like and who would be there with you? Feel it in every cell of your body. Repeat as often as you can to help strengthen the neural pathways of the brain so that it is not just imagined, but actu-ally becomes your reality.

Each new cycle offers an opportunity to create a new outlook. Summer solstice is an especially potent time of year to get clear on your inten-tions – to begin setting the scene for the story you really want to create. If you hold firm in your heart what it is that you wish to achieve, nothing will stop you from success.

‘If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.’ - Jonathan Winters

Working with the elements to create harmony in body, mind and spirit, Michelle Teunon is a Melbourne-based kinesiologist, body-worker and Qi Gong facilitator passionate about supporting peo-ple to release limiting behaviours and step into their true potential. email: [email protected]. Phone: 0408 081 455.

VIC - Summer Solstice 2015 7

“The festival of the summer solstice speaks of love and light, of freedom and generosity of spirit. It is a beautiful time of year

where vibrant flowers whisper to us with scented breath, for-ests and woodlands hang heavy in the summer’s heat and our souls become enchanted with midsummer magic.”

- Carole Carlton

www.connectmagazine.org 8 Summer Solstice 2015 - VIC


Time for YouBeing Your Own Best Friend

One of the valuable things I have learned is to take time out for myself. Our modern world has many options for the average fe-male - more choices than our mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers. Our predecessors have lived interesting and varied lives as do we. Opportunities today include tertiary education, balance a ca-reer with motherhood, self-employment, attend yoga, Pilates, the gym as well as self-help, craft, photography, art classes and more. Perhaps you miss out on taking time for you. Just for you. I have clients who are in this predicament. The responsibilities of ensur-ing their children have what they need and want, holding down their job and maintaining a committed relationship don’t leave a lot of time for them as an individual. While women today are great at balancing the many demands and commitments of those we are attached to, we may not be good at giving ourselves the same priority. Even as we fall asleep at night, our minds are often racing over the events of the day or the list of things to do for tomorrow. During the connection to Spirit while working with these cli-ents, Spirit’s message was, give yourself thirty minutes a month. Simply schedule a coffee for yourself, and don’t do this at home! Why? If you were going to schedule a coffee catch up with a friend or two, you would go to a cafe of choice, suck in the ambience, enjoy the banter and share lives. If finances are a consideration, take a home made brew to the local park, beach or other pleasant surround. I love how practical Spirit’s support is to us. They know what we need! Why bother? Because you are important, you are worth scheduling time for. If you think about scheduling 30 minutes a month

for yourself and your first thought is ‘But I don’t have time for that’; let’s put some perspective on it. Thirty minutes a month over twelve months is six hours in one year, that’s right SIX hours in ONE year! It’s not a lot of time, the aim is of course to make this a weekly commitment, to take yourself out for coffee (or visit your favourite park) and spend 30 minutes just being with you. You are your best friend, take time out to sit with yourself, treat yourself to a cuppa and be with you. Perhaps take a journal with you to record your thoughts, this time is not meant as a ‘check my To Do list’ time. Use it totally for the purpose of switching off from your commitments and responsibilities.Aim to do this once a month, just SIX hours over ONE year.You deserve this – being treated with love and respect starts with you; after all, you are your best friend!

Elizabeth Anne Rogers, EAR, Spiritual Listener www.spirituallistener.com.au

“To love oneself is the beginning

of a lifelong romance.”- Oscar Wilde

www.connectmagazine.org/victoria 10 Summer Solstice 2015 - VIC

Imagine waking up tomorrow morning and thinking to yourself: “What will I have for breakfast today? Ahh, I know, I will have a 7/10 headache, a 6/10 aching back and an 8/10 feeling of despair and overwhelming sadness!” Would you EVER choose to have those symptoms? I hear you saying, “That’s a stupid ques-tion. Of course not!” And yet many people wake up or live life with relationships that don’t work, fears, anxiety, guilt, blame, worth-lessness, financial dramas and a myriad of issues, emotionally and mentally... not to mention the physical symptoms we create in our life on a regular basis. “Symptoms and stress are gifts in strange wrapping pa-per” says Dr. Darren Weissman. Why? Because the body is the way the subconscious mind lets us know something is amiss in our lives. Consciously we say: ‘I deserve to be happy’ or ‘I can have my dream relationship/job’ etc. and then wonder why we don’t manifest it, despite writing affirmations or making vision boards! The conscious mind is 2-10% of our waking conscious-ness. The other 90-98% is subconscious. It’s reactive, it doesn’t think, it just reacts. It’s below the surface, like a submarine. You only see it when it surfaces ... generally at highly inappropriate times! Suddenly we are reacting… bursting into tears with no idea why, or waves of anger might flood us. We spend most of our life reacting to past memories unconsciously! Every memory and be-lief that has not been processed live here and when triggered by any sensory experience - what you see, hear, smell, taste or touch, it reacts from old memories, not from what is really going on in our life. Example: You were 4 helping mum bake chocolate brown-ies. While cooking they smelled wonderful. Impatiently wriggling on the bench waiting to ice and eat them, you accidentally broke mum’s favourite dish; she reacted, smacking you, making you cry. Years pass, incident forgotten. One day walking with your partner you pass a bakery, smell chocolate brownies and suddenly you’re reacting, picking a fight with your partner. Maybe there are tears, maybe anger. You know it isn’t ‘real’ but you can’t help yourself! Where did it come from? Your subconscious attempting to heal the 4 y.o. How many times have you reacted to something some-one has said or some incident, knowing full well that your reaction is not logical? Patterns repeat like CDs going round and round and getting stuck in the same grooves time and time again. All unprocessed emotional challenges, anxiety, rage, fear… patterns that live in the subconscious often appear as dis-ease or health issues. They impact the body’s natural ability to heal, regenerate and be whole.

There’s a way of bridging that gap between the con-scious and subconscious so that the attractor field is one of peace, joy health and abundance. Imagine having the tools to easily shift these reactive emotional patterns and create balance, clarity of vision and fulfilment, without the need for drama, arguments or red wine!

Here’s an exercise to begin your journey:1. Connect to someone or something that causes you to feel stress. Regardless of what or who it is, simply observe where your mind and take you. Acknowledge the stress by appreciating the emotion it brings up in you and write the emotion down.2. Rate this emotion on a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 being nothing and 10 being take me off the planet.3. Now ask yourself this question. ‘Would I ever choose to create my life, a day, or a single moment feeling or attracting this emo-tional stress?’4. Know that you would never consciously choose this stress helps you appreciate that the source of its origin is reactive in na-ture. Only the conscious mind chooses and if you wouldn’t choose this stress, then its source is the subconscious mind.5. Now, guide your subconscious mind into new possibilities. From a place of love, image that you have a menu of infinite pos-sibilities to choose from. What do you choose to feel? (eg. I feel super fantastic)6. Now put the words: “I am……” in front of the feeling and say it out loud 3 times. Put a smile on your face for extra credit and feel it send ripples through your body as you make this declaration to the universe. Your subconscious will receive the message and begin to process your desire. The emotion you choose to experience will start to grow in you. Write your statement on a sticky note and stick it everywhere.

Dr Darren Weissman, the creator and presenter of The Life-Line Technique is a passionate, compassionate person whose goal is: World peace through inner peace. He has the stats on the board, being honoured and recognised by world leading visionaries. He is the author of 3 best selling books: The Power of Infinite Love and Gratitude. Awakening to the Secret Code of Your Mind. Heart of the Matter. He will be visit-ing Australia in February from USA to offer a 1 day seminar LifeLine Ignite. Contact Diane – [email protected] or www.thelifelinetechnique.com.au.

Symptoms and Stress are Gifts

in Strange Wrapping Paper

www.connectmagazine.org /victoria VIC - Summer Solstice 2015 11


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Imagine Peace. Close your eyes and hold our world in your vi-sion of peace. What do you see? What can you hear? Taste? Smell? How does Peace in our World Feel?

I close my eyes and I hold our world in a vision of peace.

It feels balanced, optimistic, harmonious, safe, secure, spirited, fair, supportive, whole, understood, unified, accepting, bound-less, calm, content, connected, feminine, free, generous, gentle, healed, hopeful, inspired, light, kind, open-hearted, strong, serene and… thankful. However, if I’m not careful to protect that vision those are not the feelings I get when I turn on my TV. Those feelings quickly subside when I pass by the papers or open the news on the World Wide Web. I am told of chaos in our world; an impending reality where evil, terror & fear reign. There are stories of hatred and bitterness that know no boundaries. I hear fear-driven threats to disrupt what peace and calm is left in our world. When I allow these stories to saturate my heart and my mind, my feelings of love for our world and all that life on earth offers begin to fade fast

into the background. Far beyond the horizon of hope, those feel-ings settle; a distant, too soon forgotten, fading glimmer. In their place lands Fear. Fear is framed by despair, hopelessness, anger, vulnerability, uncertainty and scarcity. If we feed that fear, it grows. You may or may not have heard the story of an old Cher-okee Legend - “Two Wolves” or “The Wolves Within.”

The short version of the story goes like this:

An old Cherokee is teaching his Grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.” He continued, “The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, com-passion and faith. The same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person too.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”The old Cherokee simple replied, “The one you feed.”

In another version the Cherokee is telling the story when his grandson comes to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice.

ImaginePeace

Armadale, Victoria


The grandfather says to the younger boy, “I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your en-emy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with those feelings many times. It is as if there are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way. But the other wolf? Ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of anger. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit.” The young boy looked intently into his Grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins Grandfather?”The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, “The one I feed.”

These metaphorical wolves do not only live inside each of our souls; they live collectively in the energy of our world. They breathe through our conversations with friends and work colleagues; in the words we spill forth into a status update; the debates between our politicians; the radio shows in our car rides to and from work; the TV shows that dominate the huge screens in our living rooms and the thoughts we conjure upon passing strangers in the street. Individually and collectively we have an empowering choice about which wolf we want to feed. As human beings, we naturally desire to defend the way of life we value. Reports of po-tential threats to this way of life can quickly conjure fear in self and communities; but only if you let that fear win.

Rather than fear all that could be taken away from you; focus on what you love about this life. Feed your love for this world- not the fear. I love life and I am so deeply grateful for the privilege to ex-perience it in all its glory. I love relationships, connections, our five senses and the rich experiences they garner, food, nourishment, healing, sunlight, air, my home, the beauty and the darkness in our world. I refuse to direct my life force into fear of having all that I love taken away and I don’t want to be surrounded by messages that foster that fear. I don’t write these words today in promotion of ignorance or worse still, apathy. I am a strong and unyielding advocate for awareness and empowerment through reading, contemplating, questioning, discussing, arguing, listening and then pondering some more. The stories of our brothers and sisters around the globe and in our local communities deserve to be told and they deserve to be heard. Media has the power to be the voice of the silenced. Awareness of the injustices, the inequality and the pain around the world needs to be known so that we may consider it in our hearts and our minds. Keep that awareness, invite compas-sion into your thoughts and remember the life you love.

Imagine Peace. Close your eyes and hold our world in your vision of peace. What do you see? What can you hear? Taste? Smell? How does Peace in our World Feel?Embrace that world and pour your energies into the life that you love.

Blessings, Amy Heseltine.Nutrition student and healthy bogger – otherwiseliving.com


‘Hard work is the only way to succeed’

Doing smart, innovative and game-changing work is critical for success, but hard work? Not so much. You can work hard all of your life but if you are going about your tasks with an end-result-is-all-that-matters approach then you’ll never find the true success in life, which is learning how to appreciate the current moment. Future successes don’t exist and can never bring you satisfac-tion. Being able to get right into the present moment and wiggle your way into the task you’re currently doing so that everything else becomes irrelevant for that time? That’s the way to succeed. Approach your work with joy and success will naturally be a by-product of that.

‘It is better to give than to receive’This is an abbreviated version of the original saying, which was: it is better to be in a position to be able to give rather than be in a position where you have to receive. This talks to tapping into the abundance of life and understanding that there’s never go-ing to be a shortage of anything; not money; not lovers; not jobs. Giving is great, of course. But, there’s much to be said for being able to gratefully receive. I recently heard someone say that those who don’t know how to receive attract those who don’t know how to give. It’s true. Everything in this beautiful universe is always in perfect balance.

So open your hands and heart, and start saying thank you to the things that come your way rather than brushing them off and play-ing small. If someone compliments the way you handled yourself in a meeting, don’t dismiss it. They saw something great and took the time to share their praise. Don’t brush them off. If we can’t learn to receive the small things in life, how will we ever be able to receive the really big things?

‘You should tolerate others’ This smacks of fear. Tolerate them? How about love and accept them. Being able to step back from your ego and carefully constructed sense of the world in order to see people for what they are (which is a connec-tion of yourself, in case you were wondering) is so important. All of us are living our lives in the only way we know how. We’re all doing our best and interacting with the world in a way that minimises our pain and helps us to grow. There are no exceptions to that. You don’t have to agree with what someone is doing but trust me when I say that your life will be so much smoother if you let people be what they want to be.

‘If you don’t have a clear plan, you are setting yourself up to fail’

Every time something amazing has happened in my life it has been when I’ve stepped off the edge of the cliff without knowing what was next (except for that time when I actually did step off a real cliff and ended up in a bit of a pickle).

If it’s a real cliff, proceed with caution. If it’s a

metaphorical cliff, jump! The point is, your only job is to take that first step and then focus on the next one. Sure, glance up occasionally to check you haven’t wandered into the abyss but don’t fret if what you see looks dif-ferent to what you imagined. Giving yourself room to move in the direction that feels right is more fulfilling than putting on your blink-ers and clawing your way to a goal you set ages ago and never reassessed to see if it still felt right to head in that direction.

Lessons I’m Unlearning About Life

6


‘You should take other people’s advice seriously’

One thing us humans are fabulous at is giving advice (often unso-licited) to each other. Receiving advice is a bit of a double edge sword though. It can be helpful to get a range of opinions from people you respect. But it can also be confusing as they are speak from their life experience and often overlay their words with their own fears. Have you ever been excited about a new business ven-ture, travel plan or change in direction only to share your plans with someone and have them lay out all of the risks and downsides? Well-meaning they may be, but remember to take their opinion with a big grain of salt. Ultimately, you’re the only one who you have to answer to. If it feels right, go for it. Don’t let someone else’s fear scare you off from doing what you know your heart wants you to do.

‘If everyone else is doing some-thing, you should be doing it too’

This is probably the biggest life lesson that I am unlearning. I used to be so worried that I wasn’t doing life right, that my passions were the wrong ones because no-one else seemed to care about them, and that I was propelling myself in the opposite direction to every-one else. The older I get, the more I realise that there is no every-one; there are only people making the decisions that feel right for them. Sure, in some circles I’m in the minority for being vegetarian but in others, that’s the norm. And, yes, some people look at me like I’m crazy when I gush about how much peace meditation has brought to my life. But that does nothing to diminish the peace I’ve found. What I’ve discovered is that the more I’m true to myself, the more I see everyone else’s authentic qualities. This isn’t about labelling behaviours and choices as right or wrong because those labels only exist in minds; rather, it’s about recognising that part of you that says, “Yes, this is the right thing for me.”

By Laura Miller. Naturopathic student and health blogger – millernaturalhealth.com


Friends of the Earth

Why do friends get together? Because they have some-thing in common. What do we all have in common? The Earth. As we go about our work-a-day lives we are sustained by the Earth. We partake of its bounty in our every waking and sleeping hour. Our very lives depend on its provision of ecosystem services. The air we breathe. The water we drink. The food we eat. The raw materials that are harvested to make our clothes and shelter. We all know this, but how often do we acknowledge it? These essential factors are the most fundamental in our maintenance of society and culture - without them, all else would collapse and be rendered void. Things fall apart, as can be seen in places and at times where war and pestilence are loose upon the land, that people and society are disabled and fractured. As Maslow posited, and as has been confirmed and re-affirmed by so many people who work in the field of the social sci-ences, these services provided by the Earth and utilised by every human at every moment, underpin the fabric of all human society. From their provision comes security, and from security comes the development of human potential, and what is the basis of society? Sharing and caring. When we share common goals, when we care that the ‘other’ should have the same access to these fundamental securi-ties we discover compassion. Compassion for ourselves, for our loved ones, our friends and family, compassion that moves us to tears when we bear witness to the terrible suffering of peoples whose lives are torn apart by war and pestilence. And, if we allow ourselves to dwell in that state of em-pathy, that moment of commonality, we may discover more. If we turn our compassionate sensibility to our workaday lives and our ordinary world, we may see that the thread of community and com-passion extends to those who are closest to us every day. As I move amongst my peers here in the calm security of tropical far north Queensland, I am aware that we lead a truly privi-leged life when compared to the struggles of other communities

in war zones and in areas increasingly affected by the developed world’s rapacious appetite for resources. And I am moved with compassion as I know that my friends here have opened themselves to the truth of the responsi-bility of true friendship. The truth of compassion and of striving for a society that values all people equally, a society that recognises that our greatest friend is the one that sustains us every day, with-out question, without need for compensation or for self-affirmation. These are my friends. These are the Friends of the Earth; friends who do what they do because it must be done - who know these things and act to affirm the truth of the nature of us all and of the basis of our common humanity. These are the people who give of their time, their money, their will, their energy, their expertise. The friendships forged in the heat of environmental activism are based on empathy and com-monality, these friendships are as strong as those formed through-out human history where people have struggled for justice and security. These people who are moved by compassion and em-pathy to give of themselves extend the hand of friendship to all. The Friends of the Earth are the friends of the human community, friends to us all; friends for life.

FoE Kuranda is the local branch of FoE Australia and FoE International – the largest network of affiliated environment/social justice groups in the world, which is based in over 70 countries, with each group having broad autonomy to set its campaign objectives. Over the last year, FoE Kuranda has kept up pressure on the issue of coal seam gas as well as land clearing in the area and on Cape York and water quality in the Barron River and on the Great Barrier Reef. We also played a supporting role in various other campaigns in this region and internationally.

More details are on the website athttp://foekuranda.org/New members and supporters are always welcome.


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Final Report on Unconventional Gas Tabled in Parliament

On December 8th the committee tabled it’s final report in parlia-ment. This long awaited report will be used by the Labor Govern-ment to make a decision about the future of onshore and uncon-ventional gas mining in Victoria. The report at no time recommends a lifting of the current moratorium and several additional minority reports recommend the Labor Government support a ban. Over 70 gasfield free communities across Victoria are calling on the Andrews Government to focus on the recommenda-tion made by Labor MPs Shaun Leane and Harriet Shing, Greens MP Samantha Dunn and Fishers & Shooters MP Daniel Young, who are calling for a permanent ban. In minority reports, they clearly stated that this industry, if allowed to go ahead threatened the agriculture industry, without any guarantees that water, the en-vironment and communities will be protected.

Bushfires and Climate Change

In Victoria, the frequency of large fires (greater than 100,000 hect-ares) has grown significantly over the past century.l 19th century – 2 mega firesl first half of 20th Century – 4 mega fires l 2nd half of 20th century – 7 mega fires l In the first 15 years of the 21st century – 6 mega fires This is in spite of the huge advances we have made in fire fighting technology over the past 50 years. You ‘do the math’. Is there a link between climate change and fire frequency and intensity?Unless the world takes immediate action to radically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, bushfires will become an ever greater threat to life and landscape in Victoria.


What is your relationship like with yourself? Are you a friend to yourself? Is there blaming, judging, criticism? Before going into judgement if you think you are blaming, judging, criticising yourself, perhaps consider that those thoughts might not even be yours. We can tend to equate thoughts with facts. Just be-cause we have a thought does not mean that thought is truthful in reality no matter how much we believe it to be so. Where ever the thoughts come from let’s not add ‘violence’ by fighting and resisting, because negative thinking patterns, yours or from elsewhere, can be removed quickly, easily and simply. The first step though is to use awareness. Often we find the mental turmoil so uncomfortable that we do not want to know about the thoughts and we suppress them or choose to not be aware. Our percep-tion, intuition, awareness and insight can be strengthened to activate higher universal intelligence. Being present in knowing what is actually taking place is an important step for removing the cumulative effects of the thoughts. We are then free to act in the now rather than reacting from past cumulative layers. Our relationship with our partner also changes so that both parties respond to each other in a more beneficial manner. Are we using ‘violent’ communication, not only with our self, but also with others? We can do this when we are in pain. We can do this when we expect our needs, for example, emotional, to be met from external sources. Without this insight we will not get the correct answer to the source of limitations in our relationship with self or others. Our physical symptoms can aid to lead us to the source of our issues. For example, the kidneys play a vital role in healthy relationships and may need addressing during the resolving of relationship issues. Our kidneys store our life force, govern fertility, build and maintain bones and nervous system and rule the knees. Stiffness and rigidity of body parts is a cue to needing perhaps more mental flexibility and freedom. Circulatory problems can be related to communication issues with oth-ers. Removing the triggered trauma (spiritual, emotional or mental mem-ories) enhances our physical wellbeing. Traumas stored in the heart, lungs, ribs, shoulders and arms may be the reason that as we grow older we learn to protect our vulnerability by closing our heart centre down. Connection and communication issues often come from an-cestors because they were challenged in their association with others. We want to get to the real reason and source of an issue. Then we spontaneously flow from a balanced heart space with love, care and compassion without turning it into responsibility for others’ feelings, or emotional slavery.

A balanced heart centre allows us to commit to intimacy in love. We recover an innocence that makes us playful and inspired. We know who we are and we accept ourselves which brings us joy and peace. An unbalanced heart centre depresses the immune system. We become stuck in self-criticism and shame; we are unable to commit to an intimate relationship and will run away as soon as we feel vulnerable. An over-active centre may manifest as being overly critical, demanding, possessive, angry and/or allowing oneself to be a ‘doormat’. An under-active centre: self pity, afraid of letting go and getting hurt, paranoia, indecisive, need constant reassurance and affirmation of self-worth, un-certainty, possessive, self-doubting and feeling unloved. Finding happiness in friendships is difficult if there is an ac-cumulation of unhappiness in friendships. Negative experiences accu-mulate excessively in our body, mind and spirit and have a tendency to confuse our life. This can be transformed easily without fighting and resisting the symptoms, self or others. Confronting the other person can bring misinterpretation and further fuels the situation. The number one leading issue with relationships is karma which can be resolved instantly whether with self or the other person. Karma takes into consideration the spiritual karmas of our ancestors, offspring, collective influences and sometimes spirit attachments. It is not because the relationship has deteriorated and partners have lost interest in each other. Rather it is most commonly due to the karma involved that is not recognised and therefore not resolved. As strange as it may seem, the relationship’s original intent was to resolve the karma affecting the persons. This is what unconsciously attracted and brought the partnerships originally to-gether. Releasing the past karmas brings contentment and freedom that greatly exceeds the initial joy and attraction. Are you wishing others would be more supportive, attentive, loving, responsible, respectful, ‘present’ or less demanding, critical, con-trolling, irritating or unresponsive? If your answer is yes, it’s time to locate and remove the unknown reasons, causes and sources that led to this unwelcome behaviour in the first place.

By Faye Rosie, Naturopath, Medical Intuitive, Shaman, Author of “The Power of Your Spirit” and the shamanic “Heart Healing Symbol Cards”. For sessions, local or distant (phone or skype): 07 4055 2868. [email protected]. 6 Mulurri Close, Lake Placid (Caravonica), Qld.

What is the Original Intent of Relationships?

As strange as it may seem, the relationship’s original intent was to resolve the karma affecting the persons. This is what unconsciously

attracted and brought the partnerships originally together. Releasing the past karmas brings contentment and freedom that

greatly exceeds the initial joy and attraction.


Faye N Rosie ND, TWM, Dr Traditional Medicine (Colombo) NATUROPATH, MEDICAL INTUITIVE, SHAMAN Experience balance through HARMONSIING ENERGY at at at the causative level of disharmony.

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The garbos do a good job emptying your bins; we all agree with that statement. When they occasionally go on strike the rubbish piles up and chaos ensues. But what if we had a surplus of garbo guys? Billions of them looking for rubbish every-where, taking out your flower pots, your dog kennel, your garden furniture, emptying your pantry, helping themselves to your multi-vitamins, now that would be annoying, right? In the body we have these microscopic garbos and they are called worms and parasites. They have a list of jobs to do, like eating your garbage and when we die they digest and decompose us. However, everything in moderation! When we live on junk food we encourage them to reproduce at a fast pace. ‘Oh goody,’ say the hookworms, pinworms, whipworms, flatworms, roundworms, square worms and lego-shaped worms, to mention just a few. ‘We can lay millions of eggs now the person has be-come so acidic and his immune system is down the gurgler.’ Some worms like to suck our blood and make us anemic; others bore through to other organs like our heart, creating Leaky Gut Syn-drome as they go. The victim is totally unaware of all this, naturally. He chugs down soft drinks, which feeds sugar to his candida fungi, eats takeaways with trans fats and rancid oils, smokes cigarettes which deplete his vitamin C levels, avoids vegetables and fruits, and slaps chemicals like moisturisers and deodorants on his skin to make him smell less putrid. He is usually deficient in zinc, which is used to repair holes or weak intestinal walls. Maybe he has a dog, which licks its backside on a regular basis, so it is covered in microscopic worm eggs. The dog sleeps in the bed with its master. The ‘Yuk’ factor continues. Parasites can be the actual cause of most mysterious illnesses. So if you are not feeling quite right, this is a good starting point. A bit like a mechanic looking at your car and checking the dark, polluted oil. Here are some of the symptoms of having an excess in the body of these organisms which are there to clean up your garbage.

l Strong cravings for processed foods and sugary foodsl Anaemia or iron deficiencyl Depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, very irritablel Skin ailments such as hives, rashes, weeping anemia, itchy dermatitis, acne, sores, ulcersl Bleeding gumsl Headaches

lTeeth grinding and drooling during sleepl Loss of appetite, or hungry all the timel Sexual dysfunction (men), hormonal problems in womenl Chronic fatiguel Itching around mouth, nose, anusl Memory problemsl Breathing problemsl I hear you say “What about itchy bum?” Yes, yes, we all know that one. Especially if we have kids.

Worms can create major nutrient deficiencies and diges-tive problems as we become depleted of vital vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Then they have the nerve to poop toxic waste into the body which we absorb! Roundworms can lay over 200 thousand eggs a day and estimates show that 1 billion people are infected with them. Symp-toms are upper abdominal discomfort, asthma, insomnia, appen-dicitis, peritonitis, fever, weight loss and rashes due to the waste products they produce. Pinworms infect one in five children. Female worms crawl out of the anus and lay about 15 thousand eggs at night. Nice image. Once airborne the eggs can survive about two days anywhere in your living environment. Every six months we need to be diligent and boot them out. How? There are a few options. The chemist will sell you a toxic chemical formula which will kill only 3 or 4 different types of worms and then cause damage to your liver. We naturopaths don’t approve of this method. You could eat a tablespoon of pawpaw seeds every day for 3 weeks, just crunch them up a bit before you swallow the fiery little devils. They will digest the protein component of parasites. You could obtain a bottle of really good herbal capsules from a really good naturopath. The really good formula will have in it black walnut, wormwood in the form of artemisia annua, pau d’arco to kill your candida, rhubarb root, as it sweeps as it cleans, and other good herbs known to improve intestinal health. After all we are talking about the drains now. The drains have to be clean or you will get blocked up. Plumbers get paid the highest rate of all tradies, and you need to keep the plumbing in good condition. The surgical plumbers, proctologists, gastroenter-ologists etc. charge enormous amounts.

Susan Ascott-Evans, Naturopath, Iridologist, Herbalist. Phone 0438724345 www.naturopathcairns.com

Your Internal Garbage Men.


Healing

Friendships

What is the definition of true friendship? Has anyone got a man-ual on how to be the perfect friend? There is no such thing as the perfect friend; we all make mistakes; that is what makes us human. And that is totally ok in fact that is brilliant! It’s because we each are unique and whole with so called imperfections included. Sure, as a friend we may have said things we didn’t mean in the heat of the moment and often to our dearest friends. So is that any reason to put yourself down; to stay in that swamp of sadness and regret? No! Whatever has happened between you and your friend it is time to forgive and let go; either forgiving yourself or forgiving them for what they have done. Sure, it is easier said than done and it can be one of the hardest things you will ever have to do in your life. But in the end you are freeing yourself from all of that hurt and pain. Don’t you want to be free of that? This is one of the most perfect times of the year to resolve any matters of friendship. A New Year is about to begin so it is time to clear out any upset, hurt or pain that hasn’t been resolved. Don’t carry it over into the New Year. Start fresh, you will be glad that you did and you will feel energetically lighter, brighter and free. Here are some simple ideas for releasing any negativity associated with any friendship.

Simple Ideas for healing friendship

Forgiveness Whether it is forgiving yourself or forgiving a friend, forgiveness is one of the most powerful tools you can use. It will help you to let go and move forward in life.

ReleasingYou can hold a special little ceremony for this in the privacy of your own home. All you will need is a piece of paper, pen a lighter or matches and a stainless steel pot or tin. Make sure the pot is of a decent size. Write all of your hurt feelings or emotions down on the piece of paper. With the heading saying “I lovingly release”. Then role the piece of paper up place it in a tin or pot and safely burn the piece of paper. This is a way of releasing those pent up emotions to the universe. You can get creative with this and make it into your own little ceremony with incense, beautiful

candles (red candles are great but not necessary) and whatever comes to mind. Doing this around dark moon is the best time. Please follow safety rules associated with fire.

Cord CuttingThis is another way to release energetic cords that may be connected between yourself and your friend. It is a way of letting go what no longer serves your highest good. There are many different techniques when it comes to this. You can search this on the internet. I do, however, work with Archangel Michael when cutting cords but find a technique or way that suits you best. It is whatever feels right for you.

Heart Chakra Now this is a really important one, whether it be that you are working on your friendship with yourself or with another person. Self-love comes into play here on both angles. I highly recommend doing some heart chakra meditations to remove any unwanted or residual emotions that are not helping you. So this can enable healing to begin. You can find many different guided heart chakra mediations or you can do visualisa-tion on that particular area. You may have to do this a few times but trust in your intuition and your gut feeling; it is your best guide. Also, working with rose quartz which is all about love will be really helpful also. You may even wish to wear a piece or place the rose quartz over your heart chakra area.

We may have lifelong friends or we may have friends we have known for only a short time but feel like they have been in our lives forever. There may have been things that have come up throughout the year that have affected the dynamics of the friendship. As an act of self-love let go of any feelings towards them that no longer serve you, or let go of these feelings that you may have towards yourself. Now is the time to be your own best friend through self-love. This will help you enhance love for yourself, heal already existing friendships or to let go and forgive. Friendship with yourself or others is a treasure to hold dear to your heart. And it is time to experience that priceless treasure lovingly.

Tammie Movliatti. Medium/Healer/ Spiritual GuidancePh: 0458 854 960

www.connectmagazine.org /victoria 22 Summer Solstice 2015 - VIC

What are you putting on your

Skin?Do you have so many c r e a m s that you could al-most start your own pharmacy? All

claiming that they will fix your skin condition such as eczema, derma-titis or rash. Perhaps your vanity cabinet is so full of products you’ve tried without success that you have now simply given up on finding a cure. But have you considered this: perhaps it is actually your creams/ shampoos or body washes that are causing the issue in the first place? The body can be like a balloon. it is designed to filter toxins but once the liver is overloaded blocking the release value there is only so much air (toxins) it can take before it bursts. There are a large number of products out there on the market all claiming to do different things. From anti-ageing wrinkle cream that makes you look 10 years younger to simple shampoos to add shine.But what do they contain and what are they really doing to our bodies? Unfortunately many of the substances within these products have the potential to do more harm than good. “I had dry flaky skin on my head for years. it was all over my face and scalp. It not only looked bad but it was so itchy too. it seemed as though I had tried everything, every cream on the market but noth-ing worked. Some would help for a while but the problem always came back. Then I spoke with Kim who gave me a list of ‘nasties’ to stay away from. Turned out all my creams and lotions had at least one thing on the list. Sometimes many of these are ‘irritants’ as she called them. So I followed her advice. All I did was stop using the creams. Swapped my soaps and shampoos for goat’s milk soap and started putting 10mls of flaxseed oil on my food a day. Within a week I noticed a big difference. Within the month the dryness was gone and no more itching. I couldn’t be happier. It was the cheapest of all my options that I’ve tried and so easy to maintain. Now months later I still haven’t had it back” It’s a common belief that if it’s on the shelf then it can’t be harmful. Toxic ingredients aren’t allowed in Australia right? Think again! Unfortunately there is very little regulation for personal care products that go on the skin. Nor to prevent the use of the many chemicals they contain. This is because many believe that what we put on our skin is not being absorbed into the body. If this were true then how do nicotine patches work to give up smoking? The skin is our largest organ and experts believe that up to sixty percent of what we put on our skin gets absorbed internally. It enters through our pores finding its way into our bloodstream. This is especially true of areas with higher amounts of hair by allowing an easier passageway through the larger opening of the hair follicle. This unfortunately is generally the area in which we tend to place more product, being on our heads with shampoos as well as under our arms being a place to get an extra lather. Have you ever looked to see what is in your shampoo or body-wash and felt like you need a degree to figure out what is in it or what is safe?

Common irritantsIrritants include sodium laureth sulphate, ammonium sulphate and so-dium lauryl sulphate. These products have been linked to brain, heart, eye and liver damage. As well as irritating the skin. They are in most shampoos/ body washes as well as toothpastes, causing mouth ulcers. Another ingredient to avoid is parabens. These are bio-product from pe-troleum used as a preservative. I also suggest avoiding mineral oils as whilst these are natu-ral they stop the skin from ‘breathing’ stopping anything penetrating or coming out of the skin for detox purposes for up to twelve days. After all the skin is an organ that helps to get rid of body waste. If the liver, kidneys, bowels or lymphatic system isn’t working efficiently it will often pass it on to the largest organ to help eliminate its waste. The same can be said for lanolin. It stops water from penetrating sheep’s wool, so why would we want to smother ourselves and our largest organ.Others to avoid include aluminium, bht, coal tar, DEA, EDTA, fluoride and saccharin to name but a few.

What is it really doing to us?Studies are continuously taking place to observe the link between these products and many disease states such as cancers (especially of the breast), autoimmune issues, organ damage and the list continues. With skin rashes an obvious sign of allergy, is the risk really worth it when we are yet to understand what all these products going into our bodies are really doing? You may also be having an allergic reaction to a synthetic fragrance, a harsh detergent or an artificial colour. Whilst companies continue to use these toxic chemicals claiming ‘only in small dosages considered safe’ with little knowledge of the long term effects on our health.

Other beauty optionsAs a moisturiser rosehip oil is great and it also contains high vitamin C to actually reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Many times our skin is showing us what is happening internally. Dry skin? Perhaps you don’t have enough good oils and need flaxseed. Rashes? Maybe the skin is cleansing what the liver can’t. Using these products is a matter of personal choice but many of these chemicals can be avoided. And just because these products aren’t mak-ing you sick right now doesn’t mean that don’t have the potential to affect your health in the long term by compromising your immune system and putting you at higher risk of disease. Take control of your health and become more informed of what you are putting on your skin and hair. There are other products out there that are far more natural and there-fore safer. Why take the risk?

Kim Stedman, Kuranda Health & HealingPh: 0431 388 568

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Loss, Grieving and BeyondChange is an inevitable part of life, and every change involves loss. Even positive changes that we have chosen require us to give up some previous aspect/s of our life. Under these circumstances we might accept the as-sociated loss with little discomfort, seeing it as a positive trade-off for the gains we have chosen. However, when we experi-ence an unsought change that we per-ceive as negative, the loss will outweigh any positive gain. Grieving is a natural response to loss. Although it can be a very difficult period it is the best way of coming to terms with an event so that we are eventu-ally ready to move on to something new. Depending on the nature of loss and its significance to the person concerned, this period will vary in length and intensity.

What is important is that it does occur. Following the loss of someone very signifi-cant, or any event that changes your life extensively, grieving can last years rather than months, particularly if the event was unexpected. Over this time however, the frequency and intensity of negative emo-tions gradually lessen.

What does grieving entail?

Psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross docu-mented aspects of the grieving process that commonly occurred with her patients, and these have been widely adopted as the ‘stages of grieving’. These are: Denial and Isolation; Bargaining; Anger; Depres-sion; Acceptance and Hope.

Everyone grieves in their own way: you might find yourself moving in and out of these ‘stages’, one day thinking that you are beginning to accept the loss, and a day or so later feeling once again over-whelmed with sadness, anger or even guilt. This is normal, and recognising your own needs and allowing them to be OK is very important.

The psychological process of grieving goes something like this:l Initially we might try to ignore the loss, perhaps isolating ourselves from situa-tions where we need to acknowledge it or talk about it;l When we can no longer deny the real-ity, we might try to negotiate an acceptable compromise, in real terms, or maybe even with God, in prayer;


and no timeframe within which you must move on – it is perfectly OK to take your own time and handle your loss in your own way. However, if you are feeling that you can’t cope with the depth of grief you are experiencing, do seek professional help from your doctor, a psychologist or coun-sellor, or a church minister if you practise a particular religion.

Here are some strategies that can help to move

beyond grieving.

l Find out if there is a relevant sup-port group, and see whether it feels right for you;l In a quiet meditation, ask your inner knowing/subconscious/intuition for guid-ance to help you move on. Examples of questions you might ask (at separate times) are: *Is there something I need to release, to allow me to move on? *Is there a choice I could make that would help me turn the corner? *How am I stopping myself from taking the next step? Wait quietly in stillness and re-cord any ideas that come to you;l Design and hold a ceremony, alone or with supportive friends, to represent releasing something, or entering a new phase of your process.

Finally, on waking and throughout the day, ‘pre-program’ each day with positive affir-mations, e.g. l I handle with ease and serenity what-ever situations I face today. l I embrace this day positively and ex-pect only the best.

Annabel Muis. Annabel is a Reiki prac-titioner and teacher, and co-author of the book, Turning Points; Regaining joy after loss. Contact: [email protected] Ph: 07 4093 8937

l When this doesn’t work we are likely to become angry, blaming others, or blaming our self (guilt);l Eventually we recognise the futility of our earlier efforts and acknowledge the inevitable, and deep sadness results;l In time we come to a level of accep-tance, and begin looking to the future again, beginning to see the future as offer-ing some positive possibilities. What can help me through

the process?

Western societies have many cultural ta-boos about expressing certain emotions, so many people have learned to repress their natural emotional responses. Trying to ‘be strong’ following a loss is common (particularly if you are a man), making it harder to move through the process to reach acceptance and hope. There is also little recognition of the need for grieving after a loss that is not death-related, and many people are uncomfortable with someone who is griev-ing. So there might be subtly expressed expectations that you should be back to ‘normal’ within a few weeks or months. It is essential to be aware of the importance of grieving, and of your own varying needs in regard to handling your loss. More than anything else, you need

some people in your life who recognise what you are experiencing and are willing and able to give you the freedom and a safe space to be however you need to be. These might not be the people you most expect to be there for you when you need someone. Try not to judge those who are unable to provide the care you need, and be grateful for others who will unexpect-edly come into your life when you have a need for support. Seek to overcome any unhelpful beliefs like, I shouldn’t be a bur-den to other people, and allow yourself to ask for help when you need it.

Self care is vital for your healing. Take care of your physical health, and nurture your-self. Self-nurturing means doing for your-self things that make you feel special and cared for. It could be taking a day off work if possible when you need time alone; lis-tening to beautiful music; having a bubble bath or a professional massage, or any of a dozen other things that help you feel good. Whatever you do should carry the message, I’m important and I deserve to be pampered.

What if I can’t move on?

Hard as it might be to believe, this time will end, and life will one day feel good again. There is no ‘right way’ to grieve

“Grief releases love and it also instills a profound sense of connection.” - Jacqueline Novogratz


Musings on theNature of Friendship

or separation. Interracial marriage is, for example, encouraged. This is complemented by an ongoing, learning-centred and reflective approach within the Baha’i community seeking to better put these principles into practice on a global basis.’

But beyond the barriers that divide humanity, there is an even deeper requirement for what might be called true friendship. This is the require-ment that the friendship be spiritually based, a relationship based on pure, selfless love, thereby giving that relationship the elements of sin-cerity and purity of motive. This is a form of friendship that demands that we put aside the material considerations of this world and our own wishes and desires, in a quest for a higher spiritual or Divine goal. Baha’u’llah exhorts humanity thus:

‘O DWELLERS OF MY PARADISE!With the hands of loving-kindness I have planted in the holy garden of paradise the young tree of your love and friendship, and have watered it with the goodly showers of My tender grace; now that the hour of its fruiting is come, strive that it may be protected, and be not consumed with the flame of desire and passion.’

It may on occasions mean that we cannot pursue close friendship with those of a baser appetite. The Holy Quran states:

‘About the (evil one) it is decreed that whoever turns to him for friend-ship, him will he lead astray, and he will guide him to the Penalty of the Fire.’

And Proverbs add:

‘Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; and with a wrath-ful man thou shalt not go; Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.’

Perhaps the last word could go to the book of Sirach:

‘A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found such a one hath found a treasure. Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is invaluable. A faithful friend is the medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord shall find him.’

Graham Nicholson Hidden Words Bookshop, Kuranda. Ph: 4093 7120

If you consult most dictionaries on the meaning of ‘friendship’ you will usually get very simplistic and uninformative answers; trivial even. But an adequate definition is, I venture to suggest, a deeper subject. Wikipedia gives us a more penetrating answer:

‘Although there are many forms of friendship, some of which may vary from place to place, certain characteristics are present in many types of friendship. Such characteristics include affection, sympathy, empathy, honesty, altruism, mutual understanding and compassion, enjoyment of each other’s company, trust, and the ability to be oneself, express one’s feelings, and make mistakes without fear of judgment from the friend.’

Shakespeare put it another way:

‘A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.’

From this we can discern two main meanings. One is to look at su-perficial friendships, ships that may pass in the night so to speak. The other is to look much deeper, to demand much, much more of any such friendship. This latter category is most likely to be a more permanent arrangement, a mutual, respectful and considerate arrangement, with obligations flowing both ways. Taking this further, this deeper meaning will be one that is capable of transcending all barriers. It will, for example, be a friend-ship that is capable of overcoming barriers of race, colour and ethnicity. Abdu’l-Baha wrote:

‘Therefore today I am exceedingly glad that both white and colored peo-ple have gathered here and I hope the time will come when they shall live together in the utmost peace, unity and friendship. I wish to say one thing of importance to both in order that the white race may be just and kind to the colored and that the colored race may in turn be grateful and appreciative toward the white.’

For Baha’is, based on the oneness of all humanity, it can be said as follows:

‘Baha’is are encouraged to associate in love and friendship with all peoples on the basis of their mutual equality and dignity, respecting their rights, cultures, languages etc., but otherwise without any distinction


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Cover Artist


A lifetime dream has finally become a reality for me with the opening of my studio “Chelles Artworks” in Yorkeys Knob, Cairns, Queensland. After years of trying to find the per-fect medium for my creative works I have found the brilliant colours of Acrylic paint and its immediacy has freed up my style

allowing for a more fluid expression of painting. My style is based on using basic red, yellow and blue which has been an amazing way for me to explore colours outside of my comfort zone. Originally from Greensbourgh, Victoria Chelle has since moved to Far North Queensland for the diverse beauty of the trop-ics, it is here that Chelle is able to indulge in her love for colour. With a wide range of art to choose from, you are sure to find that special piece that touches your soul. If you have a special look in mind for your décor, commission work is welcome you just need ask. Chelles Artworks Gallery is creating an artistic hub at Yor-keys Knob Cairns where local artists are invited to display their art-works to keeping an interesting flow of creativity within the gallery. You are welcome to visit www.chellesartworks.com to see the works that are available for purchase. Commissions are welcome….Portraits and pet portraits are a speciality.

Call for more information: 0407 959 280. www.chellesartworks.com

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Michelle Toohey

Cover Title: Forever Young Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Email: [email protected]


This is a ‘how to’ guide to finding your life purpose and listen-ing to your soul. The author Rebecca had a major life shift (or crisis.) She changed her career, moved to the UK, had a relationship break-up and basically had a melt-down. It was from rock bottom that she finally started to listen to her intuition and went off to a retreat with Sonia Choquette and after a few rants at God, started to write this book. She stresses that shining our light is our natural state annd connecting to our inner light also connects us to the Uni-verse. When we choose to shine, it causes a chain reaction and actually raises the vibration of the planet. I also believe her state-ment that we choose our parents and significant others before we incarnate to enable us to fulfil our life purpose and learn certain lessons. I call these our soul mates (not the perfect lover but the perfect lesson – and there can be many.) To find your own call-ing, she suggests you simply follow what lights you up. Pretending and doing what you feel you ‘should’ do takes lots of energy and depletes your body and soul. Your ‘authentic self’ is always poised to take on your ‘divine purpose’ and live in the light. Another point I firmly believe is that we need to have quiet to hear our soul and she stresses the importance of a non-negotiable daily spiritual

Light is the New BlackBy Rebecca Campbell

practice (AKA meditation, either sitting or in a moving form like Qi Gong, Tai Chi or Yoga) Many people in my life recently have faced challenges that have cracked them right open, but that crack is how the light gets in.

“The Ego trusts that we are separate and go through life alone.The Soul trusts we are all connect

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Happy New Year - Beeuniversal · 2016. 1. 8. · Happy New Year Connect readers and welcome to the first 2016 Summer Solstice edition. It is now that time of year where we analyse