SCM spring 2013

SCMSedona Conscious Magazine

S pr i n g i S S u e 2 0 1 3

www.SedonaConsciousMagazine.com 2


Articles06 Transformational Astrology

by Henry Seltzer

11 Archetypes

by Carolyn Myss

14 Are You Using Knowledge or is Knowledge Using You?

by don Miguel Ruiz Jr.

16 The Seasons of Self: April- Awakening to the Miraculous

by Lynn Woodland

19 Living a More Conscious Life

by Dr. Jennifer Howard

22 Baked Egg Rolls - a recipe

by Corinne Casazza

23 Optimal Detox

by Christopher Vasey N.D.

25 The Keeper of the Diary (part 2)

by Judith Diana Winston

27 The Spirit of Simples

by Susun S Weed

29 Holistic Approach to Healing and Wellness

by Michael E. Goldberg

Sedona Conscious Magazine

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Corinne Casazza

Michael E. Goldberg

Dr. Jennifer Howard

Indie Lee

Carolyn Myss

Chris Roe

don Miguel Ruiz Jr.

Henry Seltzer

Christopher Vasey N.D.

Susun S Weed

Judith Diana Winston

Lynn Woodland

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he astrology of March features

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Chiron

and Pluto. Mercury is still in retrograde

from late February, and only escapes its

retrograde shadow on the 6th of april.

Therefore the entire month of March

will be one that partakes at least to some

extent of the usual Mercury Retrograde

symptoms of missed connections, communication mishaps and

mechanical breakdowns. These interesting phenomena can

usually be traced to false assumptions or overlooking something

on the part of our own mental apparatus, and do not seem to

much affect those persons born with Mercury retrograde natally.

Venus, relationship planet and the astrological archetype

of beauty and the arts, is also highlighted this month, now in

Pisces and there conjuncting Neptune. The March 11th New

Moon in Pisces also conjuncts Venus, so that a softer and more

compassionate take on inter-personal connection is even more

than usual on our minds and in our hearts. additionally, with

the Mercury retrograde period ushering in a more thoughtful

attitude, the focus of our meditations will likely be the very

nature of our world as a relationship planet, as well as on our

various relationships, our soul’s life blood.

The same New Moon that features Venus is accompanied by

Mars leaving Pisces and entering into its own sign of aries, there

to come into closer and closer conjunction with Uranus as the

second half of this month unfolds. This brings a series of sudden

surprises and an extroverted counter-point to the internal energy

of the Mercury retrograde. The possibility of accidents cannot

be ruled out so that it is best to proceed with caution. We might

continue our month-long meditation by focusing on the many

ways that we bring one-pointed and self-motivated activity to

the altar that relationship provides. When we more closely look,

and look truly, we are able to recognize where indeed the very

structure of our lives must radically transform.

Meanwhile, Jupiter in Gemini, ruled by both Mercury and, in

esoteric terms, Venus, is once again the focus of a yod formation

from Saturn and Pluto – as was found at the time of the Winter

Solstice on the 21st of December, 2012, and also in the chart

for the New Year. Saturn with Pluto represents the radical

transformation of structures; our own, and in the life of the

surrounding collective. The Jupiter emphasis lends an optimistic

air to the proceedings as we continue to explore what we need

to do – both individually and as a society – to make the necessary

life changes that will enable us to get through this pivotal year,

recognizing it as one important turning point of a turbulent

decade.

Chiron, the Wounded Healer, is also very prominent in this

month’s configurations, being increasingly aspected by Jupiter,

and by retrograde Mercury as we make our way through March.

This indicates a primary focus on the challenges as well as the

rewards of this period. We are caught up in a struggle to accept

the necessity of massive change. There is also the realization

that, as we do go along with the flow of the cosmos working

itself out through our lives, our relationships must also undergo

continual adjustment and repair. It is important to recognize that

change opens the door to healing, and is vital, representing the

only way that we will be able to make our necessary transition

into wholeness.

TransformationalAstrology ApRiL 2013

TBY HEnRY SELTzER


ARiES (MARCH 20-ApRiL 19)You are coming into your own, aries, although you might not yet know it. The recent cosmic emphasis implies

that in order that you take full advantage of your opportunities, it is more important than ever that you make

fundamental changes in your mission statement. You are in a good place to aim carefully, and it is vital that, as

you do, you take inner priorities more fully into account. With Mercury retrograde all month long, this is not the

time to push ahead without carefully thinking everything over, and from several different standpoints. You win

when you base your thoughts on your deeper feeling level, making use of the powerful intuitive information that

currently floods into your being. There, true information is to be found whenever you can make space and allow

it to come in.

TAURUS (ApRiL 20-MAY 19) It is a brand new world for you, Taurus, as the winter of your discontent begins to fade and you enter into a

springtime of renewed opportunity. You are benefiting from recent realizations regarding partnership priorities

and how these affect your world view, and, going forward, on your life in general. You are mulling over your

actual plans for a more vitalized soul future, but you are still learning how to navigate the incredibly powerful

mix of energies that swirl around you. Next month will be a better time to finalize important decisions that are

still coming into being – currently stewing in the reflections of a thoughtful March time frame. For now, you do

well to continue to watch and wait, and enjoy your growing confidence as well as the trepidation of anticipated

new birth.

GEMini (MAY 20-JUnE 20)This continues to be a powerful and an optimistic time for you, Gemini. You have been in an essentially

optimistic place, despite being put through the wringer lately. The transformational beat continues into the

heart of yet another intense year. You are coming now to a marked shift in your energies, with your ruler,

Mercury, retrograding through your sector of career path and productive works. You are entirely serious about

understanding your actual life mission, that which will make you not only successful but also happily so, and now

is the time to solidify those gains, as you pause to collect yourself. On into april it will be soon enough you to be

pressing ahead with a new mandate for a future that you can not only live with, but for.

CAnCER (JUnE 21-JULY 20) It’s an interesting time for you, Cancer. You know you’ve been through something major over these last few

weeks, and it is still ongoing, although it might be hard to pin it down exactly what it is. Your emotional center

has been rocked; there is an evolution that is taking place within you. The result over this current monthly cycle

is a new world view and new vision for where you are potentially heading. a deep exploration has come about

without specific planning, as though a hidden passage through the center of the earth had suddenly opened

up at your feet resulting in free fall. Where you will land only goddess knows, but it certainly won’t be Kansas

anymore, or anything at all like the place where you began.

LEO (JULY 21-AUG. 21) This is an interesting month of introspection, Leo, with the retrograde of Mercury through your sector of

personal evolution, and following the intensity of the last days of February when everything seemed to fall apart

only to pull together again in new ways. You have been caught up, for many weeks now, in the exploration of

your interior process, leading to a better, further, and deeper commitment to yourself. You are beginning to

entertain, in a new way, the idea that you include Spirit as a normal part of your waking life. It suddenly becomes

important that you allow family and relationship with others to rise nearer to the top of your priority list. You are

digging deep over this month and the next, first preparing, as you refine your purpose; and then, finally, as you

are ready, to act.

astrology


ViRGO (AUG. 21-SEpT. 21) This is quite a time you are having here in the first few months of 2013, Virgo. Now, with six planets in

your relationship sector, including Mercury in retrograde, you are deeply committed to partnership concerns,

and also to refining and reformulating your viewpoint on life and love. This is a time of plumbing your spiritual

depths, and regarding relationship, of both rampant confusion and also the discovery of ethereal beauty

emerging, unannounced, between the lines of everyday occurrences. You could also be discovering that you

just can’t push the river, but must let it roll on with a life of its own to which you are merely witness. Even

though tempting, you might need to put the attractive magnet of outer world pursuits on hold this month as you

sort things out.

LiBRA (SEpT. 22-OCT. 22) You are seeking fulfillment amidst the ordinary, Libra. You are making a breakthrough to new levels of

understanding, of yourself and of where in the world your life could be heading, although the details are more

than a bit confusing, mystical and vague. Since Mercury is also retrograde until the first week of april, when

you take into account the period of the retrograde shadow, it may be best not to try too hard. You win if you

can wait to forge ahead with plans until you have a good sense of what you really want, down within the

deepest centers of your being. One stage of this evolving process, when significant others enter even more

into your picture, takes place with the Full Moon in your sign during the last week of March.

SCORpiO (OCT. 23-nOV. 21) This is an important time, Scorpio, when you are continuing to explore your inner world, and when you have

also been feeling your way into a better relationship with your own personal power. When you think that you

have the capability of exerting the most control is when, paradoxically, you have the very least. Over the course

of this current month, your self-expression and creativity is blazing up in a new fashion that takes your deep

unconscious process into better account, recognizing that at base, not everything you do is fully conscious.

You are on the way to affirming your path forward in a very different way, one that rather than the misplaced

conditioning of an era that has lost its relevance to your present understanding, takes soul purpose more firmly

into account.

SAGiTTARiUS (nOV. 22-DEC. 20) You are on a roll, Sagittarius, but it is not all easy. as an intense winter makes way for spring via the dynamic

transition point of the recent February 25th Full Moon, you are even more greatly focalized on important

interpersonal connections. These include relationships with significant others, and also those with home, family

and tribe; where you find that you are reviewing and renewing your priorities. There might be a better way

forward than you have previously attempted. This is correlates as well to the psychological basis of your

security, and you might find that in the course of these investigations you are discovering what makes you tick,

deep down inside. as you do, you gain a better grasp on a top-to-bottom integration that brings you into closer

connection with others and ultimately, with yourself.

CApRiCORn (DEC. 21-JAn. 19) This is an interesting time for you, Capricorn, especially for learning new things about yourself. a tremendous

transition period has been underway for many weeks, affecting how you see yourself moving forward into the

uncertainty of a changed and changing world, and you remain in the thick of it. There is a way that you have

never fully explored what might be termed soul purpose to the depth that you are exploring it now. You are

refining your perception of what this means in terms of life direction and how you can best respond. With

Mercury currently retrograde, it isn’t the time to push the river. The moment for more concerted action will

come mid-april. For now, it makes for the perfect time to write down your observations or to discuss them, and

to quietly watch and wait.


Henry Seltzer, transformational astrologer and creator of the Timepassages astrology software, is based in Santa Cruz, California. An extended

look at this month’s star signs and a variety of astrology reports are available on his website. Henry also offers life enhancing private astrologi-

cal counseling. Call him at 831-425-3686, or visit his website at www.astrograph.com.

AQUARiUS (JAn. 20-FEB. 17) This is an important time of transition, aquarius, as you more fully explore public persona and simultaneously

your role as a creative and free individual. You are examining your position through the wrong end of a

telescope, looking in a new way at the details of how you live your life, and it becomes an excellent time to

journal or to meditate on these observations. You are very much in the physical world, and yet not really of

it. While still remaining the proving ground of practicality, your world has turned into a symbolic statement

of how you connect with others around you, and with your own inner universe. You see both these ideas in a

kind of double-vision that will drive you mad if insist on simple logic rather than choosing a mystical approach,

and simply enjoying the ride.

piSCES (FEB. 18-MARCH 19) This is a powerful time for you, Pisces, one of meditative reflection and self-definition. With the timing of

the recent very intense Full Moon in your opposite sign from the last week of February, and the simultaneous

retrograde of Mercury through your identity sector, you have turned an important corner. While still engaged

with the world, you are spending a large amount of your time simply thinking and feeling. There is a way that

you are becoming more aware that, along with recognizing scholarly sources of information, there are vast

realms of knowledge concealed within the intimations of your almost entirely unconscious deep intuition.

although you are gaily participating, socially interacting, this void of profound silence within you might be the

one thing that is really worth a listen.

earth-Keeper WeSAK

gathering

4-DAySMay 24-26

Scottsdale, Arizona

May 27Sedona, Arizona

www.earth-Keeper.com


ArcheTypes

"Life is an archetypal magic carpet ride through endless adventures meant to teach us about the hidden truths of

life and our place in the cosmic scheme."


ith just three words—

Hero and Perfect

Mom—I would have

awakened in you two

complete archives of

myths and symbols that

you automatically asso-

ciate with those terms.

In seconds, these two people would cease to be strangers,

as your psyche wrapped them in stories, fairy tales, and your

own memories. The man would instantly take on the appear-

ance of a super-strong Hero able to face any adversary. De-

spite knowing nothing else about him, you would instantly

trust him. after all, Heroes don’t betray the women they’re

sent to rescue—at least not in the fairy tales we know and

love, right?

Consider the archetype of the Perfect Mom. You don’t

need to meet the woman I’m speaking about to flesh out an

idea of her in your imagination. The words Perfect Mom pack

a powerful punch, especially in our society, where we have

commercially enhanced this archetype beyond its already

deeply rooted sentimental meaning. The instant someone tells

you that a woman is a Perfect Mom, you immediately pic-

ture a great cook with a charming, well-ordered home, who

helps her kids with their homework, attends all their sporting

events, listens to their problems, hosts sleepovers with their

friends—and bakes brownies. Even if the words Perfect Mom

bring up painful associations with a not-so-perfect upbringing,

you still have the projection of the ideal Mother figure firmly

planted in your psyche.

So how do those words—Hero and Perfect Mom—com-

municate so much visual, emotional, intellectual, and mythic

spirituality

ArcheTypes

BY CAROLYn MYSS

if i said to you, “See that man over there? He’s my Hero,” or “That woman is the perfect Mom,” i know without a doubt that you would understand exactly what i was communicating to you about two people you had never met.

Excerpt


information to us? They carry the power

they do because they are archetypes,

psychic power patterns in the uncon-

scious mind. although archetypes are

collective symbols that everyone in the

culture shares, they can also speak to

us individually, as personal archetypal

patterns that are the foundation of our

beliefs, drives, motivations, and ac-

tions, organizing and energizing all our

relationships in life. archetypes are the

power images we identify with as chil-

dren. The athlete or the artist or the

actor or the Princess or even, sad to

say, the Victim or the Vampire repre-

sents a complex of stories and myths

that we somehowimagine happening in

our own life. We are drawn to movies,

books, and video games with charac-

ters that represent our power images.

Little girls dress up as Princesses and

Wonder Woman, little boys as Batman

and Warriors. archetypal identification

begins early.

The ten archetypal patterns that re-

flect the power trends of our times are:

the advocate, the artist/Creative, the

athlete, the Caregiver, the Fashionista,

the Intellectual, the Queen/Executive,

the Rebel, the Spiritual Seeker, and the

Visionary. They all embody the primary

power issues that define women today,

including their underlying struggles with

personal empowerment. Ten years ago,

the list of defining archetypes would

have been different, and it may change

again ten years from now. But in the

world as we know it today, the mod-

ern woman is likely to consider herself

a Professional, or if not a Professional

then someone looking for her place in

the world. Today’s woman is also likely

to see herself as a Caregiver, whether

or not she is a mother. Her Caregiver

may have a rebellious streak, simply by

virtue of adapting to life in a world so

vastly different from the one in which

previous generations of women lived,

or she may be a woman in whom the

Rebel is a full-time force.

In addition to reflecting contem-

porary power themes, the ten arche-

types embody the more pressing per-

sonal challenges facing women today.

Women in particular face the challenge

of developing an inner sense of power

and personal identity. Without that es-

sential core of self-esteem, you will be

unable to hear your intuitive guidance.

You won’t trust the Intellectual in you

as it engages with new ideas. You will

tune out the Fashionista archetype

when it sprinkles your imagination with

ideas about creating a new line of cloth-

ing or jewelry. You will dismiss the in-

tuitive instructions or suggestions as if

they were a bad dream, with a thought

like I could never do that. What if I fail?

or some other excuse coming from low

self-esteem. Few forces in life have

the positive authority of genuine self-

esteem, or the negative effect of a lack

of self-esteem.

archetypal patterns filter into every

aspect of your life. Your archetypes in-

fluence your spending habits, how you

shop, and what you buy or not. They

influence the quality of your relation-

ships, and who you are attracted to and

why. and they influence recurring is-

sues: arguments you seem to have over

and over, difficulties at work that keep

cropping up, and other patterns that re-

peat themselves. anything that repeats

is a clue to what archetypes are oper-

ating in your life. You identify your ar-

chetypes in your stories, your patterns,

your fears, your talents—all the things

that are constant in your nature. What

would you say is “typical” of you? How

do other people describe you? (If you’re

up for it, ask your friends for help with

this. You would be surprised by what

you can learn about yourself.) The more

you know about how archetypes work,

the more easily you can observe their

influence on your thoughts, your atti-

tudes, your behavior, and your personal

myths and symbols.

Once you connect with an archetype

that you know is genuinely you, it will

inspire you to find out about other ar-

chetypes that may be influencing your

life. Connecting with an archetype is

a bridge to your true Self, to who you

really are. You are far more than your

personality, more than your habits,

more than your achievements. You are

an infinitely complex human being with

stories and myths and dreams—and

ambitions of cosmic proportions. Don’t

waste time underestimating yourself.

Dream big. Use your archetypes. If

you’re an artist, make art. If you’re a

Visionary, imagine something the fu-

ture needs, then join forces with an

Entrepreneur to make a venture out of

it. Use the energy of your archetype to

express the true reason you were born.

Life was never meant to be safe. It

was meant to be lived right to the end.

There are inner riches awaiting you in

the archetypal domain. Life is an arche-

typal magic carpet ride through endless

adventures meant to teach us about the

hidden truths of life and our place in the

cosmic scheme.

This excerpt is taken from the book

Archetypes by Carolyn Myss.

it is published by Hay House and available

online at: www.hayhouse.com


1 2 3 4

fun

natural Mood Lighting

WiTH inDiE LEE

Why burn toxic synthetic materials, or exorbitantly priced soy and bees wax, when the perfect citrus mood-lighting is sitting in your compost?

How to make it:1. Cut clementine in half.

2. Carefully peel skin off as a whole.

3. Twist the inside into a wick.

4. Fill with a bit of olive oil.

5. Light and enjoy!

*indie Tip: Cut a small design in the top half of the peel to make a creative candle lid!

5

Clementines are for Lovers: Natural Citrus Candle Sans Wax

you need: 1 Clementine and Olive Oil


began my apprenticeship

into my family’s tradition in

San Diego, California, when

I was fourteen years old. My

seventy-nine-year-old grand-

mother, Madre Sarita, was

my teacher and the spiritual

head of our family. She was

a curandera, a faith healer

who helped people in her

small temple in Barrio Logan,

a neighborhood in San Diego, with the

power of her faith in God and love. Since

my father was a medical doctor, the jux-

taposition of the two forms of healing

allowed me to see our tradition through

different points of view.

Though she spoke no English, my

grandmother gave sermons and lectures

across the country. My apprenticeship

began with translating my grandmoth-

er’s lectures from Spanish to English. For

many years, I awkwardly stumbled over

her words, and my grandmother would

just look at me and laugh.

One day, she asked me if I knew why I

stumbled. I had all sorts of answers: you

are speaking too quickly, you don’t give

me a chance to catch up, some words

don’t have a direct translation. . . . She

just looked at me silently for a few mo-

ments and then asked, “are you using

knowledge, or is knowledge using you?”

I looked at her blankly. She continued,

“When you translate, you try to express

my words through what you already

Are you using knowledge, or is knowledge using you?

iBY don MiGUEL RUiz JR.


know, what you think is true. You do not hear me; you hear

yourself. Imagine doing the same thing every single moment

in life. If you are looking through life and translating it as it

goes along, you will miss out on living it. But if you learn to

listen to life, you will always be able to express the words as

they come. Your knowledge has to become a tool that you will

use to guide you through life but that can also be put aside,.

Do not let knowledge translate everything you experience.”

I nodded in response, but it didn’t dawn on me until many

years later what my grandmother was truly talking about.

Throughout life, we constantly narrate, or commentate on,

everything we do, say, see, touch, smell, taste, and hear. as

natural storytellers, we continuously keep the plot moving

forward, sometimes missing millions of subplots that are de-

veloping on their own. It is like taking a sip of wine and say-

ing, “It’s a bit dry; it has definitely aged well, but I can taste

the bark. I’ve had better.” Instead of simply experiencing the

joy and flavors of the wine, we are analyzing the flavor, try-

ing to break it down and fit it into a context and language we

already know. In doing this, we miss out on much of the actual

experience.

This is a simple example of how we narrate life—explain-

ing it, but, more importantly, justifying and judging it. Instead

of taking an experience for what it is, we create a story to

make it fit our beliefs. During Madre Sarita’s talks, I had to

completely shut down my thoughts, because if my mind’s

commentary got in the way, I would miss out on her mes-

sage. With this simple process, my grandmother showed me

that if we only see the world through the filters of our pre-

conceptions, we are going to miss out on actually living. after

much practice, I eventually learned to close my eyes, shut out

the world that existed outside my head, and translate every

single word she said accurately.

Seeing beyond our filters—our accumulated knowledge

and beliefs—does not always come naturally. We have spent

years growing attached to them in various degrees, and they

feel safe. Whatever we become attached to can begin to

shape our future experiences and limit our perception of what

exists outside our vocabulary. Like blinders on a horse, our

attached beliefs limit our vision, and this in turn limits our per-

ceived direction in life. The stronger our level of attachment,

the less we can see.

Think about your set of attached beliefs as a unique melody

repeating itself in your mind. In a way, we are constantly try-

ing to force our melody—the one we have become accus-

tomed to hearing—onto other melodies, without realizing that

often the melody is not our own, and perhaps it’s not even

the one we want to be playing. If we continue playing only

what we know, never opening ourselves to listen to the other

songs flowing around us, we are letting our attachment to our

particular melody control us. Instead, choose to listen to other

melodies playing. Perhaps you will contribute to them, add-

ing a harmony or a bass line and just seeing where the music

takes you. By letting go of your attachment to what you think

the melody should be, you open yourself to the potential to

create a unique and beautiful song of your own composition

or a collaboration that can be shared with others.

Excerpted from The Five Levels of Attachment: Toltec Wisdom for a

Modern World by don Miguel Ruiz, Jr.

© 2013 Hierophant publishing, distributed by Red Wheel/Weiser.

now available at Amazon.com and Bn.com.

feature

don Miguel Ruiz, Jris a nagual, or a Toltec Master of Transformation.

He is a direct descendant of the Toltecs of the

Eagle night lineage, and is the son of don Miguel Ruiz,

author of The Four Agreements.

He lives in Sacramento, California with his wife

and two children.


e’ve entered the season

where light is on the rise,

growing stronger every

day, and it can’t help but

touch us all and get our

energy moving, even if we

don’t consider ourselves

terribly attuned to nature,

even if we never garden, even if it’s still Minnesota-cold out

(as it is where I live). When light is rising, we know it in our

bones. at the very least, we find we don’t need our Seasonal

affective Disorder lamps as often and notice our houseplants

going wild. Every year this time, the presence of light awak-

ens us in any number of obvious as well as deep, primal ways.

Of course, the true rebirth of light happened at the win-

ter solstice, the darkest day of the year. Yet, winter light is a

quiet power, both dormant and pregnant, like the time after

conception but before birth. Spring, on the other hand, is for

“hatching.” Easter brings with it a riot of candy eggs, baby

animals, and Jesus rising from the dead, as Christian symbol-

ism blends with earlier, earth-based, traditions of the solar

sun being on the rise.

This energy of birth and beginnings is exciting, fresh, and

a bit fragile. There’s an openness and child-like innocence to

it; a sense of the world being new and that anything is pos-

sible. What better time to consciously cultivate this energy of

excitement, fresh perspective, and willing suspension of dis-

belief, not as a naive first step on the way to a painful crash,

but as a creative force? What better time to open ourselves

to miracles?

If the pure presence of spring isn’t enough to open your

jaded mind to the possibility of miracles, try wading into some

of the mind-boggling findings of relativity theory and quan-

tum physics over the last century. Science is now showing us

a remarkable new definition of reality in which time and space

aren’t fixed, matter isn’t solid and the very nature of matter

changes according to the expectations of those observing it.

We’re seeing that consciousness in and of itself has the power

to affect the physical realm and that minds are joined beyond

the limits of time and space. To quote one of the pioneers of

W

t h e s e a s o n s o f

SelfApril: Awakening to the Miraculous

BY LYnn WOODLAnD

The Spring equinox, the official beginning of spring, happened in the third month of March, marking the point where, for the first time in six months, light and darkness are equal.


quantum physics, Erwin Schrodinger, on the nature of con-

sciousness, “the overall number of minds is just one.” (a good

starter book on new science is Taking the Quantum Leap, by

Fred alan Wolf.)

But this article isn’t just about the mysteries of time, space

and matter. It’s an opportunity to explore and experience

these mysteries first hand. It’s an invitation to suspend disbe-

lief, allow your mind to be boggled and take a leap out of the

box of what you think you know because what follows is an

exercise in miracle-making.

Going back to Erwin Schrodinger’s idea of “One Mind” and

combining that with mounting evidence of the mind’s power

to affect matter (on this, check out physicist Helmut Schmidt’s

research with random events generators, for starters), and

then throwing in what we’re beginning to know about the flu-

idity of time and space (thank you, Einstein), take a little leap

of imagination and consider that, simply through your inten-

tion to do so, you could connect with every other mind who

has read, is reading, or will read this article. Imagine that,

beyond the illusionary limitations of time and space, together

we could (perhaps have already?) form a powerful, syner-

gistic force of Mind capable of moving proverbial mountains

of matter. (Why not? It’s been documented that prayer said

anonymously, sight unseen, on another’s behalf has a statisti-

cally relevant, positive impact on physical health. Check out

the book, Healing Words, by Larry Dossey, M.D. for more on

this.)

So, if you’re still with me, stop for a moment and really

imagine this. Envision your mind joining with the minds of all

who have read, are reading and will read this article. Imagine

inspiration

Lynn Woodlandis creator of The Miracles Course, and author of

Making Miracles—Create new Realities for Your Life and

Our World, from namaste publishing.

Email her at [email protected] with your comments

and to receive a free video download on the new prosperity.

More at www.LynnWoodland.com.


us joining in a common intent that every reader now expe-

riences something miraculous this month. (What’s “miracu-

lous?” I think of it as something better than we expected,

perhaps didn’t believe to be possible, always win/win, and

often showing up through serendipity rather than effort.)

as your mind follows along here, already you’ve become

more than a passive reader—you’ve entered the process

and begun to reshape matter, starting a healing ripple for

yourself and countless others you will never know.

Picture this joined consciousness as clear, beautiful, and

only positive—an ocean of pure potential having the power

to do great good and incapable of doing harm. Imagine that

beyond time and space we’ve formed a synergistic, only-

for-good, creative force, ready to be directed. You can add

your own mind power to this in any way your imagination

might suggest: aim a beam of light from your heart to this

collective pool and see it grow brighter; hold a heart-felt

intention that these many others who you’ll never know

now receive whatever highest good best serves them; or

simply think and say this to yourself. Imagine you believe

this is true even if you don’t. The power of our conscious-

ness magnifies whatever we give consistent attention to so

simply holding in mind an imagined reality is akin to plant-

ing a seed. Bringing it to mind repeatedly provides the sun

and water that nurture its growth.

Now, all that’s left is to have faith. Faith means expect-

ing success and seeing signs of it everywhere and in ev-

erything. It’s not a matter of hoping and wishing, which

keeps our attention focused on something that isn’t here

yet. “Faith” is when we’re so certain the future will unfold

perfectly, we feel no need to be attached to it at all. Con-

sequently, faith keeps us very present and at peace in the

moment. Once we’ve stopped trying to worry the future

into being, the miraculous present happens, with grace and

serendipity.

Instead of looking for signs of your success, which is

tinged with an attitude of prove-it-to-me doubt, this month

practice finding signs of success. It’s a little like being on

an Easter egg hunt. You know without any doubt the eggs

are out there. Some may be so obvious you’ll practically

step on them, while some you might have to peek behind

bushes and rocks to uncover. Play lightly with the possibil-

ity of miracles this month and see what shows up when you

least expect it!


Living a

More Conscious LiFe

guiding light

hen you’re living a more

conscious life, you’re be-

ing with yourself and for

yourself deeply, moment

by moment. No matter

how attractive quick and

easy solutions seem, last-

ing change can’t happen in

the time it takes to deliver a pizza. It takes time, attention, and

commitment to address and heal the layers of who we are

and grow in consciousness.

So, what is conscious living?

To be conscious means to observe what’s present, and im-

plies being awake or awakening to your deeper truth, an in-

ner realization, or circumstance. Living a conscious life means

having the willingness, curiosity, and courage to stay present

to your thoughts and feelings, to the meeting point of body,

emotion, mind, and spirit. It means staying present to the im-

pact you have on others and your environment, as well as the

choices available to you. To live a conscious life—to be awake

and aware—is to be gloriously alive!

We experience life in degrees. You can choose where to

place your attention and intention, creating a life that feels

better than it does now. You can grow, change, and deepen

your ability to navigate life. You can expand and illuminate

your experience of consciousness. You can mature toward

greater integration and wholeness.

From the deepest sense of ourselves, our inner life longs

to be experienced, understood, and validated. It’s rich with

nuance and complexity, and meant to be sipped and savored.

It’s not meant to be swallowed a week at a time, controlled by

our past programming and endless “to do” lists. Slow down,

take a deep breath, and truly feel life. Every moment, even a

painful one, contains gifts of wisdom and joy if we’re willing

to remain conscious.

Living consciously includes uncovering, grieving, and

working through your historical childhood difficulties, along

with the programming they created. It’s your job to return

W

BY DR. JEnniFER HOWARD

When you’re living a more conscious life, you’re being with yourself and for yourself deeply, moment by moment.

An excerpt from Your Ultimate Life plan: How to Deeply Transform Your Everyday Experience and Create Changes That Last, by Dr. Jennifer Howard.


to your blocks, those stubborn problems that keep you from

experiencing your wholeness and embracing your potentials.

as you identify and heal them you create change. This opens

the door to the emergence of your real self.

You might be thinking, “Grieve my childhood difficulties?!

Is that even possible? Won’t that take forever? Why should

I go through all that effort? What problems will it solve?” To

understand why it’s needed, let me ask you a few questions:

are you living the life you’ve always dreamed of?

Often, from a young age, we have an idea of the kind of life

we want to live. We have specific goals in some areas, others

we paint with broader strokes, and some goals change with

time. Do you feel your life expresses your deepest desire? are

you moving toward your greatest vision of life?

are you the person you want to be?

When you reflect on who you’re being in life, you may dis-

cover you’re suppressing important qualities and traits while

expressing others that don’t feel like the real you. are you be-

ing your authentic, empowered self much of the time?

Is there a persistent complaint, pain, or longing in your life

you’ve yet to heal?

Sometimes, no matter how much we work on ourselves,

we encounter the same inner obstacles again and again.

are you living and feeling fulfilled by your deepest mission

in life, serving others, and making a difference?

We’re here to contribute to the world in our own unique

Dr. Jennifer Howard is a licensed psychotherapist,

energy healer, and spiritual teacher. She’s the author

of Your Ultimate Life plan: How to Deeply Transform

Your Everyday Experience and Create Changes That

Last, Huffington post blogger and the host of the

weekly radio talk show, A Conscious Life. Visit her

website, www.DrJenniferHoward.com, for medita-

tions, articles, and free gifts.


way. Sometimes that contribution makes big waves, and

sometimes our expression of service is quiet, subtle, or deep-

ly personal. Each is as important in its own way. are you mak-

ing the difference you know you can?

are you satisfied and fulfilled in your relationships?

This is an area in which we often compromise, give in to

resignation, and feel we’ve gotten the best we can get. are

you frustrated and unfulfilled in your personal and profession-

al relationships?

Is your work aligned with your life-path, and are you satis-

fied with your progress?

are you doing what you’re burning to do? Does your pro-

fessional life (your job or your business) express who you au-

thentically are in the world? are you achieving the results you

want?

Living a conscious life changes your everyday experience

in measurable ways. You’ll find greater ease, resilience, con-

tentment, and success. as you learn to be present to physical

sensations, emotional feelings, and thoughts, you’ll develop

ego strength, and move more comfortably with the ups and

downs of life. You’ll be well on your way to walking the con-

scious life path, embodying greater freedom and happiness.

You’ll relax into the most subtle and profound realms of

awareness, the inner silent still point in consciousness—

the silence that feeds body and soul. Father Thomas Keat-

ing, in his book Invitation to Love, said, “Silence is God’s

first language; everything else is a poor translation. In

order to hear that language, we must learn to be still and

to rest in God.”

Conscious Living 2.0™ practices can lead you into wisdom

and inner silence. Some might call this opening more fully to

God, Wisdom, or unified consciousness. I like to call it “en-

lightening-ment,” meaning that for most of us enlightenment

is not a destination or graduation into a permanent higher

state of consciousness, but a moment-by-moment experience

constantly fluctuating between degrees of wholeness and lim-

ited consciousness.

Once we’ve experienced and embodied this enlighten-

ment, whether for a moment or more, the time spent in this

impersonal state, stillness, spaciousness, silence, or whole-

ness leaves its mark on us forever. You probably know what

I mean, and can feel it as you read. When we travel that ter-

ritory, our capacity grows. We’re a little more relaxed and a

little less fearful, more compassionate toward ourselves and

others. We’re more attentive to our lives and the still small

voice within.

In the book Buddha Standard Time, Lama Surya Das de-

fines enlightenment as a “deep flash of awakening to the

knowledge that we are much more than our time and space-

bound material selves living in a material world. Some people

awaken to enlightenment by Grace, seemingly without effort,

but most of us stay obsessively stuck in the past or the future,

running our mental trains backward and forward in that track

every minute of the day.” Yet, he goes on to say, “Each mo-

ment is intersected by a realm of infinite spaciousness and

timelessness, known in Tibetan as shicha, the Eternal Now.”

It’s possible to be excited about life, even on a bad day,

when you’re doing what you came here to do! Fulfilling your

mission—the one unique to you—is possible; I’m doing it, and

I’ve helped many others do it too. You can feel happier than

you ever thought possible!

One realizes that all of existence is a manifestation of consciousness; that ultimately everything is made out

of consciousness.—A.H. Almaas

Reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from YOUR ULTIMaTE

LIFE PLaN: HOW TO DEEPLY TRaNSFORM YOUR EVERYDaY

EXPERIENCE aND CREaTE CHaNGES THaT LaST © 2013 Dr. Jennifer

Howard. Published by New Page Books a division of Career Press,

Pompton Plains, NJ. 800-227-3371. all rights reserved.


Don’t worry about putting the egg rolls together, the

egg roll wrappers have instructions on the back complete with a diagram.

These are a foolproof appetizer!

• In a large non-stick skillet or wok, cook the chicken over medium high

heat until cooked through. Drain and set aside.

• In the same skillet heat the sesame oil add carrots, leeks, bean

sprouts, bok choy and garlic. Cook over medium heat until cooked

through. add chicken back to the skillet.

• In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon of water with soy sauce, brown

sugar and pepper flakes if using. Whisk in the corn starch. Pour into

chicken/vegetable mixture and toss well. Remove from heat.

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Place one egg roll wrapper on work surface. Spoon a scant ¼ cup

chicken/veggie mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Fold both

sides toward the center and roll tightly. Use water to keep the seam

closed. Place on non-stick baking sheet with seam side up. (Note:

egg rolls can be frozen at this point).

• Repeat the process for the remaining mixture. Bake until golden

brown, about 15 minutes, turning halfway through.

1 pound ground chicken

2 cups grated carrots

¼ cup sliced leeks

1 ½ cups drained bean sprouts

1 cup chopped bok choy

3 garlic cloves crushed

1 T fresh ginger grated

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2T reduced sodium soy sauce

2T dark sesame oil

2T cup dark brown sugar

1T pus 1t corn starch

20 egg roll wrappers

Baked egg rolls

These egg rolls have so much taste and crunch, your guests won’t suspect they’re healthy! The dark sesame oil and fresh ginger combine to really increase the flavor profile.

nourish

BY CORinnE CASAzzA


Detoxnatural health

o p t i m a lc h a p t e r 4

BY CHRiSTOpHER VASEY n.D.

THE DiFFEREnT iLLnESSES CAUSED BY COLLOiDAL

AnD CRYSTALLinE TOxinS. Simply knowing that dis-

eases are primarily due to the accumulation of toxins in the

body is a good thing on its own. However, it is even better to

know how to tell the difference between those diseases that

are caused by colloidal wastes and those created by crystal-

line wastes.

So what do we need to learn in order to best apply this

knowledge?

The first step consists of observing what excretory organ is

most affected by the disease. Overloads of one kind of waste

will target very specific excretory organs. The other elimina-

tory organs will be spared completely as they do not handle

the waste products in question. For example, an excess of col-

loidal wastes can overwork and make several of the excretory

organs that handle these toxins sick; such as the liver and the

intestines. But the effects of this overload will have no bearing

whatsoever on the organs that eliminate crystalline wastes

from the body: the kidneys and sudoriferous (sweat) glands.

This is why, when the liver and intestines are afflicted, we are

seeing evidence of a colloidal disease (as these organs spe-

cialize in the elimination of colloidal wastes). When the liver or

sudoriferous glands are suffering from illness, we are seeing

signs of diseases caused by crystalline wastes (as these are

the organs that are intended to eliminate crystals from the

body). The second way to tell what kind of illness is present-

-colloidal or crystalline--consists of observing two symptoms:

discharge and pain.

DiSCHARGE Colloidal wastes contain a certain quantity of

water and are discharged from the body by the respiratory

tract (in the form of colds, bronchitis, and so on), by the se-

baceous glands (whiteheads and oozing eczema), and the in-

testines (in the form of stools). Crystals are basically hard, dry

wastes. When there is an excess amount of crystalline waste

in the body, they form deposits in the tissues. For example,

these deposits can appear in the joints (arthritis), in the skin

(eczema), on the walls of the blood vessels (arterioscleroisis),

or in the kidneys (kidney stones).

pAin When an excess of crystal toxins exists, they will

compress the tissues, rub against them too energetically, or

outright injure them. Crystals are hard and have an angular

structure with sharp edges. When they remain stagnant in the

body they easily injure the cells by scratching, pricking, and

piercing them. at the onset, they will be perceived only as

an irritant. Over time, lesions will occur. The inflammation of

the tissues makes them extremely sensitive and all the more

receptive to pain.

Conversely, colloidal wastes do not possess any of these

effects whatsoever and do not cause pain. Their lack of struc-

ture sharply reduces any possibility of tissue injury. Being soft

and malleable, they do not change the shape of the tissues

with which they come into contact, and do not tear or injure

them like crystals. To the contrary, they change shape to adapt

to that of their environment.

Christopher Vasey, n.D., is a naturopath specializing in detoxification and rejuvenation. He is the

author of The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health, The naturopathic Way, The Water prescription,

The Whey prescription, and The Detox Mono Diet. He lives near Montreux, Switzerland.

Optimal Detox: How to Cleanse Your Body of Colloidal and Crystalline Toxins by Christopher Vasey, N.D., © 2013 Healing arts Press. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Inner Traditions International.


BY CHRiS ROE

poetry

Sanctuary

Shafts of lightThrough cathedral windows.

Dappled shadeUpon the leavesBeneath my feet.

Bird songIn the branches above.

In the distanceHind and fawn

Cross the forest track.The sweet fragrance of autumn

Fills the misty air.

A gentle breezeMoving colours

To the forest floor.

So preciousSuch beauty,

So hard to find

Such peaceful sanctuary.

The above poems are from my self-published collection of work, entitled “in Search of Silence” more details of which can be seen on my website

at www.silentflightpublications.co.uk


November 29It is the six-month

anniversary of my being discovered in the desert, but it feels more like a year. Last night I had a very strange experience. During the night I

was awakened from a deep sleep, or what felt like a deep sleep, buy a high pitched whirring sound. As I opened my eyes and sat up, I thought Rashid was standing by the side of my cot. I blinked to clear my vision then realized it was not Rashid, but rather a tall figure whose facial features were almost completely hidden by the deeply draped hood of its long dark robes. Only the eyes showed, like two brilliant bus stars in a night sky. The scent of roses filled the air, and although there was no light, the phantom was illuminated by a greenish-gold glow that seemed to emanate from within the col of its robe and surround it like a halo.

The keeper of sacred travels

opened my mouth to speak but before I

could utter a sound, the apparition put a

finger to its lips, signaling silence. It then

spoke in a low, clear masculine voice.

"I have very little time, so I want you to

listen carefully, David. Yes, that is your name,

and you are at the center of warring forces that

you have no way of understanding at this time.

You could say that you are, but a great storm

rages around you. For now, you must take

what I am about to tell you on faith. You must

trust that I am here to help you. Later, you will

remember who I am, and all of this will begin to

make sense.

"It is important for you to know that there

exists an ancient drama, older even than

Mankind. It is a drama in which you now play

a pivotal role. In fact, it is one in which at an

earlier time you yourself chose to participate.

You have long since forgotten that decision,

but it has not forgotten you. How you handle

the tasks ahead will determine the future of the

Hu-man Race as you know it, as well as that of

Planet Earth, itself.

"There has been a clamp put on your memo-

ry while the warring forces were aligning their

positions. That clamp is now being loosened,

and you will begin to remember things quite

naturally and quite quickly. at first, you may feel

overwhelmed by so much information coming

back to you at once, but there is a Spiritual Law

in place that states, 'We are never given more

than we can handle.' I have known you for a

very long time and I know how strong you are.

Whatever emotions you may experience in the

ipART 2BY JUDiTH DiAnA WinSTOn

the diary


coming weeks and months, keep in mind what I have just said."

I focused on the Great Crystal and, like a camera coming in

for a close-up, saw the Earth growing large before me. It was

green and blue and fresh. I saw strange and unusual forms of

plant and animal life that have never been seen by present day

human eyes. There were giant plants that moved of their own

volition and great flying creatures with golden feathers. Their

wings spanned twenty feet and glistened in the sunlight as they

glided sleekly and gracefully through strangely colored skies.

I saw the stuff of myths - giant griffins and winged horses.

Before my eyes, great silver spaceships and flying discs were

carrying many types of Star Beings, some similar in appearance

to those in the room. I saw them land on Earth and materialize

whole cities, even instant architectural wonders, out of barren

rock. I watched as they transported giant boulders, first by mak-

ing them weightless, then easily moving them and finally plac-

ing them gently and precisely into position. Once in place, the

boulders resumed their former massive weight.

The Star Beings were able to perform these feats effortless-

ly by collectively focusing the vast power of both their minds

and voices. at times, in order to sound a particular tone, they

enhanced their voices by using small machines. During those

times, their voices rose in unison to such a high and harmonious

level of vibration that they could suspend gravity. They were

also able to create extensive rock carvings by projecting an im-

age directly from their minds onto the rough face of the rock.

among the variety of creatures I saw in the crystal were

the great apes, those associated with the ancestry of Man.

I watched as some of them became illuminated by the glowing

light and were transformed, beaching more and more Hu-man-

like.

I saw other life forms that cam into being in a different way-

exactly as they had in my dream in the arab village. They began

as pure light. as time passed, they grew more and more solid,

then more and more dense. Eventually, they became humans.

I watched as two highly developed civilizations emerged

and later, vanished. The first Root Race was destroyed and the

second one simply disappeared. This second Root Race, the

Lemurians, occupied a magical island-continent located in the

Pacific Ocean. Only a very small part of its land mass continued

in physical form when the island sank beneath the sea, and most

of its inhabitants vanished.

The Lemurians were a highly spiritual, proud and beautiful

race. They were unique in the history of the Earth, because they

had bodies that were never entirely physical in the sense that

ours are. They had the ability to transform from an almost-solid

state into a state of pure energy—and back again—at will.

Before the Lemurian civilization ended and its inhabitants dis-

appeared, I saw them encode thousands of tiny "seed crystals"

with information- spiritual, historical and technical- that would

be helpful to future generations. They were able to program the

crystals in such a way that their data would be available in a

time-release, energy pattern. Then, according to The Plan, they

scattered the crystals over the face of the Earth, insuring that

they would be found by future generations.

"The Plan!" My mind flashed back to what zev Moab had

told me about a plan laid out for Planet Earth before the arrival

of Hu-mankind. Could this be a part of that same plan? I pushed

these thoughts away. It was hard enough to keep up with the

images flashing in the crystal. I forced my mind to refocus and

saw that when the Lemurians' purpose here was complete and

their island was about to sink into the sea, they had lifted en

masse, with some specific exceptions, and departed the plane of

Earth, never again to incarnate in physical form. Those few who

chose to remain behind, as guides and guardians for the genera-

tions of humans that would follow, established settlements in

the mountains of Tibet.

Images from the giant crystal faded and I had a moment to

close my eyes, but once I opened them, events passed quickly.

after a time, the images began to slow down and I was wit-

nessing what seemed like a somewhat familiar scene. It was the

civilization of atlantis with its sophisticated technologies. I saw

Beings of the same race as the Twelve sitting with me now. They

were Galactic Visitors, Pleiadeans, who were working with the

atlantean priests. They wanted to teach the priests what they

knew about Earth's powerful geometric grids and its natural

electro-magnetic energy patterns.

Before long, the peoples of atlantis appeared. The general

population was made up of many different types of Hu-mans.

Some were extremely tall, others exceedingly small. The hues

of their skin were as varied as the colors of the rainbow. This

was a result of the genetic seeding and intermingling of a great

variety of extraterrestrial races. although the greatest number

of them had light skin and red hair, they all blended together into

a beautiful medley of color, size and shape.

The atlantean Prince-Priest a-Ta emerged from the crowd.

He was wearing robe-like metallic clothing with small crystals

woven into the fabric. I realized I had glimpsed him in my long-

ago dream in the village near the Sphinx. He was the one who

had floated above the waves and watched in horror as the island

of atlantis disappeared beneath the waves. Now my dream be-

gan to make sense—I knew I was Prince a-Ta in that past life.


inspiration

WHY USE SiMpLES? Most

herbalists I have met—whether

from China or Japan, Eastern or Western

Europe, australia or North america— use

herbs in combinations. Simplers, like myself,

don't. Why?

Because I believe that herbal medicine

is people's medicine, I seek to make

herbal medicine simple: as simple

as one herb at a time. Because

people worry about interactions

between the drugs they take and

herbs, I keep it simple: with sim-

ples, interactions are simple to observe, and

simpler to avoid. Because empowerment in

health care is difficult, I want to offer others

easy, safe herbal remedies: and what could be

easier, or safer, than a simple?

SiMpLES MAKE ME THinK. When I was

just getting started with herbs, one thing that

confounded me was the many choices I had

when I began to match symptoms to the herbs

that relieved them. If someone had a cough

should I use garden sage or wild cherry bark

or pine sap or mullein or coltsfoot (to name

only a few of the many choices)? One way out

of this dilemma was to use them all. I made

many cough syrups that contained every anti-

cough herb that I could collect. and they all

worked.

as I got more sophisticated in my herbal us-

age, and especially after I completed a course

on homeopathy, I began to see that each herb

had a specific personality, a specific way of

acting. I realized I couldn't notice the indi-

vidual actions of the herbs when they were

combined.

It felt daring at first to use just one herb.

Would wild cherry bark tincture all by itself be

enough to quell that child's cough? Yes! Would

mullein infusion alone really reduce a person's

asthmatic and allergic reactions? Yes! Would

sage soaked in honey for six weeks ease a

sore throat? Yes! Each herb that I tried as a

simple was successful. They all worked, not

just together, but by themselves.

The more I used individual herbs the more I

came to know them as individuals. The more I

used simples, the simpler and more successful

BY SUSUn S WEED

What is a Simple? A "simple" is one herb used at a time. A "simpler" is an herbalist who generally uses herbs

one at a time, rather than in combinations.

t h e s p i r i t o fHealing Wise:

Simples

Susun Weed, green witch and

wise woman, is a teacher with

a joyous spirit, a powerful

presence, and an encyclopedic

knowledge of herbs and health.

Ms. Weed's four herbal medi-

cine books focus on women's

health topics including: meno-

pause, childbearing, and breast

health. www.susunweed.com


my remedies became. The more I used one herb at a time, the

more I learned about how that herb worked, and didn't work.

SiMpLES ARE inTiMATE. When we use one herb at a time,

we come to know that herb, we become intimate with that

herb. Just as we become intimate with each other by spend-

ing time one-on-one, tete-a-tete, simply together, we become

closer to the herbs when we use them as simples.

Becoming intimate with an herb or a person helps us build trust.

How reliable is the effect of this herb? When? How? Where

does it fail? Using simples helps us build a web of green allies

that we trust deeply. Simples help us feel more powerful. They

help abate our fears, simply, safely.

SiMpLES ARE SUBTLE. Using one herb at a time gives us

unparalleled opportunities to observe and make use of the

subtle differences that are at the heart of herbal medicine.

When we use simples we are more likely to notice the many

variables that affect each herb: including where it grows, the

years's weather, how we harvest it, our preparation, and the

dosage.1 The many variables within one plant insure that our

simple remedy nonetheless touches many aspects of a person

and heals deeply.

One apprentice tinctured motherwort flowering tops weekly

through its blooming period. She reported that the tinctures

made from the younger flower stalks had a stronger effect on

the uterus; while those made from the older flower stalks, when

the plant was going to seed, had a stronger effect on the heart.

SiMpLES GiVE ME pOWER. Using one herb at a time helps

me feel more certain that my remedy has an active value, not

just a placebo value. Using one plant at a time, and local ones

at that, reassures me that my herbal medicine cannot be legis-

lated away. Using one plant at a time allows me to build trust

in my remedies. Using one plant at a time is a subversive act, a

reclaiming of simple health care.

Combinations erode my power, activate my "victim persona,"

and lead me to believe that herbal medicine is best left to the

experts.

FROM COMpLEx TO SiMpLE. Take the challenge! Use sim-

ples instead of complex formulae. Let's rework some herbal

remedies and get a sense of how simple it can be.

The anti-cancer formula Essiac contains arctium lappa (bur-

dock), Rheum palmatum (rhubarb), Ulmus fulva (slippery elm),

and Rumex acetosella (sheep sorrel). Rhubarb root has no pos-

sible use against cancer; it is a purgative whose repeated use

can "aggravate constipation." Slippery elm bark also has no

possible anti-cancer properties and has no doubt been added to

counter some of the detrimental effects of the rhubarb. Sheep

sorrel juice is so caustic that it has been used to burn off skin

cancers, but it would likely do more harm to the kidneys than to

any cancer if ingested regularly. Leaving us with a great anti-

cancer simple: burdock root. One that I have found superbly

effective in reversing dysplasias and precancerous conditions.

a John Lust formula for relief of coughs 2 contains agropyron

repens (witch grass), Pimpinella anisum (aniseed), Glycyrrhiza

glabra (licorice), Inula helenium (elecampane root), Pulmonaria

officinalis (lungwort), Thymus species (thyme herb), (murillo

bark) 3, Chondrus crispus (irish moss), Lobelia inflata (lobelia

herb). Witch grass has little or no effect on coughs; it is an emol-

lient diuretic whose dismissal from this group would leave no

hole. anise seeds are also not known to have an anti-pertussive

effect; although they do taste good, we can do without them.

Lobelia can bring more oxygen to the blood, but is certainly not

an herb I would ever add to a cough mixture, so I will leave it

out here. Licorice is a demulcent expectorant that can be most

helpful for those with a dry cough; however, I do use it for a

variety of reasons, among them its exotic origins and its cloy-

ingly sweet taste. Lungwort is, as its name implies, a pectoral,

but its effect is rather mild, and its place in the Boraginaceae

family gives me pause.

How much pyrrolizidine alkaloid might it contain? Thyme, and

its more common anti-cough cousin garden sage, contains es-

sential oils that could both quiet a cough and counter infection

in the throat. a strong tea or a tincture of either could be our

simple. Irish moss is, a specific to soothe coughs and a nutri-

tive in addition, would also make an excellent simple. But it is

elecampane that I would crown. It is not only a specific to curb

coughing, it counters infection well, and tonifies lung tissues.

Several small doses of a tincture of elecampane root should

quiet a cough in a few hours. SiMpLES ARE FUn. GiVE

THEM A TRY.

Footnotes:1. among the many variables, I have especially noticed that the tinctures that I make with fresh plants are many times more effective than tinctures made from dried plants. My elders tell me that preparations of common plants growing in uncommon places will be stronger as well. Many herbalists are aware of certain areas of their land that nurture plants that are particularly potent medicines.2. John Lust. The Herb Book. 1974. Bantam.3. Note that this formula, as is frequently the case, contains an "exotic" herb which Mr. Lust does not include in the 500+ herbs in his book, nor does he give us a botanical name for the plant, leaving us literally unable to prepare his formula as presented.


Approach

wellness

lternative medicine is based on body’s natural ability to heal and prevent disease. alter-

native medicine is based on the premise that health is impacted by the conscious and

subconscious mind, the energy body and the physical body. Thoughts, energy and emo-

tions affect health. They impact the health of the body. Thoughts, energy and emotions

drive physical reality toward disease or wellness. Disease or wellness then becomes a

choice – much like happiness or unhappiness.

So, any approach to healing and prevention that does not deal with energy, thoughts and

emotions will not prevent or heal disease. Healing and prevention requires good mental

and emotional health as well as physical health. Holistic uses a mind-body-spirit approach

to health and wellness and focuses on natural means.

alternative medicine gets to the root causes of disease and tries to eliminate or minimize

them. The goal of alternative medicine is to heal and prevent disease. Generally speaking,

the root causes of most diseases are stress and negativity, toxicity and vitamin and min-

eral deficiencies. all of these causes wreck havoc on the body and our immune system and they drain our energy. alternative

medicine works to stabilize the body, conserve and boost our energy and boost our immune system.

alternative medicine works with the energy body—i.e., the energy that infuses each cell of the body. It views the free flow

of life force energy and oxygen through the body (through the bloodstream) as critical to good health. This requires us to re-

duce stress and negativity, achieve and maintain peace of mind and inner peace and raise one’s vibrations. This requires inner

Alternative medicine is based on body’s natural ability to heal and prevent disease.

BY MiCHAEL E. GOLDBERG

A

to Healing and Wellness.

Holistic


peace, optimism and happiness. Techniques to achieve these

mental and emotional states include Reiki, meditation, yoga,

dance, exercise, massage and acupuncture. Good posture is

also important. Good posture is critical to the flow of energy

and oxygen throughout the body.

alternative medicine views negative energy as the first

cause of disease. Most negative energy comes from our own

negative and rigid beliefs, negative thoughts and emotions. It

comes from ego and from hurting and deceiving others (the

energy we generate is the energy we get back).

Negative energy blockages and energy attachments

prevent the free flow of life force energy in the body. They

prevent the high vibrations needed for good health. So, it is

necessary to remove these blockages and attachments. This

requires meditation, prayer and visualization work. Reiki/en-

ergy healing and acupuncture will also help. It requires us to

live in balance and harmony and enjoy our lives. It requires

us to reduce stress and avoid negative and toxic people and

environments. It requires us to avoid conflict and drama and

seek ongoing peace of mind and inner peace and to stop neg-

ative thoughts. It requires us to focus on what makes us feel

positive and happy and not what gets us upset or stressed

out. It requires us to focus on our blessings and not on prob-

lems and what we want or lack. It requires us to focus on the

moment, on tasks and on the details of process and plans –

not money, people or things.

alternative medicine requires us to focus on a feeling of

health and wellness and not illness. alternative medicine

works with the conscious and subconscious mind. Good health

and prevention require positive and open beliefs and positive

thoughts. This is achieved through meditation - mindfulness

meditation, white light meditation and emptiness/zone-out

meditation

The alternative approach teaches us to be mindful of our

thoughts and emotions. It teaches us to move them from

negative to positive. Negative thoughts are often caused by

rigid and negative beliefs. Many rigid and negative beliefs are

held at the subconscious level. They were adopted as part of

our response to traumas and life experience. Subconscious

and conscious beliefs can be changed to change thoughts and

thought patterns.

Subconscious beliefs can be changed from negative be-

liefs to positive beliefs through positive affirmation exercises.

Brain chemistry can be adjusted with sound, music, light, and

color therapy. alpha, beta, delta and theta brain wave medi-

tation music with binaural beat will help improve brain chem-

istry. This will have a positive impact on physical and mental

health.

alternative medicine focuses on the need for nutrition for

good health. Good nutrition consists of vitamins and minerals

that replenish the body. alternative medicine views food as

medicine. The optimal diet in the alternative world is a high


nutrient diet (mostly fresh, non-starchy vegetables and some

fruit, berries, nuts and seeds). Fresh vegetables, fruit, berries,

nuts and seeds have the fiber our bodies need as well. Or-

ganic is best. Some protein is fine, but animal protein should

be limited and organic. You can also get protein from beans,

nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs and fish. at least 80% of your diet

should consist of whole, fresh vegetables, fruit, berries, nuts

and seeds. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale

along with beets, broccoli and other fresh whole vegetables

help boost one’s energy and immune system. Use super foods

such as chlorella, spirulina, wheatgrass and garlic. They help

boost your energy and immune system.

or starch, eat whole grains, whole potatoes and whole

yams along with whole grain pasta, because they contain fi-

ber and nutrients. The alternative

approach advocates that we do

not eat prepared, packaged and

junk foods. These foods contain

toxins (chemical preservatives),

refined sugar and sodium. They do

not contain much nutrition or fiber.

The alternative approach recom-

mends that we eliminate or greatly

reduce our consumption of refined

sugar and starches and eliminate

trans- fats.

So, the alternative approach

advocates that we focus on natu-

ral, whole food and greatly reduce

our intake of processed foods

(because they lack nutrition and

contain chemicals).

a multi vitamin is good, but, pur-

suant to holistic research, it is not

enough to give you the vitamins and minerals you need for

good health even if you are on a high nutrient diet. This is be-

cause the nutritional value of fresh and frozen vegetables, fruits

and berries has been depleted due to depletion of nutrients in

the soil.

Holistic research indicates the benefits of taking good sized

dose of vitamin a, B-Complex, C, D3, E and K1 and K2. Holistic

research indicates the benefits of trace minerals supplements.

You can get trace minerals in liquid, colloidal form. Some of

the essential trace minerals include iron, zinc, manganese, po-

tassium, magnesium, copper, iodine, selenium, molybdenum,

chromium, calcium, sulfur, cobalt, nickel, boron, beryllium, so-

dium, copper, tin, silicon, vanadium, fluorine.

also, holistic research indicates the benefits of taking (i)

antioxidants (Co Q 10, green tea and green tea extract and

resveritrol are good), (ii) adaptogens (such as cordyceps, mi-

ataki, reishi and shitaki mushrooms -whole or supplements),

astragalus, (iii) anti inflammatory supplements such as fish oil

and (iv) protein/amino acid supplements. These will help pre-

vent and repair the damage to your cells done by oxidation/

free radicals and inflammation and help build more muscle

tissue, while boosting one’s energy and immune system.

When your energy is low, holistic research indicates the

benefits of Echinacea and Siberian or asian Ginseng, astraga-

lus and asian Mushrooms and asian Mushroom supplements

(i..e, reishi, cordyceps ,shitaki and miataki mushrooms).

Drink plenty of filtered water. Some prescribe at least

eight, eight ounce glasses of wa-

ter per day. Put fresh squeezed

lemon or lime in your water. Many

recommend that you boil and filter

tap water before drinking it. This

is because there are chemicals in

tap water.

Reduce your exposure to chemi-

cals in what you wear, what you

ingest and what you put on your

body. Detoxify the body, by purg-

ing it of stored toxins with milk

thistle and dandelion and warm

water with fresh lemon and sea

salt/Himalayan salt.

The body needs exercise. So,

get plenty of exercise. at the very

least, walk two to three miles a

day. When sitting for long periods,

stretch your legs and body and get

up and move around or exercise. This helps distribute oxygen

and life force energy through your body.

Breathe more deeply and take a lot more deep breaths to

draw the maximum amount of oxygen into your lungs.

alternative medicine views nature as the primary source of

prevention and healing. It focuses on reducing our consump-

tion of chemicals and boosting our consumption of natural

products such as whole foods and herbs. This will help boost

your energy and immune system to heal and prevent disease.

Michael E. Goldberg

is a Reiki Master and Life and Health

Coach and Author of The Road to

Healing, Good Health and Wellness

(available on amazon.com, kindle and

barnes and noble.com), End of Mood

Disorders (available on amazon.com

and barnes and noble.com) and The

Road to Happiness, available for free

at www.theroad2happiness.com and

the Facebook page entitled The Road

to Happiness.

Documents

SCM spring 2013