12 - MARCI Fall 09

Our Vision To strengthen and support the community of holistic professionals.

Our Mission Statement To create a unified community of compassionate holistic practitioners that will contribute to enhancing our profession and ourselves by providing a supportive space to share, learn, teach, grow, and lead.

Our Purpose The Holistic Mentorship Network supports the Holistic Professional, as well as the Community by providing the space to network, build a referral base, mentor and support each other in business development and growth, promote community awareness and education of alternative services and products, and meet potential clients.

A Community ofHolistic Professionals

What is MARCI™?MARCI™ is a holistic magazine that provokes awareness to how we show up in our practices and our daily lives. In a time when there is a lot of chaos and stress, MARCI™ reminds us of being present through “Mindful” actions and thoughts; to take responsibility for our choices and to change patterns that no longer fit. In the Holistic Field we busily take care of others, but how do we show up for ourselves? Are we taking care of ourselves and loving who we are? Trusting our own intuition and natural instinct, how often do we listen to that small voice within? MARCI™ is not only a Seasonal E-zine, but a metaphor for the garden we live in as we go through the human experience. The Holistic Field is a rapidly growing industry. These in-spirational stories are written by Professional Providers in the Holistic Field and our Clients that will inspire and empower you!Why should you advertise in MARCI™?With advertisers like you, MARCI™ is available electronically and distributed wherever the internet reaches! The Holistic Mentorship Network’s next step is making MARCI™ available in printed form. With your support, your business will be exposed nationwide to HMN members, holistic minded practitioners and their customers.What are our members saying about MARCI™?MARCI™ provides so many great tips and interesting perspectives and they’re not just for healing practitio-ners! Anyone curious about alternative healing methods and important issues of today can benefit from the information shared in this magazine: parents with ADD/ADHD kids, people interested in global warming, breast cancer success stories, using intuition, growing your business, healthy foods, ancient healing tradi-tions, nurturing…and so much more. I love this magazine with its positive outlook!

-Sarah Collins, PhD candidate in Natural Health

Inside This Issue:The Harvest: Middle AgeLinda Mitchell.......................................................................5

Healing ChildrenRobert Kandarjian.................................................................7

Haiku PoemsJo-Ann Stafford.......................................................................9

Art School GenerationBeth Morrison.......................................................................13

Being in the MiddleElizabeth Olney....................................................................15

Stressful TimesTom Selkow..........................................................................18

Personal TransformationEllen Banks..........................................................................20

5 Steps to Keeping Your (Busy) Life in HarmonyJack Canfield........................................................................23

Board MembersErin Saxton BjornsonJustin BufferChuck DavisGeorge DeganCecelia InwentarzTracey MendelLinda MitchellDonna PriceVivian SartorettoMichelle Zanoni

Sub-CommitteeLinda MitchellJustin BufferErin Saxton BjornsonSarah M. CollinsJoanna DeGroot

StaffLinda Mitchell

Executive Director, Editor-in-Chief

Joanna DeGrootEditor & Layout Designer

Holistic Mentorship

Network7

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MARCI™ Fall 20095

Column

Creative ArtsBeth Ann Morrison...............................................................37

Feng ShuiMichelle Zanoni......................................................................3

AromatherapyChristina Santiago.................................................................3

Natural HealthSarah Collins..........................................................................3

NutritionJudith Gisser..........................................................................3

Conscious ParentingTracey Mendel & Jordan Brown............................................3

Everyday SpiritualityJustin Buffer............................................................................3

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Contact Information:

Holistic Mentorship Network23 Main Street, Sparta, NJ 07871

Phone: 973.300.1184 Fax: 973.300.1189Website: www.HolisticMentorshipNetwork.com

Email: [email protected]

MARCI™ Fall 20096

Inside This Issue cont’d:

Motivating Your Teen’s Spirit!Lisa Nichols...........................................................5

Moving All At Once and PresentChristine Clifton.....................................................7

Is There Really Such A Thing As Middle Age?Jefferson Harman....................................................9

Learning to Play with the UniverseRichard Bartlett......................................................13

What’s on Your Pet’s Play List?Beth Lowell............................................................15

“Elusive Musings” poemSarah Collins.........................................................20

Health Care in Middle AgeShirley Scranta.....................................................23

A Tribute to Lauren PanzicaAbby Nickerson.....................................................60

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ColumnPet TherapyBeth Lowell & Susan Brody....................................37

Personal Development CoachingHueina Su...............................................................3

Business CoachingDonna Price.............................................................3

Money CoachingTom Selkow...............................................................3

Q & ACecelia Inwentarz...................................................3

Project PlanetAna Marie Presti....................................................3

Legislative MattersMaureen Drummond & Susannah Pitman.............3

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Book Review

The Woman I Am:A Memoir by Helen Reddy

reviewed by Jefferson Harman...........7

The Soloist by Steve Lopez reviewed by Cindy De Pue.................63

Announcements..............67

63

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Letters to Have something to say about the contents

of MARCI™? We would love to hear from you! Please write us at:

[email protected]

I was taken aback tohear someone say to methatmiddleage to themwas50 & under! Wow, what astatement to hear when youare57andthinkingyouareattheprimeofyour life,withafew years left before arrivingat the doorstep of those“SeniorYears”. When our MARCI™teamcame up with thetheme for each seasonaledition for2009, Icouldonlyimagine that this edition,like the others, would touchon this age range “the babyboomers”.BoywasIwronginthatassumption!InsteadwhatIgotwasthreeverydifferentperceptions of “Middle” andeach article made me smilewiderasIhaveembracedthistime in my life to be a freesoul. At this juncture it isin complete wonderment towatch MARCI™ continue tosprout and growwings. Shecontinues to demonstratefor me what it means to gothroughlife’sexperiencesandsee my glass half full ratherthan half empty (no matterthe bumps in the road).Takingchargeofyourlifecanfeelscary,butwhatwouldbescarier is tonotbe in chargeofyourlife. MARCI™ has been mytool for taking control and“Responsibility”ofmylifeandfor the role I play in tendingto the garden of MARCI™and the Holistic Mentorship

blossomandmaturenaturally.Inthisnewestedition,weareexcited to have Lisa Nicholsfrom themovie “the Secret”withus.Shewillbearegularwriter, as will Jack Canfield,co-authorofChicken soup for the Soul,whohasbeenwithusnowforayearalready!BothLisaandJackarementorswhospeaktotruthandgainingthemostoutofyourlifewithin. We have also addedseveral columns that areaimed at representing thewholepictureofbeing intheholistic arena. Included inthe whole scheme of thingsare three special sectionsthat have been designed forlegislative issues, a Q & Asegment,andaspaceforthefuturegenerationtospeakoutabout the environment. We

Network.The“R”inMARCI™,“Responsibility”, signifies theresponsibility I take for myownlife’sexperiences.Ratherthanlookingoutsidemyself,Ihave taken the plunge to godeeper within to know thetruth of “who” I am and toknow that my purpose hereis thedriving force that fuelsthepassionIhavetobeinthisprofession of holistic healthandwellness. We are blessed tohave a tremendous teamthat continues towatchoverMARCI™ as she continues to

The Harvest: Middle Age amessageby

LindaMitchell,HMNFounder

cont’d on next page

MARCI™ Fall 20097

hope that you look forwardtohearing fromyour favoritecolumnistsandauthorsofthisnew sector and I know theywill look forward to hearingfrom you! You can meetyour columnists and authorsby going to the “Contents”listedontheprecedingpage.A special thank you to all ofour columnists and authorsfortakingthetimetofeedoursouls with your knowledgeandspirit! Therearemanypeoplewho have come into the lifeofMARCI™. One sweet soul

was Lauren Panzicawho hadbeen a student of mine atthe Institute for TherapeuticMassageinPomptonLakes,NJand later became a memberof the Holistic MentorshipNetwork. Lauren made hertransition in July after a longfightforlifewithcancer. Lauren was aninspiration to me and to somanyotherswhohavehadtheopportunity to watch Laurenriseabovecancerandlivelifefully. IhadsuchablastwithLaurenatourConferenceandRetreat last year at Koinoniain Highland Lake, NY. It wasthere thatmanyof us got toreallyknowLauren. I know that weekend

meant so much to her andher friends who rallied forher, knowing that weekendwouldbehealing in itself forLauren.Forsomeonesosick,Laurencoulddance,andthatisexactlyhowLaurenchosetolive–infullexpressionoflife.In a tribute to Lauren, AbbyNickerson one of Lauren’sclosest friends shares herthoughts and memories ofLauren,“ATributetoLauren”. Thisspecialeditionwithall itsnewlifeisdedicatedtoLauren our colleague, sisterandfriend.

EnjoyMARCI™-Inloveandpeace,Linda

The Harvest: Middle Age cont’d

MARCI™ Fall 20098

Pho

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healthier the energy ofcaretakers,thebetterit isforthechild. Theobjective is tocreate harmonious energeticflow between parents andbetweenparentandchild. The best way parentscan help their children isby creating safety in themarriage, harmonizing theirenergieswitheachother,andengagingintheirownhealingprocess and self-nurturance.Thereareclasses,CDs,books,therapies, workshops andretreatsthatcanhelpparentscenter and tune in to theirenergy flow and learn tolistento theirbody’s rhythm,signals and intuitive voice.The objective is to calm theoveractive mind to bettersense the inner voice andbodymessages.Whenadultsdrop into their inner voice

Healing Children

by Dr. Robert Kandarjian

Parenting is a mostheroic act and parents arealways trying to do the bestthey can for their children.The healing process of thechild is a family team effortbecause a child is constantlyreacting to his energeticenvironment. The energyfieldofachildisvulnerabletoitsenvironmentbecausea child’s energy field isopen, receptive, andpermeable. Since a childis a dependent entity,working energetically withtheparentsandcaretakersis always an effectiveapproach to promote thehealing of a child. The

with their children that arefulfillingandjoyous. It is ideal when theenergetic flow betweencaretaker and child isharmoniousandbalanced.Itis alwaysadvisable toassess,balance and correct the

energyfieldofparentsandcaretakersbeforeweassess,balance and correct thechild’senergyfield.Inmostcaseswhentheenergyfieldof parents and caretakersare corrected, the child’senergy field corrects itself.It is importanttonoteandremember that it is notpossible to fully balanceandcorrecttheenergyfieldand stillness and connect

to their body messages byquietingthemind,theybetterunderstand and sense theirchildren’s energy needs andpatterns. When parentsconnect to their intuitiveknowing in a deeper way, itbecomes easier for them to“read” their children, to beon the same pagewith theirchildren, and make effectivedecisions. Parents, who aretuned in to theirownenergyflowandstillness,finditeasierto address the energy flowand needs of their children.The healing of children isa partnership between theskills and compassion ofpractitioners,andtheabilityofparentstolistentotheirowninnermessages. Byengagingin self-nurturance, parentsfeel guided and supported;thus, creating relationships

MARCI™ Fall 20099cont’d on next page

of a child without initiallybalancing and correcting theenergy field of the adults inthechild’slife. The best approach inhealing a child is to considerthe child’s energetic world(parents, family, caretakers,relatives, school). A childis an expression of familyand culture, and theharmonious energetic flowinthemembersofthefamilyfurthersupportsandanchorsthe healing and nurturanceof the child. Some of themajor imbalances in a child’senergy field are underactive,overactive, depleted, or heldflow patterns. A child whois withdrawn emotionallyor recovering from a cold orillnesswillhaveanunderactiveenergyflowandneeds tobeenergized.Anoveraggressive

Members Club Offer:

10% Discount

Healing Childrencont’d

child will have an overactiveflowpatternthatneedstobeslowed down. A depressedchildwill have depleted flowofenergyinthelegsandheartand needs grounding andanchoringofenergyinthelegs

inordertostandanddeliver.Aheldflowpatternmeansthechild is holdingandneeds toletgo;perhapsholdingtears,fear,oranger.Asstatedearlier,it is alwayswise to treat theparentbeforethechildwithinorder tomaximize thechild’shealingprocess.Children respond very well

tohealingprocessesbecausemostofthemfeeltheenergyandareveryreceptive.Oncethe energy flow betweenparentsandtheflowbetweenthe parents and the childare balanced, disharmony ofenergiesisliftedandthechildreturnstoahealthystate.

SUGGESTED READINGSRobertKandarjian,DC- Sacred IntentionsBarbaraAnnBrennan-Hands of Light, Light EmergingHarvilleHendrix,PhD-Giving The Love That Heals, A Guide For ParentsHarvilleHendrix,PhD-Getting The Love You Want, A Guide For CouplesErichFromm,MD-The Art of LovingDeepakChopra,MD-The Seven Spiritual Laws of ParentingAshelyMontague-TouchingKeithAblow,MD-Living the TruthAliceMiller-Drama of the Gifted Child

Dr. Robert Kandarjian, HMN Professional Member, has been practicing mind-body integrative therapy for 26 years. After receiving a degree in chiropractic in 1983, he built a practice that embraced the philosophy of eastern medicine to better understand the patient as a whole. In 1995, he trained with the American Holistic Nurses Association in Healing Touch, a healing practice that clears and balances the energy of the human aura. Dr. Kandarjian teaches Energy Therapy to doctors, psychologists, and health care professionals. His seminars and private practice are designed to balance and correct the Human Energy Field of adults and children.

Contact info:973.993.5770 Ext. 2

[email protected]

photo courtesy of Jo-Ann Stafford

MARCI™ Fall 200910

Haiku is the ancient form of poetry that comesfromJapan.Thesepoemshaveonly three lines inwhichtoexpresstheirimagery.Theyformapatternof5beats,followedbyseven,andconcludingagainwithfivebeats.They usually express something beautiful and profound,especiallyaboutnature.Haikualwaysimploreyoutostopandthinkforamomentortwo. TheyareminiaturemeditationsandanexpressionofmyloveforGodandNature.IhopeyoutakethetimetoreadeachHaikuseveraltimesandperhapsspendsometimewitheachone,asyoulistentoGod’swords,throughmypenspeakingtoyourheart.

Theseare3HaikuIwroteasIwasabouttoturn60:

On turning sixty;How could this be possible?I am still a kid.

Six decades agoI emerged unto this life;Suddenly I’m here.

It was six score henceThat I left the Spirit Realm,Once again to live.

Jo-Ann Stafford,Nature Photographer

loves the dramatic flora and fauna of Northwestern NJ, which shows in her nature photographs. She also writes

poetry and prose, often merging Haiku with her photographs.

www.lookinglassphotos.com



My story. I amnamingmine the first art schoolgeneration. I was one ofmanywhowere fortunate tohave experienced four yearsof complete immersion inartistic creation, discussionand community. Art schoolhelped us work out a lot ofinner shadows in the privacyofpeers,andtaughtushowtohone our skillswith patienceandpeaceofmind.Ofcoursethe work wasn’t “finished”when we graduated, but wecertainly were given a bigheadstart. Art school was a greatdream! We were taught byolderartistswhoforgedtheirways through a bohemianliving, when rent was lowand bacteria hadn’t mutatedyet.Weweregiventhewingstoflyand theeyes toviewaworldofhigherpossibility.Noonedaredtomentionhowwe

wouldactuallyfunctionintheworld“outthere”,sowewereill-preparedforaharshrealitycheck. We thought we could just make art, but we had to get jobs. Toholdontothelight,wewereforcedintoconstantnegotiations: how muchspace do I need to live andwork, howmanypeopledo Iwant around me, howmuchtime and energy can I spendmakingmoneyinotherways,how much safety do I needinmy neighborhood,what isthe differencebetweenneedand desire? Concerns dulledthe flames we had nurturedin school aswewatched ourfriends and family gain thecomfort of the path moretraveled. Butmaking art is acompulsion;wehadtofindaway... We clunked aboutawkwardly,learningourlimitsbypushingourselvestoohardor too little. I watched as alot of my peers joined “theart scene” whole-heartedly– a religion of artist as idol, one who possesses gifts not available to all. I had hopedtofindthecamaraderietherethatImissedfromschool,butfound desperate competitioninstead. No one got theprestigious reception theywere anticipating, so theyclaweddesperatelyforgroundto stand on – ranking eachother’s workwith judgmentsof productivity and mastery,and amplifying their owndarkertraits.

I wanted no part ofit. For years I stayed on thesidelines,showingworkwhenI couldandattendingonly tosupport my friends. I madework of recycled materialsthatweremade to return totheearth,sometimesImerelymoved branches around toform a temporary poeticstatement. But I chose notto make pieces to be sold. Ididn’twant to losemyself inthe game of envy and pridethatIsawaroundme. My heartwas investedin the kind ofwork thatwashappeningonthewestcoast.Some artists were usingart to build community –starting group activities thatempowered the individualinto self-expression. Lifedemandedthat I stay inNewJersey, where I couldn’t finda paycheck for this work.Instead, I tried to make ithappen through non-profitday jobs, working withchildren, artists, collegestudents,seniors.Butthelonghours spent on good causesforlowpayleftmeexhausted.Inordertoachievethesegreatbiggatherings,Ireallyneededthe freedom of my daytimehours. After over nine years,I realize that perhaps I couldhave chosen to make somearttosell,togainmoretime,tomakemoreart,until Iwasfreetofollowmyheart.ButIdorecognizethesolidlessonsthatthishardworkhastaught

Art SchoolGeneration

byBethAnnMorrison


Mandala courtesy of Elizabeth Olney

me,andthewonderfulfriendsI have made along the way.I worked up the traditionalladdertoanalternativedream:finally Ifindmyselfwithtimeto work, enough room towork in, lovely surroundingsand health insurance! Nowthefuncanreallybegin. Looking back I seemy mind was distracted bygreat ideas that were out ofmy reach. I scrambled fordeadlines, and triedmy bestto accomplish grand projectsthatIsawinmyhead.Myworkneverseemed“finished”,andit always fell short of whatI envisioned for it – since Iunderestimated the time,materials and manpower itwould take to accomplishit. I realize now, that myheroes, and every householdenterprise,beganwithintheirmeans. Fully present, theywere inspired by a moment,to create with what was onhand. They took their time,thought it through, until itwas absolutely complete.Thegreatestworks speak forthemselves, because theywere given breath and voicein partnership with theircreators. Once the work is outthere, I will be too, ready tolivemydreamofcommunity!

Art School Generationcont’d


Middle-aged; hmm . . . where’sthe middle? I’m a so-called baby-boomer so, does that mean I qualify? There’sasaying,“twiceachild,onceanadult”.Onecouldponderthisinmanyways.Sobeit,hereweare,inthemiddle;adult.Supposedly,weareresponsibleandhaveitalltogether.Throughourtrialsandtribulations,welearnedwhatweneedanddesire in life. There have been times ofcourse,whenwe’vecompromisedinordertogetalongintheworldanddonethingsthatwedidn’treallywanttodo.Meanwhile,these situations showed us what we

care about and love in life even more. During this period of our lives,weexperiencefullawareness,asoursensesareattheirgreatestheight,we’requiteactive.Busywiththisandbusywiththatandtryingtofitwhateverinaday.Howdowedoit?Wemayevenbegintodoubtourselvesandquestion why we didn’t plan somethingdifferently. Oh, and oh yeah, forgot to...In additiontoourbusiness,wemustdealwith,whatfeelslike,interruptions.There’stoomuch trafficwithother busy people,wehavetowait in line forothers;nottomention missed messages from others.Ifwe get too caught up in our busy day,we justbecome tense.Amoment isn’t amomentanymorebecauseit’salljumbled

Being in the Middleby Elizabeth Olney, MA, CET

Hedden Park of The Morris CountyPark Commission / photo by Elizabeth Olney



up with all of the othermoments. Our comforts andvaluesbecomeoverriddenbyourattempttostructuretime. Sometimes, seeminglyoutofnowhereamidst theseconflictingmoments,isaflickerofamomentthatgivesustheawarenessofuncertainty.Wemay even hear a little voice.Wehear ityet,dowe listen? Uncertainty… hmm,is that good or bad?Well, itisn’t really either; it just is.It means to question. Mustwe always have answers?No, of course not. Life is awondrousexperience invitingquestion and curiosity. Lifeitself is a quest; a quest tobecome the best that wecanbe,aquestto“be”aswe“come” into our attributes. I suggest that we takeadvantage of uncertaintyand question ourselves, ourgoings-onandourlittlevoices.WhetherwethinkthatthisisGodspeakingtousorsimplyourintuitivevoice;eitherwaythisisourhigherself.Itcomesfromaspirit;asortofknowingof not knowing. In order toacquire a sense of balance,be in touch with our center,so to speak, we need to askquestions.Thereareno rightor wrong questions nor maywe receive the answers wewant,whenwewant.What’simportantisthatwebeopenandwillingtore-establishour

values our sense of comfort.When we fail to trust ourprocess; doubt ourselves andthe unknown, we can easilyrefer to what is known. Comfortcanbeattainedquite easily in awareness ofthe moments that questiontime and place. Rather thancheck a clock or watch, let’snot lose sight of the biggerpicture; time of year andplace that is home to us all.

As autumn falls uponus, the earth calms. This weknow.Wecanwelcomeearth,themotherofour senses, tonurture us. A walk amongsttrees or stroll through ameadow does wonders forthe soul. Inevitably, we re-groupphysically,mentallyandemotionally for the strengthof the earth is powerful andenduring. Venturing out intonature is an opportunity to

Being in the Middlecont’d



witness moments of aweas they appear and voicethemselves wordlessly. Cer-tainly, this is a way of beingwhich ismoregratifyingthanthoughts which flick like aview-finder or chatter. One’sthoughts can also easilyslow into contemplativethought as we gently pick

off the leaves that ourhouse-plants need to shed. Yousee,likeourhigherself, earth does not resideoutsideofus;sheisanintegralpart of us, for she is also ofspirit. All is one. We needto especially keep in closetouchwithherforthisreason. Though matured andadult, we are in essencemammals; mammals withcomplex brains. Hence, ourthoughts need to free-up

from time to time, so asto return back in sync withthe physical and emotionalaspects of our being; whole.Nature not only promoteswholeness,sheteachesusthelessons of creating harmonyfrom discord. She remindsus that the middle suggestsa place of centeredness andoffers us a sense of balance.

Being in the Middlecont’d

offers mandala-work sessions in drawing, painting and mixed-media. Mandala-work empowers a sense of self, personal wholeness and universal oneness. Elizabeth has engaged many clients, students and groups in creative endeavors of multi-media. Her forte is inspiring the creative voice of expression for individualized purposes. Currently Beth is conducting workshops in Mandala-work, Art and Our Environment and Decorative Arts in her studio and off-site. More about Elizabeth in Creative Arts & Integrative Medicine sections of practitioners list is on the HMN site.

Elizabeth Olney MA, CET, Multi-media Artist, Arts Therapist, Workshop Facilitator,

and HMN member,


During challengingtimes it is very easy to findyourself in a state of stress.Not in the modern senseof the word alone, but alsoas a set of characteristicsthat define your emotionalclimate, decision makingtendencies and self dialog.Wheninstress,decisionstendtobe reactionaryand rapidlychanging – “I’ll try anything,Idon’thaveanyideawhattodo,pleasetellmewhattodoandI’lldoit.”Beyondstressisa paralytic or catatonic statecalled apparent apathy. Thisis such an elevated state ofstressthatthispersonappearsuninterested or unable tomove. This elevated state ofstress takes away hope andoften renders you feelingpowerless. Inallcasesofthestressstate, the best course ofaction is tomovedownfromstressbeforeengaging inanydecision making or takingany action. Finding evidencethatyouarenotaloneortheonly person in this situationcanbegintomoveyoudownfromthestressstate.Findingadditionalresourceswillbringyou further down from highstress. This could includecoaching, therapy or trainingand will help to bring backyour perception of being incontrolofyoursituation. One useful tool Iuse to broaden someone’sperspective of the statethey are in and help them

cope with it is the “FalseEmergencyExercise”adaptedfromDr.GeraldEpstein’sThe Phoenix Process CD Set soldby Nightingale-Conant. We’llstart by defining a “True”emergencyasfollows;thisisasceneafriendandIcameuponinnatureandexemplifiesthetrue emergency state. Wefoundatoadaliveinasnake’smouth and in the processofbeingeaten.This is a trueemergency – If you don’tdo something now you willcertainlybeinjuredordie. Use this yardstick todetermine if this is a trueemergency for you. If youcomparethecurrentsituationtothatofthetoadandcannotrespond; “Yes, I am in thesame situation” truthfully,

you have created a falseemergency for yourself. Becarefultostayobjectivewhilemakingthisevaluation.BythisImeanreallylookatthefactsof the situation. Sometimesemotionally we feel like wemightdieorfeelparalyzedtotake action if this happens,butwhen analyzed under anobjective light, we find thatnottobetrue.Whenit’sdoneandoverwewillstillbealive,maybeworseforthewearbutnonethelessstillalive. The significance hereis that in a false emergencyyour body creates all ofthe physiological andpharmacological responsesthat it would in a trueemergency but has nowheretodirectthem.Forexampleifyouaresittingatyourkitchentable and open an IRS auditnoticetheoddsareyouwillgointo a false emergency. Wildscenarios might run throughyour thinking about losingyour house, beingput in jail,nothaving themoneytopaythe costs incurred and soforth. In this case your bodywill create all the chemicalsand responses of a trueemergencybuthavenowhereto direct them – you aresittinginyourkitchensafeandsoundnotbeingpursuedbyawildanimalorundereminentthreat of death. The result isyourbodyworking veryhardtobreakdownandeliminatethe veritable pharmacy thisstatecreates.Thiselimination

Stressful Timesby Tom Selkow



process causes our body toexpend lots of energy andresources and places unduestrain on many of our vitalorgans. By comparing yourcurrent perception to theyardstick of being a toadin a snake’s mouth you canaccomplishtwothingsquickly.1) Move yourself down fromthestressstateand2)interruptthe physiological processcreated by entry into fearresponse.Verballysay;“<Firstname>,youarecreatingafalseemergency,and<firstname>,the thoughts and responses

I am creating here are notuseful.”Finishthisprocessbytakinganormalinbreathandexhalingthroughyourmouthevenly and moderately as ifblowingoutacandle.Repeatthisprocesstwomoretimesforatotalofthreetimes.Thiswillserve to calm you, eliminateexcess CO₂ and variousother compounds from yoursystem. Remember to keepyourself well hydrated withwater too.Favorevensteadyconsumption throughoutthe day over consuming alargeamountofwateratonetimeas this allows forbetterintegrationintoyourbody. Playwith this tool andallow yourself to notice howmany times you are gearing

up for an emergency thatdoesn’t measure up to thetoad scenario. Notice yourdecision making process ifthe emergency state is notinterrupted as well as if itis interrupted. Be aware ofothers around you and howoftentheycreateemergenciesthatdon’tmatchthismeasureofandemergencyandhow itaffects their decision makingprocess. Have fun with thisexerciseand remember tobekind toyourselfwhenyoudonotice yourself setting up tocreate an emergency state.Make light of it and use theverbalqueueandbreathingtointerrupttheprocess.

Stressful Timescont’d

Tom Selkow, Life Transformation Facilitator, is the owner of Zero Point Transformation, LLC located in Sparta, NJ. Tom is certified by The Money Coaching Institute of Petaluma California as a Money Coach offering programs for individuals, couples, groups and organizations. Tom also offers customized individual sessions to those wanting to transform aspects of their life such as health, relationships, personal growth, career and money. A certified Change Works practitioner, Matrix Energetics practitioner and certified to perform The Reconnection; Tom has many useful tools to help facilitate

transformations in your life.Prior to becoming a Life Transformation facilitator Tom spent over 20 years in Information Technology working in financial industry companies including Morgan Guaranty, Spear, Leeds & Kellogg and Goldman Sachs in the Wall Street District of New York City. Tom’s lifelong passion for personal growth, self transformation and learning positions him to help you make and hold transformations in your life.

You can contact him by phone at 862-268-4443and email at [email protected]

Be sure to read Tom Selkow’s Money Coaching column too!



We all know that we possess so much power within ourselves that nothing should be impossible. Why then, is it so hard to be who we strive to be, to reach personal goals and to live the best life possible? Why are we so often our own worst enemy?????

Ipersonallydon’tcaretocontemplateordiscussallofthemanycausesthat interferewithourbeingthebestwecanbe.AndwhenIsaythe“best”thatis whatever you need to be happy.The “best” is whoever you are that allowsyou to be at peace, be content, living eachdaywithjoyinyourheart.The“best”isbeingabletomarchon inthefaceofadversityandsorrow,growingstrongerwitheachchallenge.Why aren’t you already there? As my friendSandyalwayssays,“Itiswhatitis”!Stopover-analyzingandstopbeatingyourselfupovernotbeinginaplacewhereyouareyourbest.Starttakingbaby-steps tofindyour inner strength,tofindthatpersonwhomaybeburiedsodeepyouthoughttheyweregoneforever.

Personal TransformationHow these 5 simple affirmations can help you on your journey!

by Ellen Banks

Forme,my journey statedbymakingabigleapoffaithoutofmysuccessfulcareercomfortzoneintotheworldof being an entrepreneur.I built a company around5 simple, yet powerfulmessages I needed to bereminded of to be mypersonal best. See if theycanhelpyouonyourpathtopersonaltransformation!

1) I will make this leap with faith!!! Where will your “leap of faith” take you?

3) I AM a Warrior! Get ready to take charge on your journey to personal transformation!Repeat after me: I AMstrong, kind, balanced andfearless!!!! Life often feelslike a battlefield. Gandhisaw the battlefield as ametaphor for our internalconflicts. What personalattributeswillyousummonto act with courage andunwavering focus? Firsthave to believe you havewhatyouneedtomakethejourney. You have a vision

Where do you want to be in life? Who areyou at the other side of the hurdle? As theproverbsays,youcannotleapachasmintwosteps.Onceyouidentifyyourgoal,youhavetoenvisioniteveryday.Youhavetoembraceyourdreamsandknowthatyouhave thestrengthandwisdomtomakeyour leap.Then, just letgoandbelieve!

2) What’s my personal transformation plan?Personaltransformationisaconstantjourney.There is nomagic to yearly resolutions, theyareonlyabeginning.Wherewillyourlifeplantakeyou?Doyouevenhaveaplan?Howwillyou stay focused on your dreams? Life if aprocess of becoming. Always believe in yourcorepower. Identifyyourplan,embraceyourvision and above all, respect all challenges.Often thegreatest challengeswill turnout tobe your best friend!Make sure that you putyourselfinthedailyplannerandonyourmany“to-do”lists.


repeatthem,keepusfocusedon our goal….expecting aparticular outcome doessomething extraordinary inourbrains.”

When I developed thedesigns for our company’sline, we created messageswith reverse writing so thatwhen you face yourself inthe mirror throughout theday, youwill be reminded ofyour intentions. The designsreinforce your intentionsby visually providing strongaffirmations.

5) Be Present. You have to start living in the moment!How do we achieve thestate of “being present”?By being consciously awareof the present moment, wecan control our own reality.Buddha said: “the mind is everything, what we think we become“. Ask yourself:doIcreatemyownrealityoramIaleafinthewind?Whatis reality anyway? If you arebeatingyourselfupoverpastbehaviors, bad investments,poor career choicesetc., you

are living in the past. Thereisn’tanythingyoucanchangeabout what has passed. Youalso can’t control the future.Theonlythingyoucancontroliswhat you are thinking anddoinginthepresentmoment.We can help to create apositive future reality bywhatwedo and think in thepresent moment. Of course,thatdoesn’talwaysguaranteethings will turn out as wehope. As the saying goes,“ManplansandGod laughs”.That’s when you lift yourselfup, dust yourself off and tryagain. Adversity often leadsus to a path where the realjourneybegins!

Somyfriends,tryfocusingonthese 5 areas and I will betthey will help you on yourjourneytofindyourpersonalbest!--------------To learn more about Ellen Banks and her company, Transformation Tees, go towww.reflectyourpower.com

andthestrengthtosilencetheinternalvoicesofdefeat.Trustandtheresultswillabsolutelyfollow!

4) “I Will…” Start each day with this positive affirmation and fill in whatever it is you WILL accomplish!Mysistersentmeanarticlethattotallyvalidatesanindividual’spowercomesfromwithin.Wehavethepowertomakecorechanges by internal focus,strength, wisdom and faith.Whenwe access all of theseamazing personal attributes,transformation follows. It is that simple! The problem iswearealwayssostressedandoverwhelmed, running in amillion different directions,unable to take15minutes tobreathe. In addition to thestresses of daily life, we arenowalsocompletelystunnedbytheeconomicstatusoftheworld. Now more than everweneed to hang in and stayas positive as possible.Whatthe article points out is thatthinking positive phrases is not a waste of time.

“Strong affirmations put twopowerful mental qualitiesinto action: intention andexpectation. Intention isn’tjust wanting, wishing orhoping; it’s determination toact.Affirmationsfocusonourintention, and, because we

Personal Transformation

cont’d


they grow increasinglyuninspired and out of touchwith their authentic selves.This,ofcourse,setsanyoneuptolivingalifeoutofbalance.

Inordertogetwhatyouwant,you must first decide whatyouwant.Mostpeoplereallyfoulupatthiscrucialfirststepbecausetheysimplycan’tseehow it’spossible togetwhattheywant,sotheydon’tevenlet themselveswant it.Don’t sabotage yourself that way!

We know a lot more todayabout how the brain works,even when it comes tocomplex decision-making. Ifyou don’t decide what youwant and literally put thatidea in your brain, how can

your brain help you to thennavigate the path to reachthat goal and problem-solvethrough its inevitable trialsanderrors?Don’tforasecondthink you have to figure outevery step of the way whenyou’restandingatthestartinggate to a certain goal. Firstlock inyourdesiresandhavefaith that yourmind and theuniverse will work in synchto guide you toward them.Forthosewhoneedstructurefor actually doing this, I’vedeveloped5simplesteps.

Step 1: Decide to Think Big and Dream Big DreamsDon’t let your inner devil’sadvocate (or that incessantbut unimportant To Do list)inhibit you from dreamingbig. As soon as you committo a big dream and really goafter it, your subconsciouscreative mind will come upwith big ideas to make ithappen.You’llstartattractingthe people, resources, andopportunities you need intoyourlifetomakeyourdreamcome true. Big dreams notonlyinspireyou,buttheyalsocompelotherstowanttoplaybig,too.

Step 2: Set Goals that Will Stretch YouAnother value in givingyourself permission to goafterthebigdreamsisthatbigdreamsrequireyoutogrowinordertoachievethem.Inthelong run, that is the greatestbenefit youwill receive from

5 Steps to Keeping Your (Busy) Life in

Harmonyby Jack Canfield

A “harmonized” life thesedays sounds like a tallorder. Between housework,homework, workwork,and busywork, there areperpetually too many thingsto do, and not enough timetofindthatmythicalbalance.Nothing is more frustratingthan feeling likeyou’redoingdoing doing but gettingnothing truly done that youreally want. Working withpeople from all walks of life,fromfulltimemomstoCEOsatlargecompanies,I’vedistilledmany universal truths aboutsuccess. There’s a secret I’velearnedthatworksquitewellat helping you to achievewhatyouwant:Decide what you want.

Itsoundssosimple,buthere’sthe problem: I see plenty ofpeople who are overly-busyyet who feel unsatisfied andunfulfilled.Theyarephysicallytired, spiritually drained, andfar from where they’d liketo be—as if they’ve beenrunning on a treadmill goingnowhere fast.Why? Becausethey haven’t clearly mappedout what they want andthen taken the steps to getthere.Ratherthanidentifyingspecific goals, milestones,and dreams (and I’m talkingBIG dreams and goals here),they go through themotionsday in and day out tacklingunimportant tasks. They endup…you guessed it…goingin circles andwasting lots ofenergy. In the meanwhile,



pursuing your dreams; notsomuch the outer trappingsof fulfilling the dream (anexpensive car, impressivehouse, loads of money andphilanthropic opportunities),but who you become in theprocess.

AsI’veseenmanytimesover,theouter symbolsof successcan all be easily lost. Housesburn down, companies gobankrupt, relationships end,cars get old, bodies age andfame wanes, but who youare, what you have learned,and the new skills you havedeveloped never go away.These are the true prizes ofsuccess, and you’ll be ableto share them with others.Motivationalphilosopher,JimRohnadvisesthat“You should set a goal big enough that in the process of achieving it, you become someone worth becoming.”

Step3:ConsiderYourServicetoOthersAs you pinpoint what you

want togoafter, thinkabouthowyoucanbeofservicetoothers. When your dreamsinclude this element, you’llfind yourself speeding alongthepathtoaccomplishingthatgoal. Peoplewant to be partofsomethingthatcontributesandmakesadifference.

Step 4: Define Your Goals and Objectives Based on Your DreamsOnce you are clear aboutwhatyouwant,youmustturneach item into ameasurableobjective. By measurable, Imean measurable in spaceand time, howmuch and bywhen. Don’t just say thatyou want to lose weight, forinstance. Be specific, pushyourself to higher limits, andsetdates.Saysomethinglike,“Iwantto lose50poundsbyThanksgiving and participatein my community’s 10K forcharitybyChristmas.”

Step 5: Make a RecordWrite your goals down indetail and read your list ofgoals every day. Some goalsmay entail a list of shortergoals. Losing a lot ofweight,for example, should include

mini-goals, suchas10-poundmilestones.Thiswillkeepyoursubconsciousmindfocusedonwhat youwant step by step.For an even more powerfulapproach,closeyoureyesandfocusoneachgoal,evenifit’sa littleone, andask yourself,“WhatisonethingIcoulddotoday to move toward theachievement of this goal?”Writedownyouranswersandtakethoseactions.

I recommendwritingdownaminimumof3goalsineachofthefollowing7areas:1.FinancialGoals2.Career/BusinessGoals3.FreeTime/FamilyTime4.Health/AppearanceGoals5.RelationshipGoals6.PersonalGrowth7.MakingaDifference

Andifyoudon’tknowwhereto begin, just start writing! Ihave a handy worksheet foryouthatmodelsthisformula,including examples. Go towww.thesuccessprinciples.com/resources_index.phptodownloadthisfreeresourceandstartcreatingallthatyouwantfromyourlife.

©2009JackCanfield

5 Stepscont’d

JackCanfieldisAmerica’s#1SuccessCoach,co-founderofthebillion-dollarChicken Soup for the Soul brand,andaleadingauthorityonPeak Performance.Ifyou’rereadytobemoreaccomplishedandhavemorefuninallthatyoudo,

getyourFREEsuccesstipsfromJackCanfieldnowat:

www.FreeSuccessPrinciples.com


Art is for Everyone!

A work of art is a masterpiece – a piece of mastery, evidence of attention married to inspiration for a long enough moment. A true artist is a master of living. One who is firmly present, dancing in the stream of eternity – one whose joyful inspiration overflows into creation. There is no room there for doubt, fear, or “if only I had some colored pencils...” You create art from what is there.

Every single person can be an “artist”. Aren’t we talking about human potential? Creating is our natural tendency, the expression of our unique perspectives. There is no required reading or prerequisite for creativity. The imaginary divide occurs when some proclaim themselves “artists” and others say “I can’t even draw a stick figure”. Once you believe that you can, you are giving yourself the right, the permission, to create, to be. The same holds true for any endeavor that appears as a passing whim – dance! Sing! Write! Cook! Everything! Follow your spirit! Why put yourself in the box of “I am a painter” or “I am an accountant”?

Art is enjoying life! Art-making is zen, play, enlightenment, heaven on earth! What’s more, creative expression is how we find each other. Once you let your light shine you are a beacon. The act of creation is a window to your true

Creative Artswith Beth Ann Morrison

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self, for your own eyes and the world to share. Through art we come together: art-making will heal your burdens and clear your closet of its skeletons, until you are eager to play your part in the greater community. Because, looking around, this world is one huge collaboration: we are each creating it every moment, whether we know it or not. As more begin to create their lives intentionally, the world will begin to reflect those dreams we each hold dear.

Let’s continue our journeys together. I would love to see this column become a forum for all – from those who have sought out creativity for a lifetime to those who have never given it a shot. We can share practical skills and experiences, and give voice to lofty visions and future plans. Eventually we can do real projects together, join for retreats and workshops, or whatever else the wind brings us to. I’d be delighted to hear your thoughts and start this conversation. Please write to me at [email protected].

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Beth Ann Morrison lives and works in Jersey city, NJ, and has shown her art extensively over the last ten years. Her first large-scale solo exhibition, One Breath was presented by Seton Hall University’s Walsh Gallery in Summer 2008; other recent venues have included Saks Fifth Ave, Governor’s Island and the Newark Museum. Ms. Morrison has received a grant, residency and several awards for her work; she is also professional grantwriter and an active board member of the Sculptors Guild.

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The Art of Arrangement

Welcome to the Art of Arrangement. It is my desire through this column to share what Feng Shui (Fung Schway) is and how it can change your life. I will include tips, recipes, and many of my personal recommendations to help you create a balanced, peaceful, and harmonious life experience. Feng Shui is an ancient Asian science that is based on the observation of nature and is estimated at 3,000 years old. The foundation of Feng Shui is the five Elements: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal. We look to see how these elements are showing up in a space, how they relate to one another, and how best to balance them.

Feng Shui addresses our living spaces from the exterior to the interior, and our relationship to both. The arrangement and layout of your house, furniture, and accessories affects the flow of energy in you and your life. By changing the arrangement of these objects and furniture, you are inviting the energy to shift and the opportunity for change to come in. Feng Shui is a lifestyle… a way of being. It addresses our day-to-day experiences and our overall mindset. Our spaces are an outer reflection of who we are on the inside, at a particular moment in time. They give us clues as to what is going on with us emotionally.

My goal is for you to start looking at your living spaces with new eyes, with “Feng Shui eyes.” I invite you to closely look at your surroundings

Feng Shuiwith Michelle Zanoni

Tip for the season: The Element for autumn is Metal. Metal is used to create focus and organization. Round or oval shapes represent Metal and the color for Metal is all metallic, white, and pale pastels. Try using a round or oval rug in your office or study to pull the energy of the room together. This will help increase the Metal energy in the space and allow you to focus your

thoughts easily…


and experience how you feel there… evaluate your space. Do you like it? Does it nourish you? Is it congested or dark? Can you rest and relax in your home? Become aware of all that surrounds you and do not forget the outside, it is equally important.

Thank you for taking this journey with me and get ready to explore through your “Feng Shui eyes” with each edition of MARCI™. Until the next time…

Michelle ZanoniCertified Feng Shui Practitioner2 Ferndale AvenueMorristown, NJ 07960201.400.4669

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Just Breathe: Awaken Your Life with Aromatherapy

Is it me or lately many people are experiencing major transformations? They even use the term “awakening” to describe the process they’ve been through after having navigated through uncertainty and pain. Imagine what it would be like to accelerate your healing using one of Mother Nature’s greatest gifts—pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils.

Recently, I spent many months as the sole caregiver for my mother who became ill while visiting from Texas. I lovingly offered my support but found that despite years of living on my own, mom can still push those buttons. Old wounds resurfaced. Peace & Calming™, an oil blend, came to my rescue. Ylang Ylang and White Angelica™ also from Young Living, the world leader in therapeutic-grade oils, were my saving grace as I frequently inhaled and applied them to my body to help me manage stress and release resentments. Every morning and throughout the day I applied oils to my forehead, over my heart chakra, and on my throat chakra. A sacred ritual to keep me centered and grounded amidst the chaos. My soul’s awakening to release old wounds came as a gentle reminder to love unconditionally and just breathe.

Ahh. Now, close your eyes (ask a friend to read this part of the article to you) and envision yourself feeling one of your old wounds. For some of us, those hurts can come from unkind words that left imprints in our DNA. Now, imagine inhaling the scent of your favorite flower (some may

Aromatherapywith Christina Santiago


enjoy roses). Keep inhaling. Let the scent of this beautiful flower penetrate your being. You will begin to feel lighter. Let the aroma envelope your body in the warmth of love; let it awaken your senses. This is what essential oils do for us.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils for physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing. It was humanity’s first medicine. Essential oils are the “life force” of a plant. Like our human blood which carries nutrients for protecting our bodies from infections and other diseases, oils have similar properties. Upon inhalation, oil molecules travel via the olfactory nerve pathways directly to the limbic system in the central region of the brain—the amygdala. Here, emotional trauma is stored, processed, and released. Research indicates that only the olfactory sense can stimulate the amygdala thus causing aromas to have a significant emotional impact can alter the psyche to uplift the Spirit and relax the mind and body.

The next time you find yourself going through a life situation, reach for your bottle of therapeutic-grade essential oils to awaken…and just breathe.

© Santiago 2009

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Christina M. Santiago, CHBC is a holistic health educator, Certified Clinical Aromatherapist (fall 2009) from the Institute of Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy professional program, and keynote speaker with Sky Diva Oils, a division of Rising Above, LLC. Christina has been featured on CNBC On the Money and Cablevision For the Health of It, and is a contributing expert in Latina magazine and Garden State Woman magazine.

For more information on Christina, please call 888.811.8883 or visit her websites:

www.SkyDivaOils.com www.RisingAboveLLC.com

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The Traditional Naturopathic View of Health

The Western allopathic medical model is symptomatic in its approach, diagnosing a set of symptoms, and then treating those symptoms with synthetic drugs. There is no regard for the whole person, and the patient plays only a passive role, the responsibility for the individual’s health resting with the doctor.

Traditional naturopathy on the other hand, tends to view the person in his or her entirety, the approach being holistic and inclusive. Educating the patient is seen as a means to an end – the more a person understands the workings of the body and what it requires to maintain health, the more responsibility an individual will take for his or her health. Naturopathy also views sickness as being out of balance as opposed to the currently accepted notion that illness is caused by external agents (e.g. microorganisms and germs). Additionally, this natural model of healthcare further distances itself from conventional medicine in its non-use of drug intervention.

Naturopathy is based upon nature’s healing effects; it is a chosen lifestyle as well as a philosophy. Drinking plenty of water to keep the body hydrated, getting sufficient sunlight each day, eating nutritionally balanced meals, exercising regularly, getting proper rest and balancing work, play and relaxation are essential

Natural Healthwith Sarah Collins


to a healthy body and mind. From a naturopathic perspective, following a natural way of life is essential to being healthy.Employing natural remedies enhances a healthy, natural lifestyle. The use of yoga, Tai Chi, massage, hydrotherapies, homeopathy, herbs, fasting, meditation, breathing exercises, poultices, castor oil packs, Epsom salt baths, colonics, chiropractic and osteopathic adjustments are some of the many ways to restore and maintain a body/mind balance. No matter what technique is chosen, all methods seek to strengthen the individual and maintain balance through the body’s innate healing abilities.

As people are becoming increasingly aware of the limitations of traditional medicine, more individuals are turning to natural, holistic therapies. Even the medical community is beginning to see the value in holistic practices – massage and even reiki are accepted procedures in many hospitals. It is becoming evident that alternative treatments can lead to a calmer, healthier existence, which in turn produces a happier outlook.

“I have been wrong. The germ is nothing. The ‘terrain’ is everything.”

-Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

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Sarah M. Collins is a prolific writer, poet and healer. She is a Natural Health consultant working on her PhD in Natural Health. She specializes in Natural Force Healing® but also includes other modalities in her work such as Jin Shin Do® and Cayce Remedies. Visit her website for more information:

www.WellnessCareToday.com

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Food has been called the greatest biological modifier there is.

⇒ Have you have found that you don’t have the zip of younger years?

⇒ Don’t rebound from dietary indiscretions or late nights as well as you once did?

⇒ Does your physical body seem to be morphing into something you don’t recognize?

⇒ Is your blood pressure is rising, your libido falling, or you’re throwing off the covers at night and fanning yourself during the day?

I invite you to do some experimenting with what you put into your mouth and notice the impact it has on your energy, your mood and overall wellbeing.

In the autumn of our years, body functions begin to slow down. “Waistline expansion” is just one mark of the beginning of insulin resistance, implicated in a host of chronic degenerative diseases. Sharp hormonal shifts also create havoc. Stepping up exercise, reducing stress and smart food choices strongly impact changes you may be noticing.

Take up these challenges one at a time to observe positive transformations in your body:

⇒ Get rid of all the white processed stuff for 2 weeks. (That’s right, ALL white sugar, white flour, and salt).

With cravings gone, you’re now ready to discover a new level of enjoyment in your eating.

⇒ Take your time chewing and enjoy every bite. ⇒ Add a fruit or vegetable to every meal.

Eat Right…Feel Right

with Judith Gisser


⇒ Choose fruits or vegetables for snacks. ⇒ Pretend you’re in nursery school and learning

your colors. Include a rainbow on your plate every day! Some favorites include: celery (light green), kale (dark green), cherries (red), blueberries (blue), grapes (purple), corn (yellow), butternut squash (orange), black beans (black), almonds (brown). Get creative!

⇒ Up your omega 3 sources with 2-3 servings of fish each week and/or vegetarian flax or chia seeds. Avoid fried foods and hydrogenated fats.

⇒ Choose organic plant foods and free range, hormone and anti-biotic free animal proteins.

Aching joints, failing memory and increased prescriptions are not a natural part of aging. Dare to turn back the clock. Little things you do daily add up quickly!

Consider me your “Nutrition Maven.” Send all your emails peppering me with questions about food and diet to [email protected] . Look for answers to your questions in my next column this winter.

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Incorporating your unique constitution and metabolism, Judith Gisser, M.S., C.N.S., C.W.C. excels at developing nutrition and lifestyle programs that raise your level of vitality, resilience and life satisfaction, while helping your reach your wellness goals in a way and at a speed that is comfortable for you. Judith is a Board Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Wellness Coach and a member of the American College of Nutrition. She is Co-founder of Lifestyles of the Healthy Heart, LLC, an author, corporate wellness trainer, key-note speaker and developer of a 30 day Detox with a Difference program available in person, via teleconference and on CDs. Visit her on the web:

www.judithgisser.com


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What a Ride!

“Hop in! We are going for a ride!” What a ride. A ride back to childhood, down memory lane. A place where you knew your neighbors, played until dusk and walked down Main St., Anytown to shop in the local shops. A place where you knew the local deli owner and they knew exactly what you were going to order. Or the 5 and Dime where you stood, for what seemed like hours, to select your favorite candy. Taking my boys on this trip meant a lot to me. To share with them the “visuals” of my youth. On the very ground where I played as a child racing my Huffy up and down Forest Ave. I showed them my house, my elementary school, middle school and high school. I took them to the deli and ordered them an authentic NJ Hoagie. “Trust me!” I said, as I placed the order knowing it would taste a little different than what they were used to. We took our sandwiches to a local park, where I told them what I remembered as a child. I shared with them memories of riding my bicycle all over town and showed them where my friends once lived. Their questions were inquisitive, funny and sincere. They took every opportunity to delve deeper into a child they wanted to know and play with, their mom. I was proud to share with them these memories, and realized, what an opportunity to become a child again with your own child. How high can we swing on this swing together? To step into

Conscious ParentingAge 13 & Under

with Tracey Mendel

their world and appreciate, what a different world this is now.

Often times, as parents, we get caught up in the adult responsibilities and hum-drum of everyday chores of running a household or a business. Today was about being a kid again, showing your children that you were once their age, and played on playgrounds, and played freeze tag just like they do. It was just as good for them as it was for me. To shed the worries of everyday and play in the moment. So take your children for a ride down memory lane to the place where you too were their age and remember the awe and invincibility you felt. You will step back into your work day with a childish grin, knowing that there is a child in all of us that needs to play too!

Be well,Dr. Tracey S. MendelChiropractor

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Dr. Tracey S. Mendel, HMN Board of Trustees Member, is a Chiropractor with a thriving practice in Sparta, NJ. After 10 years in a private family practice in Portland, Oregon, Dr. Mendel moved her family back to NJ to be closer to her and her husband’s family. When not at her office, you can find Dr. Tracey at a local baseball field, basketball court, or soccer field watching her two older sons with her infant son in tow!

[email protected]

973.726.7000


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I am so privileged in my career as a psychotherapist to work with amazing people who explore and talk about their most important personal relationships, especially when it deals with parenting. As a parent raising five children ages 5 to 20, the concept of conscious parenting is talked about regularly. As I explain to my children, family, friends and clients, it is about us, as parents doing our very best each day to love, cherish and respect our children. In order to accomplish this, parenting must be a conscious endeavor. We must be willing to examine ourselves first and foremost – our beliefs, background, behaviors and how these things affect the way we parent. We must acknowledge the way we were parented and disregard hurts, disappointments, abuses and the way others may think we need to parent.

Conscious parenting is not about what a child ought to be or how we as parents can get our children to do what WE feel is best for them. It is about raising and nurturing our children as people who already have within themselves what they need to grow.

More importantly, conscious parenting is about us. If we want to take better care of our children, we have to take better care of ourselves. All too often, we neglect our own mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health and we need to give ourselves permission to care for ourselves while caring for our children. When we make mistakes in parenting our children, it is not because we don’t

love them; often we don’t know a better way. It is very easy to blame the media, advertising, peer pressure and society for the negative influences on our children. However, issues with our children begin in the home and can be healed in the home. It is crucial to put the time and energy in supporting our children by learning what our children need, listening to them so they want to talk to us and supporting them while they make mistakes and find their way.

Conscious parenting in the teenage years forces us to address our parenting styles and learn effective skills to replace the ones that are not working. Although adolescence has been noted as a time of great stress and turmoil, not only for those going through it, but for those of us raising an adolescent. It is also a great time of growth and self-awareness. In order to build a good relationship with our teenagers, it is important to understand that our teens are growing and learning and their behavior is only temporary. Teens go through huge physical and emotional changes and it’s important they know they are unconditionally important to us. A teenager who is confident in your support will thrive and grow if you replace humiliation with respect. Don’t worry about what others think and do what is best for your child and your family. It is never too late to be a great parent!

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Jordan Brown is a Psychotherapist and Empowerment Coach and owner of Full Circle Counseling in Lincoln Park, NJ. Jordan is VP of Marketing for NJAWBO (Passaic County) and the Director of an In-Home Therapy Program for families in crisis. Jordan also facilitates a Women’s Empowerment Meet-up on meetup.com. Jordan can be reached at [email protected]

Conscious ParentingAge 13 - 19

with Jordan Brown

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EVERYDAY SPIRITUALITY: INTEGRATING SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES INTO

EVERY DAY LIVING

BEING OPEN

A great question to regularly ask ourselves is: How truly open am I to receiving from the Universe the abundance, love, wisdom, and help that I need? My experience, on the path and from working with clients, is that we often think that we are more open than we are. We often don’t see the insidious barriers we put up to experiencing maximal grace. This issue’s column, therefore, will provide 2 helpful tips for ensuring that we are as open as possible to receiving the Divine help that is always coming to us, from within and without.

BEGINNING THE DAY RIGHT: “I AM OPEN TODAY”

One of my favorite practices to integrate into my morning meditation time is to declare “I am open today.” This simple affirmation, at both the beginning and throughout our day, puts our entire being in a space for opening up and being alert to the help that reaches us in many forms – conversations, books, a song lyric, billboards, insights, etc. Quietly and often state it throughout your day, especially when you feel stuck or emotionally immobilized. Feel yourself open and your nervous system settle. This will also help us get in touch with the internal blocks that we have put in between ourselves and Spirit.

It can be a helpful reminder that the Universe doesn’t take breaks to rest – it is always working for our highest good and if we are not experiencing that, then it is our job to see where we are not open.

BEING OPEN TO LEARNING

We often think of the Universe as a gofer that will bring us what we need. Sometimes, though, the purpose of a day is simply to learn and grow in readiness. Today might be a day for enhancing our skills, to be purified and prepared for a greater task, love, job, or project ahead. And the learning is not always comfortable.

Sometimes we may also be frustrated that we are not manifesting our dreams quickly enough, but often the Universe is lovingly protecting us from hurting ourselves by not supporting our manifestation. It is possible that if we were to manifest right now what we want, we would sabotage it because we are not ready for it. So, be open to learning what there is to learn to prepare yourself. See your day as a classroom for making your dreams come true.--------------

Justin Buffer is a Certified Professional and Transformational Life Coach, and the owner of Pure Truth Life Coaching, LLC, a personal life coaching and consulting company. Justin is currently working on completing his Ph.D in Psychology, and is the author of the forthcoming book “Any Day Inspiration”, which is about ways to inject spiritual principles into everyday living. He has an office in Raritan, NJ and also does phone consultations. He can be reached through his website:

www.justinbuffer.com

Everyday Spiritualitywith Justin Buffer


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by conventional medicine, I turned to holistic medicine, first as a patient, then as a practitioner.

I studied The Bodytalk System, added flower essences in 2004, and two years ago, the IonCleanse Footbath detox to my practice. Because I owned A Critter’s Friend Petsitting & Dog Walking service since 1999, my holistic practice naturally included animals from dogs, cats and birds to sharks, turtles and pigs.

Much of the energy work I do with animals is about bringing animal and human to a mutual point of accepting the animal’s death and letting go. So last year, I began a pet bereavement workshop to aid in this process.

Over the years, I’ve changed my perspective on health and medicine, and my relationship to animals, plants and the world we live in. In this column, I’m hoping to share with you my journey, what I’ve learned along the way and will continue to learn as well as my gratitude to animals for their gifts to us and respect for who they truly are.--------------Susan Brody is a holistic petsitter, pet bereavement worker, and facilitator of the Warren County HMN chapter. She is also a flower essence and energy practitioner, trained in IonCleanse Foot Detox, and is studying towards an MA in Psychology & Counseling.

Contact info: [email protected] 908.319.3022

The Whole Pet with Susan Brody & Beth Lowell


Susan says:

In 2001, I was in constant pain, falling for no understandable reason and unable to climb stairs. After I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue but offered no relief

my second dog Bella arrived. The relationships with my dogs and those that I developed with my many charges changed the way I viewed the world and the way I live in it. While we know our animal companions so well in some ways, they remain a mystery in many others.

It was this fascination with the unknown and wanting to gain a closer connection with animals that led to my study of Reiki, flower essences, and most recently, canine massage. I’m hoping in this column to share with you what I’ve learned along the way, to promote the human animal bond, and to honor animals in the way that they so richly deserve. We need to look at animals as individuals whose well-being depends largely on happiness. Quite often when we help them achieve happiness, health problems and behavioral issues fall away on their own. I look forward to writing more next time! --------------Inspired by dogs, Beth Lowell established her pet sitting company, Good Girl, in 2002. Her services have grown to include Reiki for animals, flower essence consultations and canine massage. She is a regular contributor to the Reiki Digest and an accomplished artist whose paintings grace the homes of dog lovers across the United States.

Beth LowellThe petsitter with the holistic touch!www.bethlowell.com973.960.6464

Beth says:

When I lost my job after 9/11, I adopted my dog Dasher. Jobs and dog walkers were few and far between, so I started Good Girl Dog Walking and Pet Sitting. A year later

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The 212 Degrees Attitude

Have you ever boiled water for tea or soup? If you have ever stood there and wait (that’s usually when you need the water in a hurry), you probably felt like it was taking forever for the water to boil.

You watch for the slightest sign that the water is getting close to boiling. But, the more anxious you are, the slower it seems to be. Nothing seems to happen until the temperature turns from 211 to 212 degrees, which is water’s boiling point.

That one extra degree makes all the difference.

Imagine if you become impatient and give up before the water reaches its boiling point, what would happen to your water? If you have turned off the stove, thinking that you have wasted your time and effort, and that the water will never boil, what would have happened then?Working toward a goal in life is much like boiling water on the stove. Far too often, we either did not give our 100%, or give up way too early. Maybe your self-doubt got the better of you, maybe you became impatient, maybe you had fears of failure or success, or maybe you have lost faith in your Higher Self, your ability, vision, or dreams. It’s like a football team quitting on the one yard line, instead of going all the way for that winning touchdown. If you did not make enough efforts to make it happen, or if you give up too early, you would have really wasted all your time and effort without return.Sometimes we need to take a leap of faith and hang in there for just a little longer. To get what

we’ve never had in life, we must do what we’ve never done before. That extra one degree of effort and faith could make a world of difference for you.

So, what would you rather do? Go that extra mile and give it your all? Or, give a half-hearted performance and wonder what could have been? The choice is yours.--------------Hueina Su, MS, BSN, CEC is a national keynote speaker, author of Intensive Care for the Nurturer’s Soul: 7 Keys to Nurture Yourself While Caring for Others, and certified professional coach. Her mission is to nurture and empower women for a life of true balance, joy and success.

Visit www.RxForBalance.com for FREE Intensive Self-Care Kit.

Personal Development

Coachingwith Hueina Su


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Does My Business Need a Web Presence?

The Internet has become a vital component of any business marketing plan. Even if you are a locally based business and is solely word of mouth: a website and overall web presence is needed. People (your clients and prospects) use the Internet to vet their service and product providers. They will go to the Internet to learn more about you and your business. Demonstrate your expertise with a site that will give you credibility.

There are different types of websites depending upon your goals. One page sites or landing page has the sole purpose of collecting information, typically email and name. A sales page is focused on selling one service or product. A branding site is a more comprehensive site that reads more like a company brochure or information site. An e-commerce site or online store, is focused on selling products.

Initially, a branding site is what most businesses start with. There are many great web designers available to build sites, as well as many hosting companies that have site builder tools built in so that you can create your own site. You do want a professional appearance, but at the same time; it can be simple. Currently, I recommend building a blog site. A Word Press

blog can look like a website but optimizes more easily because it is a blog. It also ties into your other social media easily. When building a Word Press blog you want to build it on your own domain with your own paid hosting account. I recommend and use HostMonster.com for hosting. It is very affordable, support is accessible and it is dependable service.

The other piece of your web presence is your social media presence. Social media sites include: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, SelfGrowth.com; and many, many more. To get started I highly recommend LinkedIn. It is a professional network and another place that people look to verify your credentials. The second recommendation for people in the holistic field is Self Growth. Their focus is on personal development and wellness. On this site you can build an expert page and also build a network of contacts.

Creating a web presence can take time and managing social media accounts adds to that time. It is important to create a web strategy so that you are building a web presence that works for you. Take it one step at a time.

--------------

Donna Price is a Business Success Coach, working with companies on strategic planning, increasing revenue and company results, Internet marketing strategies, and social media marketing, building blogs and more.

www.compassroseconsulting.com [email protected]

973-948-7673

Business Coachingwith Donna Price


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I am Tom Selkow, a certified Money Coach. I would like to thank The Holistic Mentorship Network and its Board of Directors for the opportunity to share information about Money Coaching with the readers of MARCI™ each issue. I would like to thank you, the reader, in this inaugural installment of the Money Coaching column for your time and attention. I will honor your commitment to read the column with succinct presentation of timely and useful information. To that end, let’s get to it.

Money Coaching is emerging as a new and popular aspect of personal coaching. Given the fears and concerns about the stability and even viability of our current financial systems and markets this should come as no surprise. The simple mechanics of human nature dictate that we reflect on aspects of our experience when things are brightly illuminated in our field as “not working” or challenging. It’s interesting to note that even if we ourselves are not in crisis, if enough people around us are, then their fears begin to creep into our thinking too. We may notice ourselves pulling back, being more careful and likely forgoing expenditures and purchases we would otherwise make with little or no consideration. Adding in the 24/7 “Code Red” bombardment we receive from news and media it’s easy to see how fears can be further amplified and excited.

When money fears are present we begin to lapse into behaviors, beliefs and patterns that can be very confusing, hard to understand and largely unconscious. That is where Money Coaching can be really valuable to consider. Money Coaching is of course always valuable, but it seems most likely

that one often considers taking action at a point where we realize things are not working or perceived to be out of control.

So what is Money Coaching?

Money Coaching is a steady step by step process of identifying and tracing unconscious patterns, behaviors and beliefs about money and financial aspects of our experience to their origin. Once they have been brought into the light of conscious observance and awareness we can then begin to decide which ones are working or not working for us. From this point we create an individualized plan to address, and gently replace, those that are not serving us. Then we add the accountability of working with a coach to help keep the new beliefs, patterns and behaviors in place.

The key to successfully engaging in a Money Coaching agreement is slow and steady progress because money and its related subjects are tied inextricably into our core survival beliefs and patterns. Moving slowly and gently will net much greater and far more comfortable progress than blazing through the front door at a full gallop.

Considering what you have just read, begin reflecting on your relationship with money. Notice your comfort level around money, credit and talking about both. It can be helpful to take brief notes while reflecting and refer back to them from time to time. For further information on Money Coaching you can contact me at [email protected] or by telephone at 862.268.4443. Until the next issue be happy and comfortable.--------------Tom Selkow, Consciousness Technology Practitioner, is the owner of Zero Point Transformation, LLC, in Sparta, NJ. He is certified as a Matrix Energetics Master Practitioner, Money Coach and has a wide range of tools available to help his clients transform their relationship to abundance, life, career, relationships and more. You can contact him by phone at 862.268.4443 or email at [email protected]

Money Coachingwith Tom Selkow


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The Practice of Integrative Medicine

I have a Dream. I dream of a World free of disease, because disease never manifests. It is stopped in its tracks long before it reaches the body. I have a Belief. I believe we can achieve a state of being disease-free. And so do many Pioneering 21st Century Health Practitioners. So let us begin this dialog…today…right here on the pages of MARCI™ and beyond. Let those who believe begin to share what they have learned about their practice of treating the whole person. And let those who are open be ready to embrace what these Pioneers have begun. For it is through the Practice of Integrative Medicine, through practicing together in harmony, that we as Health Professionals will develop protocols in the best interest of a whole person. Upcoming Q&A Issues will profile Pioneering Leaders in the Health Industry who Practice Integrative Medicine. And so let the dialog begin by defining in generalities who we are. All will agree that there are no fences in the body. Any treatment of a part affects the whole…the whole body and the whole being, for there are four major life forces that are completely interconnected. These are called the Levels of Life by Pioneer Tom Stone. And the whole person benefits from a coordinated Integrative Health Practice addressing any level that requires professional attention. You are all aware of the Bio-Mechanical Level of Life which addresses concerns of the physical body. Practitioners of Western, or Allopathic Medicine, have pioneered the dissection of corpses to learn the most intricate details of anatomy. And today’s Trauma Centers, Physical Therapies and Advanced Surgical Theaters come equipped with technology and technicians far surpassing all former expectations of our ability to repair our

human machine. Level 2 addresses the Bio-Chemical Level of Life. The Endocrine System creates hormones and enzymes, the body’s messenger system, and begins a cascading myriad of chemical reactions, impacted by natural energy forces consumed through foods and nutrition. Practitioners of Pharmaceutical Technology adjust the chemical pathways and manipulate reactions through studied intervention. Practitioners of Natural and Preventative methods address changing one’s lifestyle, often the root cause or contributor of bio-chemical distress. Quantum Physics and the Pioneering of Albert Einstein define Level 3, the Bio-Energetic Level of Life. Scientists have discovered The Field, where the smallest atom reacts to the process of being observed, changing from a wave to a particle and back again. This is the world of electro-magnetic energy, Pioneered by Eastern Medicine. Forbidden by Confucius to cut the body, Pioneers studied and mapped the Energy Systems. And so Energy Practitioners, skilled in both Ancient and Modern Technologies address the unresolved, traumatic, conditioned and often hidden thoughts and emotions that are precursors to disease. Last, and of the highest level is the Bio-Awareness Level of Life. Health Practitioners have found that this highest level can often be the key to complete wellness or recovery. It is focused in the area of Human Belief and Universal Life Force Energy. Little studied but long practiced, the Level of Bio-Awareness holds the World’s greatest secrets to Self-Healing. Join me in Pioneering! Join me in dialog! Become a leader in Integrative Medicine. Believe and build the Dream of a World free of disease. Comment to [email protected].

--------------Cecelia H. Inwentarz, MBA, is both a Strategic Brand-Maker and a Wave-Maker Life Therapist. As the Founder of Brand and Believe.com, she promotes “Using Your Strategic Life Guidance” and “Building Rock-Solid Belief in Record Time.” Her upcoming eBook, “Being The Brand,” profiles her lessons learned as a Fortune 100 Brand Executive and IBM Business Intelligence Consultant for America’s largest brand franchises.

Q&AProfiles of Pioneers

with Cecelia Inwentarz


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What inspires you to make a difference? I see an unstoppable potential in our young people. I see hope and wonder. They are my inspiration! In 2008, I saw a film “The Awakening Universe” by Neil Rogan. Through the entire viewing I thought of one thing...”This film needs to be shown in schools!” From that seed of thought, PROJECT PLANET was born.

Our Vision is to create an environmental board represented by students, teachers, school staff, and community.

Our Mission is to expand awareness by educating and challenging young people to have a connected involvement with their environment and community thru their choices and action.

I have met and worked with students of different age groups, all of which are very enthusiastic, environmentally conscious, and proactive. Among these incredible people is Skylar May. She is gifted as talented and very environmental. PROJECT PLANET is fortunate to have her as a spokes person. She lives and attends school in Sussex County.

Ana Marie: How are you involved in making the earth a cleaner planet?Skylar: There are many things I do to help... One of them is, in the springtime, my Dad, sister and I go around my block and clean up the garbage that’s on the side of the road. It’s nice to see nature without garbage in it... I also participate in recycling our own garbage in the house. We

throw away our glass, paper and plastic waste in recycling bins and make sure we throw it away properly. I also try to express some of these ideas in my songs... The performers and I wrote a special version of a song called “Reach Out” for the Wildlife Conservation Society and we performed it at the Bronx Zoo last April. We are hoping our message was heard by all that attended the concert.

Ana Marie: Give examples of what you do at home to save energy and waste.Skylar: Besides recycling as I mentioned before, I turn off the lights in the house when they are not being used... I try to use less water when using the sink or in the shower. We use florescent or high efficient light bulbs wherever possible.

Ana Marie: Does your school participate in recycling?Skylar: Not as far as I know. I think that in the classroom we try to reuse the paper again and again but this is not enough… This year I would like to see them have some recycling bins and be more involved with the environment.

Ana Marie: Do you think the kids today are aware of the choices they make & how it affects the environment?Skylar: Truthfully I don’t talk to everyone in the school about it, but when I do ask my close friends, even though I like to be friends with everybody, they are definitely into it.

Ana Marie: Keeping it “Green”, what would you like to see happen in your school or community?Skylar: Everything possible that can be done... you don’t know how quickly things can just leave us... so we need to save them now.

Ana Marie: Do you think excessive purchase of “things” contribute to waste?Skylar: Definitely, because if you don’t need it your just going to throw it away.

Project Planet: “The Future

Generation” with Ana Marie Presti


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Ana Marie: What are some of the things the students can do to minimize waste in schools?Skylar: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

Ana Marie: Carbon footprint is what we leave behind. How we show up in our environment, how we respond to global issues, the choices we make environmentally...these are all carbon footprints. What is your carbon footprint?Skylar: I’m guilty of using energy just like many kids in the world; however, I try best to leave a good carbon footprint. I also try my hardest to remember some of the simple facts about conserving energy, water and waste.

Ana Marie: If you were asked to invent something to replace fuel, what would it look like and how would it work?Skylar: My dad and I recently had a conversation about this subject. I told him there should “Sun Stations” all around the world, where electric cars can pull up to solar powered stations. These

stations would have batteries being charged by the sun.... Cars and trucks can pull up to the station and just replace their batteries with a freshly charged battery. This would be cost effective and all cars can be electric in the future.

Ana Marie: Would you like to see environmental studies / classes offered in the school curriculum?Skylar: Sure... that would be amazing.

Ana Marie: If you could address your fellow students about becoming more aware of their choices, what would you say?Skylar: Reduce, reuse, and recycle! Get involved with helping the environment and don’t stop once you start... your job is never done when it comes to the earth!Thank you for this opportunity to be a part of Project Planet. I’m really enjoying it!

-Skylar May

This 11-year-old singer/songwriter proves that age has nothing to do with talent. Skylar has written over 25 of her own songs, along with creating arrangement and production ideas.

Performing for friends and family since the age of four, Skylar May has opened for the Jonas Brothers, has done multiple performances at the Giggles Theater in St. Joseph’s Hospital, and has played for the children at The Children’s Hospital in Washington D.C. Skylar is currently booked to perform a series of shows at The Bronx Zoo, Mountain Creek Ski Resort, and Orpheum Theater in Phoenix AZ, along with other notable venues.

Besides live performances, Skylar is always trying to maintain a healthy balance of spending time with her family, working hard in school, and still taking care of the business side of her music career with press interviews, the filming of her music videos, and radio interviews. Even with her busy lifestyle, she still finds time to help make

Project Planet cont’d


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difference in the world with the many charitable organizations that she works with.

Being the youngest signed artist at DreamMakers Music, Skylar is staying busy finishing her debut album entitled “Married on the Moon” at the Barber Shop Studios. The album is being produced by the world- renowned engineer/ producer, Ron Saint Germain, and has a number of Grammy award winning musicians playing on the album. “Married on the Moon,” hailed a Rock Opera, consists of each track telling the story of a little girl fulfilling her biggest dreams, and such is the story of this young, rising star.--------------Ana Marie Presti is a Reiki Maste /Teacher, and a member of HMN Northwest Sussex County chapter.

She works as a phlebotomist in Sussex County and is an independent consultant for Rutgers’ University Continuing Education. She is Chair of PROJECT PLANET, an environmental group that focuses on mentoring and supporting schools in achieving sustainability by developing an environmental board.


UPCOMING CONCERT

October 17, 2009 @ 12:00 PMOrpheum Theater “Believe Concert”

Phoenix, Arizona

For upcoming performances and events, visit www.skylarmay.com or

www.myspace.com/skylarmaymusic

Project Planet cont’d

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Emotion is a powerful selling tool and a formidable motivator. If one feels great in a suit or dress, it’s sold. If one feels the distress of a starving child, he will send 47 cents a day to feed that child. If a parent feels a greater peace of mind knowing their children have cell phones, they will buy the cell phones. And if one takes pleasure in watching others relish a meal, she will cook a banquet for everyone to enjoy.

There is an array of human emotions which motivate but fear is, by far, the greatest motivator of all. People will act out of fear without question or reason. We have seen this demonstrated within ourselves, within our circle of family and friends and even on a more grand scale, within our society and our world. The most widespread example of fear as a motivator is the overwhelming acceptance of injecting toxic, pathogenic and carcinogenic substances directly into the bloodstream of developing infants and children through the practice of vaccination--a practice we hail as the cornerstone of preventive medicine.

Generations of individuals have been duped with inflated statistics of disease morbidity and mortality rates proffered as vaccine information. The fact is, information about disease rates and information about vaccine ingredients and the harm those ingredients can cause in the human

Legislative Issues with Maureen Drummond & Susannah Pitman


Vaccine Safety and Vaccination Choiceby Maureen Drummond

system, is not synonymous. However, the sales tactic is brilliant! So much fear of the disease has been generated, that one does not even question the injection. The desire to be “artificially protected” from disease has developed with such a solid foothold that the American people have gone from accepting one compulsory vaccine – smallpox, to laying their children on the line for 41 state-mandated vaccines in New Jersey. And it will not stop there. The Jordan Report lists more than 400 vaccines currently in various stages of research and development. The government’s plan for the swine flu pandemic involves administering 156 million doses of fast-tracked vaccine without significant short term nor long term safety data to validate its use. Eighty-million doses per month are expected to be available after the initial batches are released and news sources are reporting that every man, woman, and child may be forced to take up to three doses of the newly developed swine flu vaccine.

If vaccines were harmless, there would be no dilemma. But the ethical, legal, medical, and moral quandaries persist because vaccination does result in harm. Harm that would not otherwise be present with a natural infection. Harm from the sheer components of vaccine ingredients which include mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde, and phenol, among dozens of other known toxins. Harm from the route of administration – via injection, which bypasses the natural hierarchy of immune system defenses, allowing these toxins direct access to the blood-brain barrier. Our federal government recognizes this harm under the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) which lists vaccine reactions ranging from injection site soreness and rashes to grand mal seizures and death. These reactions are


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underreported by as much as 90% according to former FDA commissioner, David Kessler.

The CDC’s sales pitch is that the swine flu is a pandemic. The emotion they will evoke to motivate the American people is fear. As of August 3, 2009, the World Health Organization confirmed 200,824 cases worldwide resulting in 1619 deaths. The world population is 6.8 billion. This means that presently one in 33,861 people are infected and roughly one in 4,200,000 has died from the swine flu. Is this enough to make you roll up your sleeve with complete abandon? Would you be willing to let your emotion yield to your reason and consider the information critical to granting your truly informed consent? Are you willing to accept a significant risk from the vaccine before any promise of a benefit? A risk perhaps greater than the threat posed by the disease itself?

If history is destined to repeat itself, then we need look no farther back than the swine flu debacle of 1976. Several recruits at Fort Dix in New Jersey complained of respiratory ailments similar to the common cold. The army base doctor sent their throat cultures to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services for testing. Most of the cultures revealed that the troops were suffering from the normal flu virus circulating at the time. Four of the troops, however, had presented with an unidentified virus and their cultures were subsequently sent to the CDC for testing. The CDC released the verdict – swine flu. Three of the four recruits fully recovered from their illnesses. One private, David Lewis, left his sickbed against doctor’s orders to participate in a 5 mile forced march. He collapsed during the

Legislative Issues cont’d


Vaccine Safety and Vaccination Choicecont’d

march and died days later. His commanding officer had performed mouth to mouth resuscitation in an effort to revive the soldier. The sergeant never became ill although he had direct contact with Private Lewis.

This widely publicized outbreak at Fort Dix involved four cases of suspected swine flu. No other confirmed cases of swine flu were reported anywhere in the nation. Yet on the basis of that isolated incident, 46 million people in this country were vaccinated with horrible results. Four thousand people, that year, made claims against Uncle Sam amounting to three and a half billion dollars, for injuries and deaths resulting from vaccination. Two thirds of the claims involved those suffering from life-altering neurological injury triggered by an allergic reaction to the shot. Guillian-Barre Syndrome, a disease of the peripheral nerves causing severe weakness and paralysis, afflicted thousands. One claimant, Judy Roberts, who had developed Guillan-Barre and became a quadriplegic from the vaccine, was interviewed by Mike Wallace on CBS’ 60 Minutes in 1979. Three years after her shot, she was still waiting for her claim to be recognized. “Maybe they think if they drag it on long enough, people will just let it go,” Ms. Roberts told 60 Minutes. Unfortunately, under the currently proposed swine flu vaccination campaign, the government has exonerated all swine flu vaccine makers from liability when their products maim and kill. We will all be forced to accept the consequences of the vaccine without restitution, all for the sake of the “herd immunity and the greater good.” The vaccine manufacturers, however, will still be entitled to all of their profits.

Insidiously, health officials at the CDC knew the 1976 Swine Flu vaccine was likely to cause neurological injury. Dr. Michael Hatwick directed


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the surveillance team for the Swine Flu Vaccination Program at the CDC. His job was to identify what possible complications could arise from taking the shot and to report his findings to Dr. David Sencer, then head of the CDC. In a report dated July 1976, Dr. Hatwick identified neurological complications resulting from the vaccine. This report was submitted to Dr. Sencer. In an interview with Mike Wallace from the same 60 Minutes segment mentioned earlier, Dr. Sencer denied Dr. Hatwick’s report. When asked his reaction to Dr. Sencer’s denial of the knowledge that the vaccine caused harm, Dr. Hatwick replied, “That’s nonsense! I cannot believe that they would say they did not know there was neurological illness associated with that influenza vaccine. That simply is not true! We did know that!”

Over three years ago, Novartis applied for a patent to which the U.S. Patent Office granted and issued US 20090047353A1 for a “Split Influenza Vaccine with Adjuvants.” A year before any reported H1N1 cases, Baxter applied for an H1N1 vaccine: Baxter Vaccine Patent Application US 2009/0060950A1. Simply prophetic!

The A-H1N1 vaccine is being rushed to market. There will be no proof of its safety. Test populations are too small to determine what will happen with a mass vaccination program that proposes to inject hundreds of millions. The vaccines being prepared for the current pandemic involve a specific variant of the virus. If the genetic material of the virus mutates from the original A-H1N1 viral antigen used in the millions of doses of vaccine now being prepared, then the vaccine will be useless against those infected with the



mutated strain. Reuters reported on June 23, 2009 that German scientists had evidence to believe the virus has already mutated. Nine days later, on July 2, 2009 Japan reported confirming its first case of H1N1 infection with a mutated form of the current strain.

Enter squalene, an oil based adjuvant that will likely be added to the vaccines. Adjuvants are commonly used in vaccine production to prolong the immune response to the vaccine. Since the medical community falsely measures a vaccine’s “effectiveness” in terms of antibody responses produced by the body after the vaccine is given, the adjuvants work well to perpetuate the illusion of being “immunized.” Theoretically, if the body has produced antibodies, it then has the necessary equipment to ward off disease, although clinically, this has only been proven with naturally acquired infections, not vaccinations. Antibodies are produced when the body encounters something foreign to it, hence, anti-body. Immunity, however, can only be acquired when the immune system encounters the antigen or foreign substance in a natural way and resolves it naturally so that the hierarchy of immune system responses is allowed to progress through all of its necessary stages. Injection is not natural. It bypasses that hierarchy and the antibody response is not the same; it fails to go through the correct order of immune system responses necessary to develop true immunity. Therefore, a person may show circulating antibodies from the vaccine but this is not an indication that they have become immune. It is only an indication that the immune system is responding to something foreign. There is no valid, scientific model for testing the effectiveness of vaccination.

Squalene has been known for decades to produce severe autoimmune disease. We know now,



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that a formulation known as MF59 was the secret ingredient in certain lots of experimental anthrax vaccines that caused devastating autoimmune diseases and deaths in countless Gulf War Veterans. Squalene induced autoimmune diseases include multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. An autoimmune disease is one in which the body loses its ability to distinguish what is foreign from what is self, so it begins to attack its own healthy cells. Introducing foreign matter into the body by injection produces complete chaos in the natural economy of the human immune system and is, in fact, the basis for autoimmune disease. Investigative journalist, Gary Matsumoto, was one of the first to report on the horrors of squalene. “Squalene is a kind of trigger for the immune system. When the immune system’s full repertoire of cells and antibodies start attacking the tissues they are supposed to protect, the results can be catastrophic.” The evidence can clearly be seen in the ever-increasing numbers of people diagnosed with auto-immune disease whose common denominator is vaccination. Immunologist, Dr. Pamela Asa has worked with many patients who suffer from similar autoimmune diseases following injection with vaccines containing adjuvants. Dr. Asa maintains that, “Oil adjuvants are the most insidious chemical weapons ever devised.”

So, are you ready to roll up your sleeve?--------------Maureen Drummond, Co-founder/Co-director, New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice is a long-time activist for vaccination choice. She




considers the full disclosure of vaccine ingredients and side affects to be tantamount to informed consent and has provided free educational lectures and materials to thousands of people over the last two decades. She is a founding member of the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice and currently co-directs the organization’s initiatives throughout the state.

Check out NJCVC’s website at www.njvaccinationchoice.org

E-mail questions and comments to [email protected]

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“You MUST be Heard NOW”

Daydream with me for a minute. Would it not be amazing if everyone in the world got a massage once a month? Would it not be even more amazing if everyone in the world got a chiropractic adjustment once a month? And would it not be amazing if everyone in the world got an acupuncture treatment once a month? And, let’s not stop there, would it not be amazing if everyone in the world got aromatherapy, reflexology, chakra balancing or any of the amazing complementary and alternative therapies available to us once a month?

Well, let’s be realistic for a moment, because as wonderful as it would be to get all of these CAM therapies once a month, we would all be full time CAM patients. But what if everyone in the world were to get one CAM therapy once a week for the rest of their lives? As believers in CAM therapies, this idea is extremely attractive, especially as we imagine the endorphins flying through everyone’s beings, bringing happiness to everyone and perhaps peace on earth and love to all. And now that President Barack Obama is focusing so much of his energies on resolving America’s health care problems, maybe receiving CAM therapies regularly isn’t so far fetched in this country. Maybe we should think again.

Before we think again, let’s review where we are headed in regards to a national health care plan and

Legislative Issues with Maureen Drummond & Susannah Pitman


National Healthcareby Susannah Pitman

how we got there. First step – electing President Obama. His mantra of “change” may have won him the election, and given the current state of our economy and health care system, the “change” mantra is clearly what many audaciously hopeful Americans are praising. Moving forward with “change” is step two – form a task force to examine how to fix America’s health care crisis, a problem where 45 million Americans are without health insurance and medical debt is the number one reason Americans declare bankruptcy. The first job of this task force was to start to collect ideas from the American people so that the Department of Health and Human Services could begin to formulate a solution to our health care disaster. Excellent! Our voices will be heard!

Even before President Obama took the oath of office, thousands and thousands of health care community discussions began to take place in December 2008. HealthReform.Gov was formed to organize these community discussions by providing kits for discussion group leaders to use and give summaries back to the Department of Health and Human Services. One by one, each summary was entered into a database and can now be viewed at www.healthreform.gov. This was true democracy in action – a beautiful thing to see in a country that views democracy as a core value. The legislators would see first hand what the American people wanted.

And what did American people want? Many discussion groups talked about the economics of the problem and how health care needs to be affordable. Unless you are an insurance company, a pharmaceutical, or a health care provider whose main goal is to earn money, most people would agree that affordable health care is a good thing. Even better for practitioners and consumers of


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CAM therapies is that we already know that CAM therapies are cost effective. Several clinical studies at the Institute for Social Medicine at Charite University Medical Center in Germany reveal that acupuncture is often more cost effective than traditionally used health care methods.Another desire of the American people is preventative medicine. Many discussions talked about the importance of preventing disease, both for purposes of wellbeing and to save money on health care costs. That’s great news for CAM enthusiasts as well, since one of the strengths of CAM therapies is its ability to aid people in maintaining optimal health, which also can save a lot of money on expensive modern medical procedures and long-term prescription medication.

Affordability and prevention – two great keys in fixing our healthcare problem. CAM therapies are an obvious solution for us believers. Then why is it that of the thousands and thousands of health care community discussions only five talked directly about CAM therapies?

The answer to this question may not be easy to accept. Perhaps it is because us believers are CAMcentric, meaning so engrossed in living a lifestyle that embraces therapies that are often dismissed by modern medicine that we may not recognize what is happening around us. The reality is that many of us also embrace modern medicine, which while being critically important in helping the most dire health care cases has also provided us some insights as to what is physiologically happening in the body during CAM treatments. However, is modern medicine the first thing you turn to for answers to your health concerns? More importantly, is that the case for most Americans?


Another reason CAM therapies may not have been included in these community discussions is because of complacency. A perfect example is a headline from Acupuncture Today, a major acupuncture publication, stating “Obama Positive Towards Acupuncture”. Taken from a St. Louis Town Hall meeting, the article is a transcript of a question from an acupuncturist/massage therapist who wanted to know if Oriental Medicine would be included in health care reform, given its endorsement from the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization as well as studies proving its cost effectiveness. An editorial comment noting that President Obama’s answer “does appear to be positive toward the inclusion of alternative therapies into health care reform” proceeds the transcript. President Obama’s answer does briefly acknowledge that scientific studies have shown that acupuncture “can be very helpful in relieving certain things like migraines and other ailments”. However, the vast majority of his answer talks about Kathleen Sebelius as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, using modern medicine for preventative care as well as including a large portion of the budget towards prevention, and changing the attitude of Americans who are reluctant to support a long term investment in health care if they will never benefit directly from it. Is that really appearing positive towards including CAM therapies in health care reform? Sure, President Obama does give a nod to acupuncture in his answer, but in the context of that moment, could he have gotten away with not acknowledging acupuncture?

So what if CAM therapies are not included in health care reform? Is that going to hurt the CAM profession? Will CAM practitioners still be able to treat those who can continue to afford their therapies, which seems to be the general status quo today? These are questions we need to ask ourselves as practitioners and consumers. The


National Healthcarecont’d


Column

biggest question of all is are we happy with where we stand now or will we be deeply affected over missing one of the greatest opportunities to advance CAM therapies in the United States, potentially allowing access to people in need and bettering the entire country?

How to Get Involved

1. Visit HealthReform.gov (www.healthreform.gov) – Sign up for regular updates in order to stay informed (click on “email updates” in the upper right corner of the homepage). Also, if you scroll down to the bottom of the homepage, click on “Share Your Story and Ideas” to make yourself heard.2. Hold a community discussion group – Gather together and discuss the important questions. Submit your discussion summary to HealthReform.gov and write a press release for your local newspaper (or invite them to cover the discussion).3. Contact your local representatives – Go to USA.gov (www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml) to find out how to contact your government representatives. Write your elected officials and make yourself heard.4. Create and Celebrate Awareness Days – Hold rallies, presentations, and large discussion forums to spread the word. Make sure you invite your local representatives and the press.

Resources

1. Congressional Budget Office, June 30, 2009, http://www.cbo.gov/publications/collections/health.cfm2. “Over 60% of All US Bankruptcies Attributable to Medical Problems,” The American Journal of Medicine, News Release, June 4, 2009, http://


www.amjmed.com/webfiles/images/journals/ajm/AJMMedicalBankruptcyJun09FINAL2.pdf3. National Coalition on Health Care, June 30, 2009, http://www.nchc.org/facts/economic.shtml4. Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charite University Medical Center, June 30, 2009, http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.charite.de/epidemiologie/german/pkomplement.html&ei=RIpKSvnINIKENJuwqKsB&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.charite.de/epidemiologie/german/pkomplement.html%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den5. “Obama Positive Toward Acupuncture,” Acupuncture Today, July, 2009, Vol. 10, Issue 076. HealthReform.Gov, June 30, 2009, www.healthreform.gov7. USA.Gov, June 30, 2009, http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml--------------Susannah Pitman, MS, CA, graduated with honors from Tri-State College of Acupuncture and maintains a private acupuncture practice in Boonton, NJ. She has studied at the China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center as well as traveled throughout Japan to study with some of Japan’s finest acupuncture masters. She is also Secretary of The Nagano Project, a start-up non-profit aimed at facilitating healthcare through acupuncture and Oriental medicine for people in need while helping them to help themselves.


Susannah also recommends this website:www.hearthebill.org

Three voiceover artists did this as a public service project. Rather than reading

1,000 pages of legislation that will be voted on this month, people can listen to it instead and choose which parts they

want to listen to (perhaps the parts that pertain to them the most).

National Healthcarecont’d

Motivating Your Teen’s Spirit!by Lisa Nichols

Teenagersliveinauniqueworldoftheirownandtoenter intothatworldyoumustbewillingto change your rules a bit,stretch beyond your comfortzoneandbewillingtobecomeemotionallynaked!



MotivatingtheTeenSpirit(MTS)hasbeenproviding“Safe Space” Life Skillstraining programs forover13years.AsofJune2008we have impactedthe lives of over 210thousand teenagersinternationally.Supporting over 98thousandteenstocreatenew integrity contracts,105 thousand teens tobegin pressing stop ontheirnegativeselftalkand

each other’s sharing orchallenges).2. No repercussions (don’t throw what’sshared in each other’sfacelater).3. Unconditional love(show love through thedifficultmoments).

Onceeverypersonintheroomhasagreedtoeachoftheaboveagreements,the room is considereda “Safe Space” andnow

pressingplayontheirpowerfulself–talk and preventing over3,053 teen suicides. Our teenworkshops are designed forteens ages 12 – 21 middleschool age teens to collegestudents. In this article I willsharewithyouthreecoachingpoints we use to transformteen lives, build powerfulparent teen relationships anduncover leadership diamondsin“ordinary”teens.

Whenyoustep intoourworldas a teen, parent or youthadvocate, our intention is totake you places you’ve neverbeen before, to have you dothings you’ve never donebefore, stretch you in waysyou’ve never been stretchedbefore, all of this so thatyou can experience parts ofyourself that you have never

experiencedbefore.

No. 1: Create a Safe SpaceWhen you can create a safespaceforbothyouandateen,you both will chose to sharefreely both with others andwith yourself. A safe spacewill encourage you, push you,support you, and love youthrough your own personalprocess of growing. In orderfor each of you to feel trulysafe, and for each person togive your best to the process,I recommend that you setup three agreements: Wepurposely do not call themrules so that each teen has achanceto“choose”toplayfulloutornot.

Eachagreementisagreeduponbyeveryteenandadultwithinthe room before starting the

we are ready to begin. Thissafe space exercise is equallyeffectivearoundakitchentableor in your family room. Thechallengeofmaintainingasafespacewill liemorewithyouasthe adult than with the teen.You must honor each of thethree agreements no matterhowchallenging.

No. 2: Keep Your Share Age AppropriateThis is the time where youare establishing your likenessand common bond withthem, take full advantage ofthe opportunity to share yourjourney. Remember to keepyour share age appropriate.Refrain fromusing statementslike “back in my day” or“when Iwas your age”. Thesestatements sound lame andareoverused.Yourstatements

workshop. (Since 1996, we’vehad only three out of 210thousand teensnotagreeandhavetobedismissed.)

1. Reserve all judgment (nolaughing or making fun of


Motivating the Teen Spirithosted Safe Space trainingthroughout the United StatesandinCanada.Pleasevisitwww.MotivatingtheTeenSpirit.com toviewourvideoandsignupfor our next Advanced FamilyWorkshoponNovember7thand8th2009.Ifyouareinterestedin becoming a Certified SafeSpace Facilitator, please [email protected] orcall858.376.3701.Wearenotlooking for a lot of soldiers;weare looking fora fewgoodgenerals to transform teenlives.

-Lisa Nichols, Best sellingAuthorofNo Matter Whatwww.Lisa-Nichols.com

Lisa Nichols is one of the most enchanting speakers and seminar leaders of our era in the personal growth market. Celebrated for her signature voice and dynamic style, Lisa has inspired millions around the world with her insightful message about how to brave hardships, find your authentic self, and cultivate the best life. She is the founder of Motivating the Masses and CEO of Motivating the Teen Spirit, LLC, is the bestselling coauthor of Chicken Soup for the African American Soul and Chicken Soup for the African American Woman’s Soul, and best-selling author of her latest book No Matter What.

the conversation every timebecause theydon’tknowhowtostopyou,itletsthemoffthehook of having to show up inany way and the sooner theyallowyou tofinish the soonertheycangetbacktotheirlives.

Inthisnewwaytodialogueyouaskmoreopenendedquestionsthatdonotrequirejustayesornoanswer.Yourquestionsaremoregearedtoward:

•Howdoesitfeeltoyouwhenwearenotgettingalong?•What can youdodifferentlyto make this feel better?WhatdoyoufeelthatIcandodifferently?• When are you happiest?Whenareyouafraid?• What do you need supportin?• What does the idealrelationshipbetweenyouandIlookliketoyou?

Remembering coaching pointno. 3, you must first providethe answers to each of thesequestionsasawayofopeningup the safe space. Youranswersmustbeabitraw,evenshocking.Theydeservetohearyour truth. Whenyou leap infirstyoustandan80%chanceof getting a better answerthen,“Idon’tknow”whenyouask them. They will begin tosee that something new anddifferent is happening, and asyoupeelbackthelayeronyouroniontheywillfollowoncetheyareconvincedthatit issafetodoso.Thenanewrelationshipbeginstoemerge.

should include words like“although I was… I hadchallengeswith…” or “I foundmyself many times strugglingwith…” As you share yourinitialconnectionstory,youareallowingthemtoknowthatyouunderstandwhatitfeelsliketowork toward clarity, personalpowerandsettingboundaries.

No 3: Peel Back Your Own OnionYouareguidingtheexperience,the depth, the authenticity,andthesharing.Teenswanttoknowthatyouarehuman tooand that you did not alwaysmake the right choices. Theywant to know that you had/have doubts, worries anddreams. Don’t jump right intoyour misery story and alsodon’tplay“awesome”,like“it’salwaysbeengreat”.Shareyourjourney,boththehighsandthelows.

No 4: Remember This is a Dialogue Not a MonologueYou cannotbelievehowmanytimes you “thought” you hada conversation with a teenbut they in fact did very littletalking. Adults often ask thequestion, provide the answer,give the coaching, and assessthemselves. Then we evenwalk away saying somethinglike, “I just had a really greattalk with Ryan…” And yourteenwillallowyoutodominate

Motivating Your Teen’s Spirit!

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My heart is pounding. I feelveryanxious.AsIlookaroundthe room, at all the smilingfaces, my face feels hot andclammyatthesametime.I’mclutching my MP3 speakerstation, a song is on pause. Ihavenoideahowthey’regoingto react towhat I’m about todo.It’smyturn…Ifeelalmostfaint… I stand up and releasethe song from its pausedstate… the music starts… mybody begins to move in long,fluid motions – arms, body,legsandfeetmovetogetherinrhythmtothemusic…theyaremesmerized.

Abaddream?No,justthefirsttimeIdancedNiainfrontofaroomfulofpeople! Iwasatanetworking event andwantedtointroducemyselfinaunique

way. Well, I stunned ‘em, forsure!Yet,now,ifIdon’tmoveas part of my introduction,people come up to me withconcernintheirfaces,askingifI’mstilldoing…andtheymovetheir arms around in the air,mimickingmymovement. So,nowI’mKNOWNasthewomanwho does body movement.Now, after leading Nia classesfor10months,I’mmuchmorecomfortablemovinginfrontofgroups–andgetverydifferentresponsesdependingonwhereIam!

So, what IS “Nia”, you mightask?ChristianeNorthrup,MD,author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, says “Niais a total mind, body, spiritcelebration!”Afusionofdance,martialandhealingarts,Niaisdonebarefootbecauseit’snon-impactanditallowsustomoveinthebody’snaturalway.Niaisafitnessformandalsocapturestheemotionsandspiritualityofthoseexperiencing it. Though

the music of independentartistsservesasourmovementfoundation and rhythm, weeachmoveinourownNaturalTime, seeking pleasure in allthatwedo.WithNia,itis“NoPain,AllGain”whichmakes itperfectforeveryBody.

After leading a class just thismorning,mybodyaskedmetotell the class that it lovesNia.So, I did: “Class,” I said, “Mybodywants you to know thatit loves Nia.” They all joinedin,exhalingandexclaimingthesamething! Onestudentsaid“It grounds me so well. It’sbeen amonth since I’ve beentoclassand IHADtocometoclass today!” We ended classtogether,havingstartedwithafocusofgratitudeandrelievingstress,bysteppingforwardinacircleandclaspinghands. Ah,thejoysofcommunity!

Itellpeopleit’shardtodescribethe Nia experience becauseeverytimeyoustepintoclass,you’representingyourself inauniquestateatthatmomentintime. Asaresult,youenjoyadifferentexperienceeachtime.InoneclassyoumayhavehighenergyandthenextyouneedamoreZenexperience.Youstepinto a Nia class not knowingwhat to expect and step outwitha smileonyour faceandsweat on your brow. I’m stilloften amazed at how gentle,pleasurablemovements,whenyou’removing all at once, getthebody’ssystemsgoing!

Notasrigorousasatraditional

Moving All At Once and Present

byChristineClifton


orLatin-basedaerobicsclasses,yet as mind-body-spirit-connected as many yoga andmartial art forms,Nia enablesthe individual to bring theirown intensity level to class.As a Nia teacher, I coach thestudentaboutdifferent‘levels’from which they can choosewhile we are moving throughclass together. This approachenables someone who hasarthritis to be in class next toatri-athleteandtheybothareable to get out of class whattheywant.

The only perfection in a Niaclass is that there is none!WhenIlookoutonaNiaclass,I am often overcome withemotion:

IseethemexperiencingpresenttimewiththemselvesandtheirclassmatesandIfeelgrateful.

Iseethemtrustingtheteacherwiththeirmind,body,emotion,andspiritandIfeelinawe.

Iseethemallmovingdifferently,honoringtheirbody’swayandmoving in natural time and Ifeeljoyful.

All of this is “perfection” andjustright.Whatcouldbemorebeautiful?

Christine Clifton guides women in connecting with their divine inner light through joyful body movement. Using this connection, women illuminate their strengths, reach their highest potential,

and light up the world.

BreakOutoftheOrdinary!www.BreakOutOfTheOrdinary.com

[email protected]


Moving All At Once and Present

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believe that life begins todeclineatage30.Thisisverydangerous thinking. And Imeanthatinallseriousness.This affects your overallhealth in ways we are onlynowbeginningtounderstand. IfIweretodiagramthissymbolically, Iwoulddrawamountain.Takegravityoutoftheequationandjustpicturetheoutlineofthemountain.Now apply that to the pathof your life. The first halfis the line from the groundup, second half moves backdowntotheground,withthegroundbeingtheendofyourlife (symbolically, returningtotheearth.) Ifyoubelieveinmiddleage,oddsareyouthinkthat

means somewhere between30 and 50. So let’s look atthat.Ifyouthinkit’s35,youbelieve you will only live tobe 70. If you think it’s 50,then you expect, at leastsubconsciously, to surviveto 100. Good for you. Buthere’sthecatch... What that means isthat you believe that therestofyourlifeisnowgoing,well,downhill. Sonowyourthoughts,whichweknowtobe conscious energy, begintoprogramyourbodybasedonyourbeliefs,andfromthepoint you assign as “middleage” you begin to declineanddecay. Your body literallybegins to move toward theground.Yourskinmightsag,your muscles droop, yourbones lose calcium so thatyouactuallyloseheight.Youshrink!That’snofun. So if you believe thatmiddle age is 30, then from30to60,yourbodybelievesit is time to decline, and soit does. But your beliefs arejust repetition of the samethoughts over and over. Inotherwords,ifyoushiftyourpointofbelief aboutmiddleage, you can potentiallychangehowyourbodyages.Just moving the number to50 might add years to yourlife. I would go furtherthan that. I would removethe concept from your

Is There Really Such A Thing As

Middle Age?by Jefferson Harman

No. Well, maybe.Here’s the thing, there isno such thing as reality.Let’s start there. Whatexists is really agreed uponperception and perspective.In other words, there areseven billion realities goingon simultaneously. Andthat’sjustthehumans. Notwopeopleseetheworldthesameway.Andnotwopeopleageidentically.Inmyworkshopsonsymbology,I teach that “middle age” isnothingmorethananagreeduponsocietal construct. It’smeaningless. If someonedies at 80, theirmiddle ageis 40. But if someone diesat 14, heaven forbid, theirmiddleageisseven. Weare taught,almostprogrammed,howtoperceiveagingfromwhenweareveryyoung. As Westerners, wehave particularly distortedviewsonthissubject.Whileotherculturesmayhonorandrevere the elderly, Westerncultures tend to see themasaburdenoron theirwayout.Imaginewhatthatdoestothepsycheofanelderwhochoosestobelieveit. Mick Jagger summeditupbestinthe1967RollingStones hit “Mother’s LittleHelper” when he sang tothe ‘younger generation’:“What a drag it is gettingold”.Becauseofthecounter-culture revolution of the1960’s many people still



As a Symbolic Intuitive, Jefferson Harman reads the symbols present in your dreams and everyday life. By interpreting this invisible language, he identifies your blocks and challenges and ways to overcome them. Jefferson has been actively studying the relationships among metaphysics, psychology and anatomy for over 20 years. He is a member of the Holistic Mentorship Network and a regular practitioner at Peaceful Paths in Butler, NJ. Contact Jefferson at 973.839.9317 or

[email protected]

Is There Really Such A Thing As Middle Age?

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vocabularyaltogether.Ifyoudon’t believe inmiddle age,thenyouwon’tprogramyourbodytodeclineatall.Itmaydo thaton itsown,butwhywould anyone consciouslyhelpthatprocessalong? What I’m reallydiscussing here is qualityof lifeandhealth. Ifweseeourselvesasvictimsoftime,we will be just that. If weseeourselvesasempoweredbeingsthatchoosethecourseoftheirownlives,wewillbejustthat. So make a choicetodaytostopworryingaboutaging. Worrying itself canadd lines to your face, butdidyouknowthat sheer joycan also take them awayagain? I know because I’veexperiencedthismyself.Takeawalkoutsidetodayandliveyour life happily. You’ll agehowyouage,whenyouwillage.Whyrushintoit?

Copyright © 2009 Jefferson Harman. All rights reserved. Printed by permission of the author.


Members Club Offer:

10% Discount

human—andinsteadbecomeoccupied with a moment.You might even call it bliss.I’ve seen pictures of saintsand yogis who appear to bevery serious but they havea twinkle in theireye,a littlesmile that says, “I get thejoke.” The joke is that theuniverse isn’t “real”; it’s justplaying with us. The saint issaying, “I am playing back,and I am having more funthan you are.” Do you thinkJesus enjoyed playing withthe universe? Do you thinktheuniverselikedplayingwithJesus?Thescripturalevidencesuggests that the universeobeyed Jesuswhenhe spoketo it. If that’s the case, thenit doesn’t come from Jesustryingtocontroltheuniverseinaleft-brainedway;itcomes

from Jesus being so attunedto the energies of creationthatwhateverhespokewasacommand. WhenItalkaboutplay,I’mnottalkingaboutrunningaround for 15 minutesbecauseyourdoctorsaidyouneed more exercise. That’snot play; that’s therapy. I’mtalking about losing yourselfso fully in whatever you’reengaged in that your senseof time and even your senseof self begin to change.The people who are mostsuccessfulinlifeactuallymaketheirworkintoplay.Theyhavethemostfundoingwhattheydo naturally; work and playarebothanaturalexpressionofwhotheyare.Sinceplayisanextensionofwhoyouare,it shows up differently foreachperson.Whenyouplay,you are in effect accessingthecreativepotentialofyourright brain, a part of youthat is undernourished andoverlooked andunderutilizedmost of the time. The rightbrain is what geniuses likeEinstein and Tesla used tosolveproblemsinwaysnoonehad ever thought of before.Playcanbecomeameditativetool; itcanbeawork tool. Itcan be the paint you use tocoloryourreality. Play can literally beanything that springs to themindinwhatIcallasenseof“innocent perception.” Jesussaid that unless we becomelike littlechildrenwewillnot

Learning to Play with the Universe

by Richard BartlettAdaptedfromThe Matrix

Energetics Experience,©2009,SoundsTruePublishing

During the 18 yearsof my medical practice, I’venoticed that expectationcan be both our worstnightmare and our greatestfriend. Perhaps you have anexpectation about coming toseemeasapatient—thatthisweirddoctoror shaman (as Ihavebeendescribedbysome)is going to heal you. Thatexpectation can provide theimpetus foryouto transcendthe limits of your bodyconditions,yourmindset,andyouremotionalcircumstances,sothatanythingispossibleinthe next moment. If, on theother hand, you believe thattransformation is impossible,then your expectationswill create that reality. Forexample,ifyouhaveacutandyou’re invested in the beliefthat it will take the skin twoweeks to fully heal, the cutisn’tgoingtovanishovernight. Learning to playcan help break down ourexpectations, which are justtheunconsciousrulesweapplytoreality.Theyaren’treality’srules; they’re our own rules,based on our experiences,cultural conditioning, etc.When you enter into play,you’re no longer thinkingaboutoutcomes,becausetheplayisitsownreward.You’retotallyengagedinthepresentmoment,whichmeansyou’realsooutsideoftime. Playhappenswhenyoucompletely forget yourself—forget time, forget space,forget that you are even cont’d on next page


welcoming response fromthe universe. This processactually sends your brain onasearchformeaning.Theleftbrain does not understandthe context of the question,becauseitisopen-endedandhas no answer, so the rightbrainthentakesover. The right brain hasaccesstowhatscientistshavecalled the Zero Point energyfield. The Zero Point energyfield is the point beyondtime and space, beyond therules, beyond the physicallaws of the universe—wherethere is a pure reservoirof untapped potential asenergy. If you can let go ofyour rules and expectations,youcan reach into thatfield.In thatmoment you can pullsomeof thatpure, universal,unlimited energy into yourworld,whichcanchangeyourphysicalconditionsrightnow.Miracles are possible in thenext moment, and anyonecanaccessthatpotential. Of course, the ideaof imaginative play can bea problem for the left-brainconscious mind. Sometimesthe way the conscious mindreacts is a benefit, andsometimes it’s a hindrance.Sometimes the consciousmind will simply not payattention to the play you’reengaged in, so it goes awayandyou’reabletoexperiencea different outcome. But theconscious mind may alsodiscount the results of playandlimityouroutcome.

We need to learn toplay in a way that has anobservable and reproducibleoutcome—so that theconscious mind has to payattention, even if it doesn’tknowwhat’sgoingon.Thisisaccomplishedbytransitioningfrom imaginative play tovirtual play. In imaginativeplay, you essentially makethingsup.Youmight imagineaparticularoutcomewithoutactually experiencing it;maybe it will happen,maybe it won’t. With virtualplay, you tap into a greaterfoundational reality andallow for an outcome that’sactuallydifferent—notmerelyimagined to be different.When your play becomesyourreality,youreverybreathbecomes a foundationalexercise for transformingeverything that you believe,see, feel, and experience.When you go beyond justseeingorimaginingtoactuallyexperiencing or feeling anoutcome in your body, youhaveengagedinvirtualplay. The exercise thatfollowswillhelpyoudevelopthe ability to experiencevirtualplayforyourself.Aftereach exercise, you’ll find aspaceinwhichtorecordyourobservationsandexperiences.

Imagine Your Front Door This is a great practicetostartwith,becausealmosteveryonecandoitsuccessfully.Thus, it’s a great startingplace for experiencing virtual


cont’d

enter into the kingdom ofheaven.It’sthischildlikesenseofwonderandpossibilitythatwe want to cultivate. If wecultivate strong beliefs andideas,wewillnotbeopentopossibility and instantaneouschange.Let’ssay,forexample,that I had painfully sprainedmyankle. If Iwereto lookatmyankleandseeawoundthatwouldtakesixtoeightweekstohealIwouldbecreatinganinflexible reality that wouldnot allow for healing tohappen in the nextmoment.If,ontheotherhand,Iweretocultivatethestateofinnocentperception, I might look atmy ankle and see somethingunexpected—feathers or afrog or a bouncing tennisball or whatever shows up,unbidden by my consciousmind. Iwould literallyescapethe trap of my left brain’srational awareness, and inthat next moment my anklecouldbetransformedandthespraincouldbehealed.Thatisthevalueofplay. One of the best waystocultivatehealinginagivensituation is to ask a simplechildlike question: Whatwoulditbelikeifthingsweredifferent right now? Thecultivation of asking useful,open-ended questions forwhich you don’t necessarilyhave an answer creates a



cool to the touch? Are theredents or scuffs around theframe? Write down yourobservations, capturing asmuch detail as you can. Youmay wish to compare yournotes to theactualdoor,butremember thereareno rightor wrong answers. You mayalso try this exercise severaldays in a row, noticing whatchangeseachtime.--------------Richard Bartlett, DC, ND, holds a degree in chiropractic and a degree in naturopathy from Bastyr University. After discovering his own

extraordinary healing capabilities, Bartlett created Matrix Energetics as a system for helping others to access their untapped potential. He is the author of MatrixEnergetics (Atria Books/Beyond Words) and TheMatrix Energetics Experience(Sounds True), and has helped thousands of people transform their lives through his national workshops and seminars.

PUBLICITY CONTACT:LisaBraunDubbels,CatalystPublicity&PromotionGroup

[email protected]


cont’d

imagination, as it allows youto experience an imaginedobjectthatfeels“real”insteadof simply “made up.” Closeyour eyes and imagine yourfront door in as much detailaspossible.Reachoutandrunyourfingersoverthesurface.Is it roughor smooth? Is thepaintpeeling?Canyoupictureany unique characteristics ofthehardware,suchasspotsoftarnishonthelockorhandle?Whatcolorsdoyousee?Isthesurface of the doorwarm or


What’s on Your Pet’s Play List?

The Healing Power of Music

by Beth Lowell

Workingasapetsitter,Igettoseehowalotofdogsand cats live while theirhumansareawayoratwork.Somepeople like to leaveonthe radio to keep their petscomfortablebymaintainingafeelingofconsistency.Others



leavetheTVon–oftentuned to the AnimalPlanetChannel.(Haveyou ever watchedAnimal Planet? I’veseen snippets whileon duty, and let metell you, some ofthoseshowsfeaturinganimal disasters oranimals gone wildare actually prettystressful.) I’m a fan ofmusic for my dogs. Iused to leave on theclassical station for

them when I went to work;having heard that classicalmusic can have soothing,therapeutic effects. Thenmy radio died. Around thesametime,however,Istartedlisteningtoaseriesofguidedmeditation CDs before I leftfor work. I watched withinterest eachmorning as mydogs joined me on the flooras soon as they heard theopeninggong.Theylaydownquietly toenjoy the soothingvoiceofthenarratorandthesound of the backgroundmusic. I could see that theyresponded to the CD in awayIhadnotobservedwhenthe classical station was on.

Theyappearedtobeactuallylisteningtoit.IcouldseeIwasontosomethingbig. The first CD I boughtfor my dogs was Spiritus, byPatrickBernard. I readaboutit in Sharon Callahan’s book,Healing Animals Naturally with Flower Essences and Intuitive Listening when Ifirst started learning aboutflower essences. Composedwith the intention of“clearing past disharmony,opening new channels tothe inflowofgrace, restoringbalance,andfacilitatingdeep

communion between allspecies”, it incorporates thehealing vibrations that comefrom universal spirituality bycombiningtheVedic,Buddhist,and Christian – Gregoriantraditions. My dogs settle inquickly when they hear this

collection (I oftenalso use the Spiritusspray – a blend offloweressencesmadeespecially to be usedin conjunction withlisteningtotheCD.) I read inSharon’s book thatanimalsarealsoquitepartial to Brian Eno’sAmbient Music for Airports. Based onhow much my dogsenjoyed Spiritus,I quickly addedEno’s album to my

dogs’ play list. Researchingit, I learned that Eno hadcomposedthemusic inspiredby the concept of airports –“places of departure wherepeoplespendtime,sometimesanxious, sometimesbored”–to be both unobtrusive andabletobelistenedto,andtobecalmingtolisteners.Itookspecial note of the words“anxious and bored” stateswhichpetsareofteninwhenlefthomealone. Mynextfindcamewhenwriting a review of Celeste’sReiki MeditationsCD.Celestedid awonderful jobwith theguided meditation but whatstruck me most about her

One of Beth’s favorite clients, Ozzy the Boxer

What’s on Your Pet’s Play List?

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CD was the music, whichconsists of many overlays ofhervoice,alongwithbirdsongfrom her garden, and thesound of water. Listening tothe melodic portions was ahealing experience in itself.The love and intention thatCeleste brings to her workis palpable. And of course,seeing its calming effects onmy dogs, I included her CDcalledCelestial Sounds,whichismusiconly,inthequeueontheCDplayer. Although my dogsdon’t seem to tire of theseselections,I’malwayslookingfor somethingnew. I learnedabout my latest acquisitionjust recently via a HumaneSociety of the United StatesFacebook update. MusicianMoby teamed up with HSUSto alleviate the sufferingof animals by donating theproceedsofallCDspurchasedthrough the HSUS HumaneDomain online shop to gotowardimprovingthelivesofanimalsraisedforfood.Abouthis latest collaboration withHSUS,Mobysaid, “Not tobetoo dramatic, but decreasingthesufferingofanimalsismylife’swork.” Sonexttimeyou leavehome, consider playingsomething for your animalsthat is more than just

backgroundnoise.Music’shealingeffectisduetoitsvibrationsthatresonatedeeply,literallystrikingachordwithinusatthecellularlevel,butequallyimportantistheintentionwithwhichitiscreated–somethingthatalloftheseCDshaveincommon.

Recommended CDs and where they can be purchased:•SpiritusbyPatrickBernardwww.anaflora.com•Ambient Music for AirportsbyBrianEnowww.amazon.com•Celestial SoundsbyCelestewww.reikijoy.net/med-celestial.htm•Wait For MebyMobyHumanDomain,theHumaneSociety’sonlineshopathttp://hsus.petfulfillment.com/index.php?shop=dogshop--------------Beth Lowell is an animal Reiki practitioner and Reiki teacher living in Morristown NJ. Beth has worked with animals in many capacities throughout her life, including animal rescue volunteer and board member, assistant trainer, and owner of Good Girl Dog Walking and Pet Sitting, which she established in 2002. She has been practicing Reiki for animals since 2007, and has more recently added canine massage to her menu of services. She is a regular contributor to the Reiki Digest and an accomplished artist whose paintings grace the homes of dog lovers across the United States. Beth also works with flower essences and has used them alone and in conjunction with Reiki to help animals and their owners to overcome a myriad of challenges.

BethLowellThepetsitterwiththeholistictouch!www.bethlowell.com973.960.6464


Elusive Musingsby Sarah Collins

Elusive musings sail on byA cosmic wind at their backpropelling them towards a distant harbor wherethey can take anchor andgarner strengthgrowing into a possibility

Others aimlessly follow the ocean currents content to driftgently rocking back and forth,in unison with the unceasing ebb and flow of the seanever reaching the land of imagination

Some will be recycled within the thought stream ofidyllic musingsawaiting the day greater inspiration appears andcarries them off into unknown probabilities

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that develops as your friends,neighbors and family moveaway,leavejobs,orpasson. Soassesswhereyouare.Do you need more insuranceor do you need more goodfriends,hugs,conversationandsupport? You may have moretimetore-connectwithhopesand dreams that have longbeen put aside. Take time toexplore thenewoptions.Takeaprescriptionorjoinawalkingclub? Eat whatever’s availableoreatwithdiscernment?Havean extra drink or have a glassof refreshing water? Health isoften the result of very smallchoices along the way. Sochoosewiselyforthebestyoucanbe! So, the seven hugs aday… reduce blood pressure,helpyoubreathemoredeeplyandhelptobalancethebody’senergy.Trygivingsevenhugsadayandbeopentoreceiveaswell. It’ll change your wholeoutlookonlifeandinsurances. In this time ofgreat change, we becomeempowered to change ourown lives. Choose to livemore consciously; each smalldecisionmakesyourlifebetter.Call a friend, join a walkinggroup,invitesomeonetolunch. Health care becomeswhatever you expect it to be.Chopra says our bodies agebecausewethinktheyshould.

Health ismuch the same.Wefollow the old patterns unlesswewakeupanddecidetolivea simpler,more authentic life.We can follow the medicalmodelallthewaythroughlongterm care or we can createa new model of friends andcommunityandusefulpurpose.Searchyourheartandbecomeinvolved in re-connectingwiththe nurturing you need to behealthyandstrong.--------------Since the age of four, Shirley Scranta has had a rare condition requiring her to drink huge amounts of water. To keep herself healthy, she’s studied many nutritional and bodywork alternatives. She’s tried medicines, foods, relaxation and bodywork. Today, she drinks much less water and has lots of experiences to share!

Shirley Scranta is the Director of International School of Shiatsu in Doylestown, PA (www.shiatsubo.com). She is a Certified Shiatsu Practitioner, Asian Bodywork Therapist (Dipl. NCCAOM), and a Holistic Health Coach. Shirley can be reached at 215.340.9918 and [email protected].

Health Care in Middle Age

by Shirley Scranta

Ok, who believeshealth care can be as simpleas giving and receiving sevenhugsaday?Children?Adults?Grandparents? Take a fewseconds to considerhowyourconcept of health care hasevolved. Once, we believed thata bandageandakissfromMom would make everythingbetter. Remember how re-assuring it felt to be told “allwill be better before you getmarried!”Or“Justwashitoff,it’s all gone!” or “LetMommykiss it”. Life was quite simplethen.Wereceivedahug,akissand some nurturing (maybe apopsicleorcookie)andwentonourwaytothenextadventure.Wefeltlovedandsafe. Aswesetofftoconquerthe world, we had few caresabout health care. We wereinvincible! Ah, a few caraccidents, a few illnesses-butoverallwedidn’tmuchcareorlisten to much detail. That allchangedassoonaswebecamethe parent. Now, we wantedtoprotectthoseweloved.Wesought the best of insurancesthat we could afford. Onlyinsuranceisn’tenoughtomakeitallbetter. Wewatchedourparentsstrugglewithhealth concerns.We learned fear of illness oraccidentandthereforeboughtmore insurances to cover allpossibilities. Whileinsuranceistherefor the emergency surgery orcatastrophic event, there isno insurance for the extremeloneliness and emptiness


connectedinstantly!Fromthatpoint on, our friendship grew.She is someone who alwaysbeamed with love and light!Shehad suchagood senseofhumorandwittysarcasm–shecould alwaysmake you laugh!She was always such a giverandcaretaker–eveninherlastdays, shewasworrying abouteveryone else! She neverceased to amaze me in herlevels of strength! I can onlyimagine how difficult it mustbe to continue to stay strongandpositive,andpickyourselfup when battling the fight ofcancer... but Lauren alwaysdid.Shewassostrongthatshehad to be reminded to breakdownandcry to releaseallofthose intenseemotions!! Theone time I really saw her letgo, was during the retreat toLakeKoinoniawiththeHolisticMentorship Network. Sheinvitedmeonthisretreat,andI am so incredibly gratefulwe

went together! We had sucha fabulous time, connectedwith so many terrific people,and both became members!:>ThatweekendwasthefirstweekendIsawher letgo,andI am so grateful I was theretoholdher inmyarms! Afterthatreleaseofemotions...sheboogiedherbunsoffthatnightat the fire drumming circle!!:> Iwas soproudofher, andit will always be a memorythatbringsahugesmiletomyface!Iadmireheronsomanylevels!Shewasaterrificfriendandtherockofherfamily!Shewill forever be in my heart...andsheissomissed!Iprayforthe emotional healing of herfamily and loved ones... and Iamgratefulsheisnowanangelwatchingoverallofus.

A Tribute to HMN colleague and friend,

Lauren Panzica June 30, 2009

by Abby Nickerson

IfirstmetLaurenasastudentinoneof theFootReflexologyclassesIteach.Ibelieveitwasabout four or five years agonow. Shortly after the class,she began working at theCenter for Optimum Living inKinnelon,whereIwasworkingas a massage therapist.Although she felt so familiar,Ididnot recognizeherat thattime, until she reminded methat she was in one of myclasses.Shetoldmesheknewthat weekend that we weregoing to work together andbe friends. Well... shewas soright,andIamsograteful!We


Book Review

If your memory of singer Helen Reddy is her 1972 hit, “I Am Woman” you may only know half the story. Although her roots are in show business, these days Helen is a clinical hypnotherapist. She speaks at events throughout the world on subjects ranging from past-life regression to awakening your intuition, and she was recently the keynote speaker at the Edgar Cayce Conference in Virginia Beach.

A third generation performer, Helen was born in Melbourne six weeks before the bombing of

The Woman I Am: A Memoir by Helen Reddy

reviewed by Jefferson Harman


Pearl Harbor. Her parents were stars in their own right in Australian vaudeville, radio and TV. Helen began singing onstage at age five, but it was an out-of-body experience at age eleven that started her on a road of spirituality that she has continued throughout her life.

In this book, Helen takes us along with her as her life unfolds, allowing readers to see what informed her ground-breaking feminist anthem. We get to meet the girl who dreamed of stardom and then left it all behind to pursue the healing arts. And along the way she became the first Australian to have her own network TV show in the USA, the first to have three number one singles in one year and a career in which she achieved international success in every medium of performance.

Helen is also a founding member of the Tasmanian Genealogical Society and writes extensively throughout her book about her family history, which extends all the way back to Australia’s First Fleet. In a chapter called “Royalty and Reincarnation”, Helen details her intuitions on the House of Windsor, including a detailed chart of who came back as who and why they did. It’s a fascinating read and a wonderful insight into group karma.

There is only one point with which I disagree with the author, when she states how psychics should be paid for their work. But it is easy to overlook these two sentences in a book that held my attention throughout. I found it thoroughly entertaining and enlightening.

Steve Lopez finds an interesting topic for his column in the Los Angeles Times when he see Nathaniel Ayers playing his violin on Los Angeles’ Skid Row. Lopez gets to know Ayers gradually and finds out that this street musician began as promising classical bass student at Julliard loses his ability to function, has a breakdown and is diagnosed as a schizophrenic. He is forced to drop out of Julliard, but is able to hang on to his musical talent and his love of classical music.

The Soloistby Steve Lopez

reviewed by Cindy De Pue


When Lopez writes more columns about Ayers, he hears from people willing to donate musical instruments in hope to get the musician off the streets. The two men become friends as time passes. Lopez also gets offers of help from people who run a homeless shelter called the Lamp. Although Ayers still exhibits many of the symptoms of his mental illness, Lopez helps him find permanent lodging, finds his family, and even connects him to the classical music scene in L.A., where Ayers gets to meet the famous cellist, Mr. Yo-Yo Ma, who had attended Julliard the same time as Ayers.

Lopez turned his columns into this book, and it has also been made into a movie starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) honored Ayers and Lopez at their most recent national convention (www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Inform_Yourself/Upcoming_Events/Convention/2009_Highlights/Day_3.htm). Please also check out the Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Foundation (www.naayers.org) for the artistically gifted mentally ill.

I recommend reading this book to everyone, especially to those who have a hard time dealing with those who have mental illness. I have depression and anxiety, and at times have had my “trials” with not only dealing with my illness, but also dealing with others who stereotype mental illness as a lost cause or something to laugh at.

Book Review


Announcements

HMN member and Natural

Health columnist Sarah

Collins announces that

her first book, The Little

Guide to Big Changes:

6 Steps to Creating

Lasting, Positive Change

in Your Life has just been

published by New Pathways

Press. It is available at

Amazon.com as well as

the publisher’s website,

NewPathwaysPress.com.

Please see the ad on the

inside back cover of this

issue of MARCI™!

Cecelia H. Inwentarz, MBA,

Wave-Maker Energy Therapist,

is joining the Gibbons Holistic

Chiropractic & Wellness Centre

at 601 Jefferson Road,

Parsippany. A FREE, 1/2 hour

Introductory Consultation is

being offered for September, on

a limited basis. CeCe will focus

on your pain to identify your

“Healthiest Belief” and show

you a quick & easy method to

“Energize and Attract” Self-

Healing into your life.

Call 973.887.0860 to set up

your FREE consultation.

New MARCI™ Logo ContestBe the next Charles Schultz with your signature

on the face of MARCI™ and the new logo of this holistic health magazine!

Who is MARCI™? What does she look like?

MARCI™ is a female presence, but well-balanced with both yin and yang. She is fun and exciting, vibrant and full of adventure! MARCI™ is courageous and has great strength and endurance. She desires to dream big and make a difference in the world she lives in. She is quite witty and clever. She lives a well-balanced life and lives within the community of the world. MARCI™ is committed to her vision and is gentle with the earth. MARCI™ loves being in nature and has an infinity to animals and children of all ages.

Who does MARCI™ represent to you? Do you have an image of MARCI™? This is an opportunity to create a caricature of MARCI™. Bring your creative juices into creating the face of MARCI™ in whatever way you choose.

Contestants will be judged by our dynamic team and leaders from our Board of Trustee:

Donna Price: ChairpersonCecelia Inwentarz: MarketingErin Saxton-Bjornston: MediaJustin Buffer: Membership

Send your submissions to [email protected] by November 1, 2009.

Not a member, and would like to be? Go to www.HolisticMentorshipNetwork.com/membership.htm

or call the office: 973.300.1184.

Purchase your hardcopy of

athttp://marci.magcloud.com

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