MARCI Fall 10 issue 092210

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

Our Mission StatementTo 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 PledgeThe 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

is an international holistic and wellness magazine that promotes conscious living.

MARCI™ was started by Linda Mitchell in 2002 in response to a need for the hyper growth that the holistic wellness industry was experiencing. It was our intention for practitioners to refer to MARCI™ as a resource tool for their daily practice. Much to our joy, MARCI™ has grown by leaps and bounds and now features articles and tips on everything from health and wellness to sustainable living.

-Linda Mitchell, Founder of HMN & MARCITM

Inside This Issue:Animals, Our Earthly CompanionsLinda Mitchell.....................................................................55

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ColumnProject Planet NetworkTM

Ana Marie Presti................................................................24

Creative ArtsBeth Ann Morrison.............................................................27

Feng ShuiMichelle Zanoni................................................. ................28

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

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

NutritionJudith Gisser.......................................................................

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Letters to We would love to hear from you!

Please write to us at:[email protected]

Publishing CommitteeSarah Collins, ChairpersonErin Saxton, Media StrategistLinda MitchellJoanna DeGroot

StaffLinda Mitchell

Executive Director & Editor-in-Chief

Joanna DeGrootEditor & Layout Designer

Board MembersDonna Price, ChairMeira Findel, Treasurer Cecelia Inwentarz, TrusteeVivian Sartoretto, TrusteeLinda Mitchell, Trustee

MARCI™ Fall 2010

Human Design: Discovering the Genius Within YouKaren Flaherty..................................................................14

Better Than Medicine!LynAnn Edelman................................................................9

Tune Up Your Body With Sound TherapyDorinne Davix...................................................................20

Wild PlacesSarah Collins.....................................................................22

Finding Your StrengthLisa Nichols......................................................................23

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Featured ContributorDawn J. Benko, Writer & Nature PhotographerNature Photography............................throughout this issueWhat Part of New Jersey Don’t You Understand?.............9

Gonna Be a BearJo-Ann Stafford.................................................7

Animals, Omens, and Messages Christina Lynn Whited........................................9

The Rainbow BridgeAnonymous........................................................13

Contact Information

23 Main Street, Sparta, NJ 07871Phone: 973.300.1184 Fax: 973.300.1189www.HolisticMentorshipNetwork.com

[email protected]

...Inside This Issue:

A Life-Saving BondBonnie Rosenthal...............................................7

What Can We Do NOW to Protect Our Planet? Charlie Semeraro.............................................9

Lessons from the GeeseDr. Robert McNeish.........................................13

Holistic Dog Training: A Kinder ApproachDee Broton.......................................................15

Testimonials.....................................................8

Yes, Dogs Do Go to HeavenArlene Rich.......................................................6

Our Care and Responsibility to WildlifeSarah Collins.....................................................6

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Conscious ParentingBeth Haessig & Jordan Brown.........................3

Everyday SpiritualityJustin Buffer......................................................37

The Whole PetBeth Lowell.......................................................37

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

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

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

Night Sailing ...Interpreting Your DreamsJefferson Harman.............................................3

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

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

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Book Review..........................................69

Announcements.....................................7 Calendar of Events................................7

Disclaimer

The views expressed within the various articles are not necessarily the views of the Holistic Mentorship Network, publisher of MARCI™. Copyright for all articles, poems, etc. are owned by the respective authors. Permission to copy or use in any manner is at the sole discretion of the writer.

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When the Earth is sick, the animals will begin to disappear, when that happens, The Warriors of the Rainbow will come to save them.

— Chief Seattle

Is it really that hard to imagine our world out of sync when we have had so many wake-up calls that have captured our attention? Tsunami, Katrina, 9/11, Haiti’s Earthquake, and now the Gulf of Mexico’s oil spill which had left most of us feeling helpless as we watched the latest updates of this catastrophic disaster that left its mark for years to come on our planet’s ocean floor, our sea and wildlife and the livelihood of mankind. We live in a world where technology provides us with information and the latest news instantaneously. It raises our awareness to what is happening in the world around us, and unless we are intimately affected, it often goes by the wayside, and we get on with life. The truth of the matter is this, there will be more oil spills and wars unless we wake up and take responsibility for our actions. All action has a cause and effect response. These disasters have a cause and effect response in our ecosystem, an imbalance if you will, in the whole picture. Much like the rippling effect that happens when you throw a stone into the waters, it spreads outwardly, but with much more turbulence. The effect from the oil spill has had immediate effects on our wildlife such as the birds

lives have any value? Ironic that this edition will give you, the reader, valuable information and awareness to how potent our domestic animals, wild life and sea world play out important roles in human relationships and within our ecosystem. “When the earth is sick, the animals will disappear”… So who will save them? Sarah Collins, regular columnist on Natural Health and writer in our fall edition “Our Care and Responsibility to Wildlife” speaks out candidly about what is ours to look at, and take responsibility for, “As the more intelligent species on the planet, it is up to us to be the stewards of the planet and all its varied life forms.” Turn to page 24 to hear the voices of our children from Project Planet Network. Kids are so upfront. Isn’t it about time we listened? Our animal world is what many relationships today mostly thrive on. With a rise in mental illness and disease, many animals of varying species have found themselves as caregivers to humans. As Lyn Ann Edelman, Registered Nurse, and animal lover, she suffers from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and speaks openly about the impact her troupe has on her on a day to day basis, the rising statistics of animals who are trained (or are born) as therapy or service animals, and the benefits studies have shown on their humans. Dee Broton, owner of Holistic Behavior Solutions,

whose feathers have absorbed the oil making them vulnerable to temperature changes and less buoyant in water. It also interferes with the birds’ ability to fly and escape predators. When attempting to clean themselves, they will ingest the oil that covers their feathers, causing kidney damage, altered liver function, and an irritable digestive tract. This inevitably will cause dehydration and metabolic imbalances. Most birds will die unless there is human intervention. Isn’t it truly sad though, that mankind makes these decisions on whether these

Animals, Our Earthly Companions

a message by Linda Mitchell,

Founder of HMN & MARCI™

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steps outside traditional training by taking a look at the whole picture between owner and dog. Many pet owners choose a pet based on a desire, or the need to own an animal, but have little understanding of the dynamics that come with ownership. Personalities between owner and

pet can clash, and if you have not done your homework prior, the end result can be devastating for both owner and pet. And yes, pets do have feelings! Often times we humans are so in tuned to our own needs that we do not take into account the trauma that can go on for the animal. It is our responsibility to take ownership of our own actions prior to making these decisions of bringing another

Animalscont’d

life into our own. Filling a void is one thing, but make sure the animal is a good fit. Animals live in the now, and do not hold it against us humans, so the coined term “unconditional love”! MARCI™, although not an animal, has been a love that I have had the delight to watch grow with the help of our MARCI™ Committee, and regular columnists. New


Photography © Dawn J. BenkoThis is a fall scene at “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest, Branchville, NJ.

6MARCI™ Fall 2010

to MARCI™ is a “Featured Contributor”, in which a writer, poet, and/or photographer will be spotlighted in each edition. Kicking off our fall edition we were fortunate to ascertain nature photographer and journalist, Dawn Benko. Dawn brings us into her world of photography and love for nature at a neighboring swamp found in the “off the beaten path” of Stokes State Forest in NJ. I have had the pleasure of accompanying Dawn on different occasions including one instance during which we were hip deep in snow, sitting along the river’s edge through a thunderstorm, when who would be lurking behind us was a bear who was very curious as to what these two humans were doing in the wee hours of the night! It is easy to capture a moment of ecstasy when Dawn speaks about her visit to the swamp! Every adventure to the woods holds another story

and experience as she talks with enthusiasm about the creatures that are prowling about in her favorite spot. Whether it be an otter, a frog, a frog being eaten by a snake, a nest of great blue herons or a set of cubs, and oh yes with mama nearby, you will find Dawn ready and waiting quietly to tell the story of New Jersey’s finest place to be… “Her swamp”! I do not want to leave you in despair over our present planet situation, but give you hope in knowing that we do get to show up and take the steps that will help our planet heal. The Holistic Mentorship Network has taken the stance to open up their initiative to find grass root opportunities that align to their vision and mission. Viridian, a third party energy supplier, has given consumers of energy and non-profits an opportunity to “Green the Grid” while saving the consumer dollars, and helping non-profit organizations, such as ours, make money! Charlie Semeraro, an associate of

Animalscont’d

Viridian, and part of the Holistic Mentorship Networks legacy with Viridian, shares his lifelong experiences living on the planet, and how times have changed, and so has he… Today, Charlie actively participates in grass root causes because he is concerned about the future of our planet that we share with ALL life forms. We are the “Rainbow Warriors”! It is our hope that this edition of MARCI™ (Mindful, Aware, Responsible, Compassion, Intuit) will enlighten our readers and end up in the hands of those who make decisions that affects our earthly companions and the planet we all reside in and on. This edition is dedicated to “Our Earthly Companions”.

Animal Blessings~Linda

PS. We are delighted to announce our first annual Holiday Recipe Contest!! Don’t miss out… details within and the first and second prizes are grand!!

7MARCI™ Fall 2010


WhenIwasaskedtoshare some of my naturephotos and to write anarticle for MARCI™, I wasreally flattered. I justhad no idea what I wouldwrite about. Every trekintothewoodsisauniqueexperience, and there is astory behind almost everyphotoI’vetaken.Thereareeven stories for the manyphotosthatI’vemissed. Perhaps the bestthingIcouldsharewithyouis what I’ve gotten out ofmyexperiences. I’ve always helda fascination and love ofnature.I’vealwayswantedto know more aboutnature.I’vealwayswantedtophotographnature.Soinmy20’sand30’sItravelledtodifferentstatesinsearchofaplace I’d like to live;aplace where I could livewith, see and photograph– you guessed it – nature.I’ve been to some reallybeautiful places and takensome really beautifulpictures in those places.The problem was that I

I had been living inMontague forovertenyears.Montagueishometo Stokes State Forest, High PointStatePark,theDelawareWaterGapNational Recreation Area, and amultitudeofnaturepreserves. Where could I possibly gotophotographnatureandwildlife?Duh. Ibeganmysearch inStokesState Forest. As is the case withthe roads inNew Jersey, the trailsinNewJerseyaren’talwaysclearlymarked, and I soon found myselfno longer on a trail. That suitedme perfectly, because I find trailstobeexceedinglyboring. And,ontrails you always run the risk ofencounteringthesometimesscary,sometimes creepy, and sometimesdownright annoying two-leggeds.

neverfeltIbelongedinanyofthoseplaces.They’renicetovisitbut… One day I finally acceptedthe realization that I am a JerseyGirl. New Jersey is the place Ilove. New Jersey is where I ammost comfortable. New Jersey iswhere Ibelong. That leftmewitha dilemma. How could I possiblybe a nature photographer in NewJersey? You know the adage aboutnotbeingabletoseetheforestforthe trees? That was so aproposto my existence until about threeyears ago, because the answer tomydilemmahasbeenrightinfrontofmeformyentirelife. Igrewupinalakecommunitysurrounded by woods in AndoverTownship. By the spring of 2007,

What Part of New Jersey Don’t You

Understand?by Dawn J. Benko

9MARCI™

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What Part of NJ? cont’d

YouknowwhatI’mtalkin’about. Anyway, I found a littlestream and began following it,photographing the frogs as Iwent along. As Iwent, I beganto notice something that hasalwaysbeentherebutthatIwasnever able to really see before– thebeautyofNewJersey. Atone point I looked ahead, andmy eyes widened as the forestopened up. I abandoned mynewfrogfriendsandheadedfortheclearing. Istoodthere,mesmerized.I had foundwhat Iwas lookingfor. It is the most wonderfulplace on earth. It is the place

where my dreams begin. It isa place I affectionately call “myswamp”. Yes, it’s my swamp.Don’teventrytosuggestthatit’snot,‘causeIwillfightyou. You may be thinking,“Eww,youhangoutatswamps?” I don’t just hang out atswamps. I hangout in swamps.I’m becoming the crazy swamplady, if I’m not there already.Sometimes,onanicedaywhenI’mhangingoutwithmyfriendsor at a funeral, I can’t helpthinking,“Crap,Icouldbeintheswamprightnow.IwonderwhatI’mmissing.” I’vealwayslovedswamps.There is something mysteriousabout them, something spookyandevenunnervingattimes.I’ve

cont’d on next pagePhotography © Dawn J. Benko

A green frog camouflaged in duckweed at “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest, Branchville, NJ.

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spenthundredsofhourssitting,floating,andwadingchestdeepintothem,andsometimestheystillcanmakemyskincrawl.Ormaybe that’s just the leeches.Whatever the case, they areneverboring. Maybe what I love themost isthatyouwillneverfindaplacethat ismorealive. Thesun may be the engine, butthewetlandsaretheheartandsoulof theplanet. Themore Iobserve them and read aboutthem and the creatures I findthere, themore truth I find in

thatstatement. Everybody is there. I’veseen bears and deer and minkandotters.Therearehawksandosprey and hummingbirds andallmannerofwaterfowl. Thereare snakes and leechesand themost hideous looking insectsyou’ll ever see. Hey, givemeabreak. I’m still a girl, and bugsareicky. The more I observe,themore I learn and themoreconnected I feel to thesewild places and to these wildcreatures – except maybe thebugs.Although,Isupposethereis a certain connection thereas

well,aslongastheydon’ttouchme. Beforethisjourneybegan,I took the natural world forgranted.However,themoretimeIspendinit,themoreapparentit istomehowimportanttheseplaces and animals are to ourexistence. It’s like the humanbody; everything is connected.Whensomething isoutofkilterin one part of your body, therestofyourbodyisaffected.Soitiswiththenaturalworld.Wesometimes forget that we arepartofthatnaturalworld. Nonetheless, when I


Photography © Dawn J. BenkoNesting Great Blue Herons at “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest.

Fall 2010


Dawn J. Benko’sfascination with photography began at the tender age of four, as she leafed through the pages of her mother’s National Geographic magazines. It has seen her through an A.S. degree in photographic technology at Florida Institute of Technology and a twenty-two-year photojournalism career in her native New Jersey — first at the NewJerseyHerald in Newton and then at the DailyRecordin Parsippany. Her sports, news, feature, and portrait photos have won state and regional awards and appeared in newspapers nationwide.

Visit her website at www.dawnbenko.com.

sharemyphotographs,Iamnot on any environmentalor social mission. I wantpeople to draw their ownconclusionsortojustsimplyenjoy the photos. If theyhelptobringaboutpositiveaction or change, that’s abonus. My only message is,“Look,thisisNewJersey.” “New Jersey?” youaskincredulously. Yeah, New Jersey.You gotta problem withthat?

Photography © Dawn J. BenkoA bear cub at “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest

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HUMAN DESIGN: Discovering the Genius That Lies

Within You by Karen Flaherty

INTRODUCTION Haveyoueverwonderedwhatmakes you so special andunique from the other peoplearoundyou?TheHumanDesignSystem, a new synthesis ofancient wisdom and modernsciencecanhelpyouunderstandthebeautyandthepowerofjustwho you really are. Ultimately,youwilldiscoverthegeniusthatlieswithineachofoneofus. Human Design is arelatively new system ofpersonality analysis thatcombines elements of Easternand Western Astrology, theChinese I’Ching, the Kabalah(Tree of Life), theHindu Chakrasystem, and modern quantumphysics. Your personal HumanDesign chart, calculated fromyour birth data, gives you veryspecific knowledge about yourpersonality traits, your health,your personal psychology, yourtalents, your wisdom, and yourvulnerabilities.

WHERE DOES HUMAN DESIGN COME FROM? Asnotedabove,thebasicelements of the Human DesignSystemoriginate intheancientstraditions of several humancultures.Thearrangementoftheinformation from those systemsinto a simple chart that can beinterpretedbya trainedHumanDesignAnalyst comes fromonespecific man named Ra UruHuwhowas “given” the key tothe relationships among thoseancientsystems. In 1987 a uniqueastronomical event moved theearthwithitsdramaandbeauty.For the first time in hundredsof years on Earth, many of uswitnessed the death of a star,

known as Supernova 1987A. Atthesametimethatastronomersat all the major observatoriesof the world were marvelingat this magical event throughtelescopes,ontheislandofIbiza,Spain, Ra Uru Hu was havinga mystical experience. Duringan eight-day period he says hewas instructed by a “voice” towritedowntheinformationthatforms the basis of the HumanDesign chart and to spread theinformationtoothers. AftertwoyearsofstudyingtheinformationhehadrecordedduringSupernova1987A,RaUruHunamedtheinformation“TheHuman Design System” and hebegan teaching the system and


interpreting charts for others.Forthenext16years,RaUruHutraveledand shared theHumanDesign System with the world,bringing his unique teachingstotheUnitedStates forthe lasttimeinMarchof2003.

SCIENTIFIC VALIDATION FOR THE HUMAN DESIGN SYSTEM In spite of HumanDesign’s metaphysical origins,the system shows uncannyaccuracy in describing thepersonality traits of individuals.For this reason, scientists haveworked very hard over the lastfewyearstovalidatethesystem.In April of 2000, social scientistandpsychotherapist,Dr.EleanorHaspel-Portner, statisticallyvalidated some central aspectsof the Human Design system.Dr. Haspel-Portner and herhusband, Dr. Marvin Portner,continue to work to prove thescientific validity and valueof Human Design Analysis forapplicationsinmodernmedicine,psychotherapy, and personalcoaching. They continue todiscover new aspects of thesystem and new applications ofHuman Design for healing andpersonalgrowth. The Human DesignSystem has gained tremendousmomentumintheUnitedStatesin the last few years and willcontinue to grow in recognitionas more people discover itsusefulnessforeverydaydecision-making.

THE FIVE TYPES The easiestway to beginbenefiting from Human Designconcepts is to know one’s Typeand to follow the strategy forthat type. In theHumanDesign


the Sacral Center. For both theManifesting Generator and theGenerator, the most importantthing in life is finding the rightwork.IfaManifestingGeneratoror a Generator is not workingin the right job, he will burnout.When these types find thecorrect work for themselves,theirSacralCentersuppliesthemwith a virtually inexhaustiblesourceofenergy. Manifesting Generatorsand Generators have to waituntilthingscometothembeforethey take action. Most of usare taught to “just do it”. Ifweare Manifesting Generators orGenerators we can experiencedeep frustration if we try toinitiatethings.

Discovering the Geniuscont’d

Systemtherearefivepersonality“Types”, each with a uniquestrategy for making decisions.KnowingyourTypecanhelpyoudevelop confidenceand trust inyour capacity to make reliabledecisionsforyourself. The five Types are calledtheManifestor, theManifestingGenerator, the Generator, theProjector,andtheReflector.EachTypehasadifferentnaturalroleto play when interacting withothersandtheworld.

The Manifestor The first Type is calledthe Manifestor. Approximately8% of people are Manifestors.

Manifestors can initiate actionwithout waiting. Manifestorsare energy beings that possesstremendousinitiatingpowerbutthey have to use their powercarefullyorriskangeringothers.Theirpurposeinlifeistoinitiateaction. SomefamousManifestorsincludeAlGore,GeorgeW.Bush,JackNicholson, Susan SarandonandRichardBurton.

Manifesting Generators and Generators The next two Types arecalled Manifesting Generatorsand Generators. Together thesetwoTypes comprise67%of thepopulation. These two Typesare theonlyTypeswhopossessa special energy center called cont’d on next page


Other famous Projectors include PresidentBarackObama,StevenSpielberg,JohnF.Kennedy,PaulMcCartney,FidelCastro,KarlMarx,andDemiMoore.

The Reflector Reflectors are themost rare of the Types.Lessthan1%ofpeopleareReflectors.TheReflectoris here to “mirror” or reflect the health of thecommunityaroundthem.AReflectorisextremelyopentoallkindsofenergy.TheReflectortakesalltheenergy from theworldaroundhimdeep intohisownenergysystemandthenreflectsitbackout. FamousReflectorsincludeMichaelJackson,UriGeller,andRoslynCarter.

CONCLUSION The Human Design System is a very deepandcomplexpersonalityassessmenttool.AHumanDesignAnalystcansitdownandtalktoyouaboutyourchartformanyhours.Atthesametime,thereis a beauty and simplicity to Human Design thatmakesitinstantlyusefulforanyonewhoencountersit.Allthedepthandthepowerthatwasimprintedonyouat thetimeofyourbirthcanbe livedoutgracefullybysimplyknowingandlivingthestrategyof your type. Live true to your type and youwilltrulyliveoutyourownpersonalDestiny.

Discovering the Geniuscont’d

Famous Manifesting Generators andGenerators includeMadonna, John Lennon,DalaiLama,HillaryClinton,OprahWinfrey,andTimothyLeary.

The Projector The fourth personality Type in the HumanDesignSystemistheProjector.Projectorsrepresentabout 24% of the population. Projectors canbecome thenaturalmanagers and leaders of theworld. Projectors do not carry energy in theirownpersonalenergyfield,butinsteadtakeintheenergiesofothersandmanageit.Projectorshavetowaittoberecognizedandinvitedintothemajoreventsinlife,suchasloverelationships,career,andrightplace (where they live). Ifan invitation feelsgoodforaProjectorandsheacceptsit,shechannelsanenormousamountofenergyandpowerintothatsituation.Shecanthenusethatenergytomanageothersandtheworldaroundher. Projectors are here to be recognized andinvited by others.Many Projectors aremagnetic,charismaticrecipientsofamazinginvitations.RingoStarrisaProjector.Hewasliterally“invited”tojoinTheBeatlesafteroneoftheoriginalbandmemberslefttheband. Karen Flahertybrings many years of

corporate business and life experience to her Human Design coaching practice. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Karen has worked in New York and New Jersey in marketing and sales positions in the fields

of licensing and merchandising, retailing, management consulting for the health care

industry, and online training. The combination of experiences in business and personal

relationships has ignited a desire to help others in their challenges.

Karen is a certified Human Design Specialist and is available for personal Human Design

readings and coaching. To get your free report about Human Design and your free Human

Design chart, please email Karen at [email protected]

or visit her on the web at www.CustomHealthSolutions.com.

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Better Than Medicine!

by LynAnn Edelman

When you walk into myhome you are greeted by myDiamond, my golden retriever,Dude, my pug, and Princess,Baby,andRusty,ourfelinefamilymembers. You will also hearthechirpsandsquealsfrommycockatielsBeautyandJazzy. Seems like a houseful,right? I cannot imagine it anyother way. The effect thatmypetshaveonmeisoneofpurejoy. Do theygetonmynerveswhentheyareconstantlyunderfoot?Yes,ofcourse.Butwhentheylookatyouwiththosesadeyes, you cannot help but lovethemalloveragain. I suffer from SAD(SeasonalAffectiveDisorder)andtheonethingthathelpsmegetthrougheachdayisthatmiddaynapwithDiamond.Feelinghersnuggleup tome inbed is justsocalmingandreassuring.Ifindmy nap much more effectivewhensheisthere.SheprovidesmewithasenseofsecuritythatIwouldnotexperienceifIsleptalone. There have been manystudies done on the effects ofpetstotheirowners.Onestudyshowedthatheartattackvictimswhohadpets lived longer thanthose who did not. Anothershowed that patients watchingfishinatankpriortooralsurgeryhad lower vital signs and weremuchmore relaxed than thosewhodidnot.Thosepatientsthatwere watching the fish tankswere found to be as relaxedas those under hypnosis. Therelease of endorphins duringanimalencounterscanalsohelpinrelievingpain. A survey done in 1996by Therapy Dogs International,

Why do pets have suchan effect on us? Researchersfeel there aremultiple reasonsto explain this. Pet owners(especially children) seem tohavemoreempathy forothers.They learn to care for othersin addition to themselves. Forpatients that are mentally ill,it has been shown that havinga pet allows them to focus onotherthingsaroundthembesidejusttheirownproblems. Nurturing skills areessential throughout life butthey are a skill that must belearned.Petownershaveshowntremendous skill in nurturing,whichtheyarethenabletopassontheirchildren.Childrenwhohavenotlearnednurturingfromtheir parents can learn it formcaring for pets in the home.In addition, the affection wereceive from our pets providesforournurturingneedsaswell. Animals can provideemotional safety. Peopleoftensee their pets as their securityblanket because they provideunconditional love.Theyacceptuswithoutrulesandloveusnomatterwhatmoodweareinorhowwelook.Ithasbeennotedthatananimal’spresenceintheroom during a therapy sessioncan allow for the patient’semotional resistance to belessened. Physical contact is veryimportant for our well being.Pets, especially those wholove to be groomed or petted,provide a tremendous sourceof physical contact. For somepeople,thetouchreceivedfromothers is not acceptable andthey feel as if their personal

Inc. showed that of the 200participating facilities 63.5%showed an increase on physicalmovement/mobility directlyrelated to therapydogvisits. Italso showed a 17% decrease inblood pressure, 80% increasein alertness, 86% increase inverbalization and socialization,anda92%increaseswerefoundinpositivemoodalterations. In the same study,respondents were asked if thevisitsprovidedanybenefittothestaff.Thefollowinganswersweresupplied:thetherapydogscheerstaff and give them a lift; bringaboutbettermoral;reducestressby breaking routine; occupyresidents; create a therapeuticenvironment; increasecommunication/socializationbetween staff and patients;and staff can enjoy patients’reactions, providing staffwith afeelingofhopefulness. cont’d on next page


Whenfirst introducedintheUS,mostAnimalAssistedTherapieswereusedinconjunctionwithothertreatmentsforthosewithmentalillness.Todaythathasgrownandpettherapyisusedinnursinghomes,hospitals,acute care facilities, day care centers, prisons, assisted living facilities,etc. Notallanimalsqualifyforpettherapyprograms,especiallythoseinhealthcarefacilities.Theseanimalsmusthavealloftheirinoculationsuptodateandbehealthyoverall inordermakecontactwithpatientssafe.Inaddition,animals,especiallythoseusedinthehome,shouldbematchedupwiththeirowner’spersonalities.Ownerswholiketobeveryactivemaynotbenefitfromapetthatislaidbackandlovestosleepallday.Infact,connectingwithsuchananimalmayprovidemorestressforthepatientthangood. Theanimals,ifusedinhealthcarefacilities,shouldbepettherapycertified.Thereareseveralagenciesthatprovidesuchaprogram.OneisTheDeltaSociety(www.deltasociety.org)andanotherisTherapyDogsInternational(www.tdi-dog.org).Therearealsomanylocalorganizationsyoucanfindonthewebforpettherapyprograms.

space is being invadedor violated. Those sameindividuals experiencea completely differentreality when physicallyinteracting with animals.They tend to feel safeandwelcomethecontact.Animals provide a non-threatening environmentfor them. This non-verbal connection can beinvaluable to the healingprocessofanabusedchildoradult. Most importantly,animals and pets providecompanionship. Thissimple gift may heal thebrokenheartofanelderlywoman who just lost herspouse or comfort anadult who feels lonelyand lacks significantcommunication/relationswith the outside world.Unconditional love andcompanionship areessentialtotheemotionalwellbeingofanindividual. When did pettherapy (also known asAAT or Animal AssistedTherapy) begin? It isbelieved that it began ina city in Belgium in the19th century where anassisted living programdesigned for people withdisabilities. Itencouragedcaring for animals on afarm to help develop/improve social, physical,and emotional skills.

Better Than Medicine!

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LynAnn Edelman, RNis a registered nurse (and animal lover). She is currently working on her Reiki Masters and her MSN in

Holistic Nursing. She is Chairman of the Saddle Brook Relay For Life 2011, a division of the American Cancer Society.

Diamond and Dude


Dr. Tomatis found a connectionbetween the voice, the ear,and the brain. In 2004, at theAcoustical Society of America,Davis-Kalugin reported twoadditional laws known as The Davis Addendum® to the Tomatis Effect2. These laws state thattheearemitsthesamestressedfrequenciesasthevoice,furtherverifyingaconnectionbetweenthevoice,theear,andthebrain.The action of the continuoussound transference systemwasfirstidentifiedbythese5laws.Davis developed The Tree of Sound Enhancement Therapy®afterstudyingthemajorsound-based therapies. The Tree incorporates the 5 laws andprovides a developmental flow

chart for the administrationof sound-based therapies. Asound-based therapy isdefinedas the use of some form ofsoundvibrationthatimpactsthebody using special equipment,programs, modified music,and/or specific tones/beats,theneedforwhich is identifiedwith appropriate testing4.Davis further established atest battery, The Diagnostic Evaluation for Therapy Protocol (DETP®), which identifies if,when, how long, and in whatorder any of the many sound-basedtherapiescansupporttheperson toward better balance.The entire process is based onthevoice-ear-brainconnection.

The Tree of Sound Enhancement Therapy The ear takes in sound,sendsittothebraintointerpretand use, and the voice istrained to become the bodystabilizer. It is this voice-ear-brain connection that supportsthe interpretation of The Tree of Sound Enhancement Therapy.TheTreeiscomprisedof the Root System, the Trunk,the Leaves and Branches,and Body Maintenance. TheRoot System relates to one’ssense of hearing, specifically 4issues that impact one type ofhearing hypersensitivity. TheTrunk relates to general soundprocessing skills that includemovement, coordination,language skills, socialconnectedness, oral motorskills, and more, as well ashearingandlisteningskills.TheLeaves and Branches relatesto specific auditory processing

Tune Up Your Body With

Sound Therapyby Dorinne Davis

Your body is like anorchestra playing a continuoussymphony. But is theaudience(theworldaroundyou)listeningtothesymphony?Orisyourbodyresponding to the audience’senergy?Thecellsofyourbodyemit and respond to sounds.Eachcellisaninstrumentplayingits own note. Sometimes theinstruments are out of tuneand need to be ‘tuned up’.Your body, as a collection ofmusicians, isalso influencedbythe audience’s response, andwillplayitssymphonybetterandintunebasedontheresponse. Thecellsofthebodytakeinsoundandgiveoffsound.Thisprocess is known in physics asKirchhoff’s principle and statesthat the energy (or frequencyin this case) absorbed by thecells is identical to the energy(or frequency) emitted by thecellswhenexcited . There is acontinuousenergy,orfrequencytransference system, in ourcells. Frequency is sound, soacontinuous sound transferenceoccurs within all of our cells.When this transference isoptimally balanced, the bodyis in balance/harmony, and ‘intune’.

Laws of Sound Stimulation The concept that thebody functions best when itssound stimulation system is inbalancewasoriginallyidentifiedby Dr. Alfred Tomatis, a FrenchEar,Nose,andThroatphysician.In1957,attheFrenchAcademieof Science, three laws, whichbecame known as The Tomatis Effect2, were established.These laws state that the voiceproduces what the ear hears. cont’d on next page


SummarySound-based therapies help the body self-heal.They help the body find the balance betweenbeing in tune and being discordant. The DETPtakestheguessworkoutofdecidingwhichtherapyismostappropriateandguidesthepersontowardsimprovedbalanceandwellness.

Copyright©davis2005-----------------------------------------1Davis D. Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy. KalcoPublishing,LLC.Landing,NJ,2004,p30.2Tomatis, A.A.The Conscious Ear: My Life of Transformation through Listening.Barrytown,NY:StationHillPress,1991.3Davis-Kalugin,D.S.The Davis Addendum to the Tomatis Effect,AcousticalSocietyofAmericaAnnualConference,SanDiego,CA.,November2004.4DavisD.S.How Sound-based Therapy Can Help the Isodicentric 15 Individuals. Schaumberg, IL: Isodicentric 15 and otherChromosomalImbalancesConference.June24,2005.5DavisD.Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy.KalcoPublishing,LLC,Landing,NJ2004

skillslikememory,discrimination,andsequencing,aswellasacademicskillslikereading,handwriting,andspelling.TheBody MaintenanceofTheTreerelatestoone’swellness,orhowwellthepersonsupportsthegrowthandlongevityofTheTree. The Diagnostic Evaluation for Therapy Protocol (DETP®) follows The Tree analogy andprovides guidance in the administration of theappropriate sound-based therapy to support anindividual towards positive change. All sound-basedtherapiesarenotalike. ThefoundationofDavis’totalpersonapproach,theDETP,supportsmaximumlearningthroughmaximumwellness.

Types of Therapies There are many sound-based therapies.Each has an appropriate time and place on TheTree.NamessuchasBerardAuditoryIntegrationTraining, the Tomatis® Method, Fast ForWord®,InteractiveMetronome®,TheListeningProgram®,BioAcoustics®, and Samonas™ are just a few.Davis, in her book, Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy5, discusses each therapy and suggeststheirappropriateapplication.

Tune Up Your Bodycont’d

Dorinne Davis Iis the President/Founder of The Davis Center, Succasunna, NJ, the world’s

premier sound therapy center. For more information, please visit

www.thedaviscenter.com.

MEMBERS CLUB OFFER:15% discount

Photography © Dawn J. BenkoA whitemarked tussock caterpillar plays cat and mouse with a tiny spider

near “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest, Branchville, NJ.


Where are the wild places?Bulldozed by greed traded for concrete, glass and brick,noise and neglect Unnatural vistas flood the wild placesremoving all traces of nature's beauty

Rabbit holes and beaver dams,black bears and innocent deer,grassland and wildflowers,herbs and treesReplaced with progress,with depravity

Spirit devas weepat human arrogancea cancer spreading upon the face of the Earthlike leprosyPray for redemption strike down the artificial god, andbring back Nature's WayCopyright © 2007 Sarah M. Collins

22MARCI™

Wild Places by Sarah Collins

Sarah’s book of poetry, Soul Perception: Exploring the Nature of Reality, Love & Illusion Through Poetry is due later this year from New Pathways Press. Visit www.NewPathwaysPress.com for more info.

Fall 2010

Finding Your Strength

by Lisa Nichols

When you’ve beenknocked down in life, justgetting from one day to thenextseemstotakeeveryounceofenergyyouhave.Sohowdoyoufindtheextrastrengthyouneed to pick yourself up andmoveforward? Firstofall,quit focusingonwhat knocked you down inthefirstplace.Don’tholdontoold stories. You already knowwhathappenedtoyouthefirsttimeyourheartwasbrokenorthefirsttimeaparenthurtyou. The what can be momordadoraformerspouse.Thewhatcanbeapoordecisionyoumade. When you focus on it,yougivemorelifetoit,makingitbigandgrand. After I left an abusiverelationship I talked upmy ex-fiancé.Italkedupmyfearofhimand made myself even moreafraid. When I traveled to thestatehehadmovedto,Istartedtohyperventilate–sevenyearsaftertheexperience! Imadehimsohuge.Hewas already 6-foot 9-inches,andImadehim9-foot,9-inchestall!But you can shrink the what.Here’show… Visualize the person,thing,oreventthatknockedyoudown as a balloon. Blow it upreallybig,andlabelit.Visualizeholdingitinyourlefthandanda shiny stickpin in your righthand. Gentlypoptheballoonsotheairseepsoutniceandslow.Visualize it getting smaller andsmalleruntilyou’vecompletelyshrunk thewhat that knockedyoudowninthepast.

The second thing youcando tofindyour strength isto simply recognize that youcannot go and find what youalreadyhave. ThisisnotanEasteregghunt.Youdon’thavetosearchfor it – you already have thestrengthyouneedwithintogetbackup.Useit. Finally, remind yourselfof your true worth. Whenyou’ve been knocked down,it’s easy to settle for what’shappening instead of for whatyoureallydeserve. I know this intimately.I had settled for an abusiverelationship.ForthreemonthsIwasinthevalley,andmybodyfeltsoweakIdidn’tknowhowto climb out. I was stressedand had the shakes. I crieduncontrollably.Mysonwasonlythree years old.His lifewas indanger,andIdidn’tknowwhat

todo.Ididn’tknowhowtogetbacktome. So I began to remindmyself of my birthright andwhoIwas. Ibegantoseekoutpeople who inspired me suchas Maya Angelou. I began touse affirmations to remindmyselfofwhoIwasandwhatIdeserved... My past does not equal my future. It’s my birthright to experience healthy love. I have the right to feel good about me. If it doesn’t serve me then it can’t stay in my space. Never forget your ownworth. It will give you thestrength you need to get backupagain.

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!

www.Lisa-Nichols.com


Our Fragile Ecosystem

What will it take for all of us to take a good look at what we are doing to damage our environment, our planet, and our oceans? Clearly, it is the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Will we Americans or any citizen of our planet be horrified enough to downsize our consumer lifestyle and consider buying hybrids? I interviewed a handful of young citizens and asked them to give me their thoughts and feelings on the oil spill.

Noah Brown, age 6: “I think this is the worst thing that ever happened on our planet and if we don’t stop the oil spill, all of our oceans will be oil and not water. I’m afraid all of the sea creatures are going to be dead and lost forever. I think the plants will be dying too and that’s really sad to me.”

Jadon Mutz, age 9: “It’s a horrible thing what people are doing to our eco system. I am so sad that the ocean is an unhealthy environment for the animals. There are lots of people who lost their jobs, like fishermen. We need to help and do everything possible to clean our ocean!”

Catherine Brown, age 13: “I was so sad when I first heard about the oil spill. I couldn’t watch it or read about it and just hoped it would be stopped. I first saw a picture of one of the birds with oil on it and it hurt my heart. Our water needs to stay pure and available and this can’t happen ever again.

We have to do everything we can to speak out and make sure backup plans are ready or find other ways of finding safe energy.” Kerri Yezuita, a guidance counselor and environmentalist, leads an environmental club for a middle school in Hamburg, NJ. She also leads for the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. Protecting the water systems is a favorite cause of the students in Yezuita’s environmental club, which has been around for 15 years. Each year, they walk down the Wallkill River to test the water quality. In May of this year, her environmental club worked together with the Hamburg PTA and the Glee Club to raise funds by having a car wash. Profits earned were used to ship hair collected through local hair salons, to be used as mops to soak up oil from the oil spill. Similar efforts need to be continual. We as a conscious collective entity must realize that we are in dire straits and do what we can to improve conditions caused by this devastation to our ecosystem.



A study, from agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Department of the Interior, says that of the total amount of oil that was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, (estimated to be 205.8 million gallons) there is stated to be just 26 percent remaining in the water, either on or just below the surface. That means, if this is accurate, 74 percent of the oil that leaked from the well has been collected, dispersed or evaporated, according to a government report released. How realistic is this finding? As citizens of this planet, as Americans, or even just a society governed by leaders and “democracy”, is it enough to accept? I continue to ask younger generations of their perspective on these issues and hope that devastations like this one will result in a more compassionate humanity where life in every level of our existence weighs more than the monetary profits that drive this country.


Visit us on the web at www.projectplanet.us.

Project Planet Network™- Together we can heal the planet. Our decisions

today are tomorrow’s reality. Let’s create a world that heals our bodies,

our oceans, our animals, and our Earth.

Ana Marie Presti is a Reiki Master /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 Network™, an environmental group that focuses on mentoring and supporting schools in achieving sustainability by developing

an environmental board.

Kerri Yezulta’s environmental group fundraiser

Professionalism Aside…

Are you a Professional Artist? That question stirs a wide mix of emotions in most creative people. In this society, we tend to attach rigid specifications to that title, even if they vary from person to person. Some stand by their degrees, accolades, and positions in academia to prove their status. Others refer to their history of exhibitions, performances and sales. From the starting gate, this mass of “professionalism” begins to build…

Before we know it, as artists, we can be dragging around a huge ball and chain from home to the studio, to social gatherings, to work. The idea of professionalism starts to leave its particular aroma on your creations and your conversations. We might take fewer risks in fear of jeopardizing our reputations. In essence, we can easily become relics of the bold statements that gained us recognition in the first place.

Watching a talented, creative spirit give up or be prevented from pursuing their inspiration are the most tragic events in the field of artmaking. However, this “professional atrophy” is nearly as sad and just as common. So many who fall in love with creation as children and make many sacrifices to follow their dreams and passions become overly serious and heavy as adults. They create strong definitions and categories for their work and stop painting outside the lines.

Is there a way to shake up our artists, give them the space and the support they need to be young and playful again? It is clear that art is an extension of our

Creative Artswith Beth Ann Morrison

Column

childhood explorations, seasoned by experience and the deeper realities seen through older eyes. But so many “Professional Artists” adamantly deny this connection, as if the mere admission would cause the world to discount their work as that of toddlers’.

Can we bring artmaking out under the sun and breathe life and joy into it again? …Blow off the dust of study and criticism to find something new and fresh? Can we relax and release all of those weighty expectations? And play! Just play! See where it takes you. Allow others in. Come together, let it grow. Dissolve those old ideas of separation and ownership and let creation surpass your collective limitations…

It is a dream that starts with each one of us. If you would like to play a part in blending artmaking deeper into everyday life, I’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Enjoy your intuition!

Beth Ann Morrison lives and works in Jersey City, NJ. She has shown her artwork extensively in New

York City, New Jersey, and Maryland over the last ten years. Ms. Morrison received a grant from the Puffin Foundation in 2007 as well as a residency at Aferro

Gallery. She holds a BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art and currently serves as Vice President

of Admissions for the Sculptors Guild.

MARCI™ Fall 201027

Column

The Art of Arrangement

Most of you are familiar with the 12 signs of the eastern zodiac, but how many of you are familiar with the 5 animals of Form school?

Form school was originally used for finding suitable burial sites for ancestors, as this was believed to have a direct affect on wealth and fortune. Form school Feng Shui evaluates your property to see if appropriate landforms are in place, so you will have great support to live a prosperous life.

What are the favorable animal symbols/landforms we look for?

1. Yellow SnakeThe Snake is at the center. It is your home. It represents the element Earth and is a practical animal that stays alert and is aware of what is surrounding it.

2. Black Turtle The Turtle represents the direction North and the element Water. This animal is protection from behind. It is the energy of the mountain and gives support, like the shell on the turtle’s back. A home should have a hill or group of trees, or another building or a fence that will protect it from the back.

3. Green DragonThe Dragon represents the East and the element Wood. It sits to the left of the Snake as you look out the front of your property and allows prosperity to be captured and held in place. This can take the form of a hill, a building, or a large boulder. If you do not find any of these land forms you may want to plant a tree to create your Dragon.

Feng Shuiwith Michelle Zanoni

4. White TigerThe Tiger is associated with the element Metal and the West. A building, a fence, a tree, or a hedge may represent the Tiger. If the Tiger is higher than the Dragon (left) this will be better for the female; if it is lower it is better for the male. It is best for the Dragon to be higher than the Tiger as the Dragon brings in opportunity and the Tiger watches over it.

5. Red PhoenixThe direction of the Phoenix is South and the element is Fire. The Phoenix represents a clear view out the front of your home. You do not want a structure in front of your home to block your view, or to keep the chi from finding you.

Check your property to see if you have the proper Feng Shui animals in place.

Happy hunting!

Michelle Zanoni has been practicing and teaching Feng Shui for several years, creating change for her

clients. She uses her intuitive abilities along with her creativity to enhance her clients’ surroundings. Michelle brings years of experience to this refined

art and science in a warm, compassionate way.Contact Michelle at mzanoni@optonline .net.


Column

Can Dogs Be Canine Diffusers?

According to Wikipedia.com, aromatherapy is defined as “a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person’s mood, cognitive function, or health.” Nowhere does it mention use for animals.

Do you think oils can be used for our furry friends? Well, that depends. It depends on whether you are using the purest, therapeutic-grade essential oils or if you settle for low grade oils that are typically sold in the market. Low grade oils are often diluted with chemicals, synthetics, and fillers. As a certified clinical aromatherapist, I only recommend essential oils made by Young Living. They hold the most stringent purity and efficacy standards in the industry. I would not trust my beloved pets’ health to anything less than the best.

I have two wonderful Shih Tzu doggies: Holly and Rocco (pictured). Imagine a lively puppy who’s ready to play vs.

Aromatherapywith Christina Santiago


Holly occasionally experiences some pain and limping from stiffness in her joints. Rocco has had a stomach upset from chewing on who knows what. Plus, we may have Shih Tzu mania a.k.a. bark-a-thon or royal rumble. Then, there’s keeping them safe from fleas and ticks. How do we do it in our household? We ONLY use aromatherapy.

Here are some oils that may help your dogs (consult your vet and an aromatherapy professional): PanAway™, Lavender, and Peppermint for joint stiffness and/or arthritic conditions – apply directly by layering in the area of pain. Oils can be diluted with a pure, organic olive oil or V-6 mixing oil. For smaller dogs, use less oil. Raindrop Technique™ can also be helpful. For stomach upset, dilute a dab of Peppermint oil and/or a dab of DiGize™ on the belly. For hyperactive dogs, it’s Peace & Calming™ to the rescue or Harmony™ applied to their back and rubbed throughout their upper body. This calms the barking and hyperactivity. Shih Tzu mania over in less than 20 seconds! Lastly, we have stopped using chemical flea/tick repellants on our dogs because of the negative side effects. Instead, we use Purification™ or Melrose essential oils. These oils have worked effectively and are recommended by the past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Christina M. Santiago, CHBC, CCA is a holistic health educator, Certified Clinical Aromatherapist

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

his big sister who takes it easy and is not interested in having her ear nibbled. Animals can also benefit from oils for relaxation, pain management, immune system support, etc.

As for dogs as canine diffusers… we’ve applied Lavender oil to Holly’s tail. She’s always happy and her tail is constantly wagging.

Voilà, a canine diffuser!

© Santiago 2010

Holly, age 12 (left) and Rocco, age 2 (right)

Natural Choices for Your Pet

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in the products you routinely use on your pets? Most contain chemicals and substances you’ve probably never heard of. Just as awareness is being raised regarding the use of chemicals in human products, it is also a concern for our earthly companions.

Flea and tick collars, shampoo, and other grooming aids and even the toys we give our animals may contain hazardous chemicals that can negatively impact our pet’s health. Over the years, many illnesses such as cancer have been on the rise in domestic animals. Why should this be? It seems that almost everything today contains some type of health risk for our pets because of the chemical components. Why not trade the synthetic products for herbal or natural, organic ones? What about cleaning supplies? When your pet has an accident, try a natural cleanser before reaching for your typical cleaner. Or you might just use old-fashioned baking soda and water!

And don’t forget the health hazard for your precious pet when chemical fertilizer is used in the yard. Not only can it make your pet sick (vomiting, over-salivating), it can attack your pet’s nervous system and could even result in a fatality. Organic fertilizers make good health sense and are environmentally friendly.

Most dog and some cat owners protect their pets from heartworm by giving a monthly dose of medicine prescribed by the vet. However, there are herbal alternatives that are not toxic to the animal and do not put unnecessary stress on the liver and kidneys. Many holistic vets favor this route.

There are also alternative flea treatments using non-toxic, natural compounds. Flea collars and other

Natural Healthwith Sarah Collins

synthetic flea medicines leave chemical residue on the body and can have long term health consequences.

Natural, organic food is a hot topic in the pet industry. Companies tout their latest products promising better health for your animal. Many (but not all) over promise and under-deliver where ingredients are concerned. Get in the habit of reading the labels of any pet food you are considering. Many still contain gluten (can add on the pounds if you’re not careful), animal by-products (yuck!) and often have hard-to-pronounce synthetic additives. Dogs and cats do well on a raw food diet including raw vegetables. For other species, consult a veterinarian that cares for the particular animal.

If you want the very best for your pet, talk to your vet about alternative remedies. And don’t forget to educate yourself; the internet is full of practical health tips for those who prefer an organic, natural lifestyle for their pets.

Sarah M. Collins iembraces all forms of natural healing. She specializes in energetic and

vibrational therapy called Natural Force Healing®. It’s great for animals too! Visit her website at

www.WellnessCareToday.com.

Her book The Little Guide to Big Changes: 6 Steps to Creating Lasting, Positive Change in Your Life is

available online at www.Amazon.com, www.BarnesAndNoble.com and also at

www.TheLittleGuideToBigChanges.com. Her book is the Award Winner in the Self-Help category

of the 2010 International Book Awards, and is an Award Winning Finalist in the

Spirituality (Inspirational) category of the 2010 International Book Awards.


Column

Photo courtesy of Hillysphotos.com

A little more appreciation please! You and I have been blessed with a truly miraculous body and more often than not, we take it for granted, not feeding it the raw materials it needs to keep doing its job of maintaining excellent health.

Every day our body removes toxins we breathe, ingest, and create in the process of living. The liver, kidneys, intestines, skin, and lungs work to break down and repackage toxins so they can be eliminated safely.

Watch for these signs of toxic overload.

Heavy metal signs: fatigue, headaches, joint pain, arthritis, poor memory, poor co-ordination, muscle weakness, numbness/tingling in hands and feet, arthritis, learning disabilities, ADHD, seizures, behavioral disorders, hypertension, emphysema, rashes, excess saliva.

Pesticides, herbicide, and plastics create hormone disruption: PMS or menopausal symptoms, fertility issues, miscarriage, birth defects, cancers, nerve damage, BPH, skin problems. Reduce exposure by buying mostly organic produce and free range animal protein, not microwaving in plastic, not drinking from plastic bottles, and avoiding exposure to lawn chemicals or insecticides.

Overgrowth of intestinal yeast and bacteria: Abnormal body odor, bad breath, indigestion, bloating, coated tongue, and brittle nails.

Fasting, juicing, dry brushing, saunas, and sweat lodges are traditionally used to help speed up detox of accumulated toxins weekly, monthly, or seasonally.

Improve your body’s ability to detox daily by making powerful food choices: F Eat organic foods whenever possible to minimize the toxic load.F Drink plenty of filtered or spring water daily to help

Eat Right…Feel Right

with Judith Gisser

flush toxins from the liver and kidney and to prevent constipation.F Further avoid constipation by including 25-35 grams of fiber a day in your diet. This is easy if you eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Healthy bowel function is critical in eliminating toxins from the body before they can be re-absorbed.F Lemon and lime, garlic, onions, rosemary, and green tea increase the enzymes the liver needs to do its job.F Beets and apples actually absorb heavy metals and other toxins.F Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and bok choy are powerful cancer protectors, because they improve the functioning of liver detoxification.F Bitter green vegetables increase bile production which the liver uses to wrap up toxins.F Love your Romaine lettuce, arugula, watercress, endive, broccoli rabe, and dandelion leaf.F Increase fruits and vegetables to 8-12 servings (1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw) daily to provide the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that support detoxification. Extra benefits may include weight loss, reduction of hypertension, and regular elimination.

Consider me your “Nutrition Maven”. Send all your emails with successes and challenges to

[email protected].

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.

973.625.3169www.judithgisser.com


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Calling us into Life Together, Kicking and Screaming

She looked at me, pain dripping from her eyes saying, “I wasn’t meant to have children, and I have two. I already have two.” I just breathed, in and out, knowing her pain but also knowing she was wrong. Not her pain, her pain was true. But about her not having children, because I know she was meant to have children, those exact two children, just the way she did. Softly I encouraged her to feel into where she was, the overwhelming-ness of her responsibility, the depth of the feelings her

Conscious ParentingAge 13 & Underwith Beth Haessig


Column

Photography © Dawn J. BenkoA lioness and her cub, Tanzania

compassion, more ease, more trust, more peace, more forgiveness. Her tears fell on her cheeks but they entered my heart and she felt more clear, in her remembering. “No, this is good – the way it is right now; I’m the mother of two children and that is a good thing.” I just breathed, in and out, feeling the brightness of her truth, the way she felt it, kicking and screaming.

Beth L. Haessig, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and a Core Energetics

practitioner (body-centered psychotherapy). As a holistic

psychologist, she works experientially through movement, breath, and

mindfulness, to help children and families cope with the 21st century challenges

we face in our mind/body/behavior. For more information, see www.BethHaessig.com

or sign up for her newsletter at [email protected].

children beckon.

Our children call us into life itself, so violently, so peacefully, kicking and screaming. Relationships, whether they’re with our children, our cats, our birds, or our dogs, call us into the breathtaking ache of being alive, with both the pleasure and the pain, the love and the hate, the grief and the joy.

When are we going to let go of the angst and the struggle of this fact? Or is this struggle part of the journey? I don’t know. All I know is this – our children grow us as much as we grow them, but we fight with our growth just as they sometimes fight with theirs. We say, NO MORE PAIN! We stomp our feet down deep into our homemade ruts, hopefully hiding us from life. But our love pulls us out again, and again, and again, challenging us to look at ourselves and them differently – with more

Animals can be a wonderful and therapeutic way for kids, especially teenagers to learn compassion, empathy, and responsibility. It is important as parents, to model compassionate behavior toward all animals in order for our children to follow. This starts with our diets, to our attitudes, and then our action.

One of the best things you can do to help animals is to stop eating them. Animals on factory farms suffer terribly before they are presented to us in neat little packaging in our grocery stores. Many parents feel their kids will not get the right nutrition from a vegetarian diet but that is simply not true. It’s important to do the research and learn how children can benefit physically, emotionally, and environmentally by becoming vegetarians.

Parents can do their part in encouraging healthier and humane choices and so can schools. 12 states are now promoting Humane Education and passing laws requiring humane education in the classroom. What is humane education? According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), humane education follows these five basic tenets:

1. It helps prevent violence and helps students apply the concepts of respect and kindness toward animals in their own lives. 2. It helps students understand current and past social justice movements. 3. It empowers students to realize that they can make a positive difference in their communities and the world around them. 4. It motivates young people – who are naturally fond of animals – to become involved in a cause that they care about. 5. It could change a student’s life… and maybe even your own!

Think of our beautiful planet and our amazing children. Imagine YOU are capable and powerful enough to help our planet, promote better health for ourselves and our children by simply making humane choices and saying no to eating animals! It’s time and it’s possible!

Jordan Brown is a Psychotherapist, Empowerment Coach, and owner of Full Circle Counseling in Lincoln

Park, NJ. Jordan is the Director of an In-Home Intensive Therapy Program for families in crisis

throughout Passaic and Essex County. Jordan is the founder/facilitator of a Women’s Empowerment

meet-up on www.meetup.com and has also started www.JordanBrownInspires.com and

www.TheSuccessCircles.com.Jordan can be reached at

[email protected].

Conscious ParentingAge 13 - 19

with Jordan Brown


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Photography © Dawn J. BenkoAn olive baboon baby hitches a ride on its

mother’s back in Serengeti park

There Are Those That Need YOU Now: Even in Dunkin Donuts!

“But whatever stage he is in, there are patients who need him just that way. They cannot take more than he can give for now.” -A Course In Miracles, Psychotherapy Purpose and Practice

I love the above quote from A Course In Miracles. Often, many of us are frustrated by our limitations or by our lack of progress and growth in certain areas of our life. It can be difficult at times to find meaning in our lives at such times, and we all can be susceptible to getting down on ourselves. As stated above, however, although that might upset us at times, there are people that need us just as we are right now! How touching and inspiring! There are people out there that need help, and we may be the answer to their prayer, even an unrecognized one, specifically because we have our limitations; our limitations are a blessing that God and the Universe can use along with our gifts. Some people could not relate to us if we were further along.

If we wait until we are wildly successful to feel that we can start making a difference with our words and wisdom, we will be waiting a long time. It is through them that we grow and transform because we are, in essence, helping ourselves. I remember there was a period of time in my life that I was down on myself for not being further along in certain aspects of my life. I had been praying, journaling, meditating, and doing deep contemplation about it. Shortly after, I was sitting in Dunkin Donuts with a friend when the man sitting next to me leaned over, saw my business card on the table, and began speaking to me about his life. He told me how he had been on disability for some time, been living in a boarding house, was a recovering alcoholic, and had been living alone for 15 years. He said he often found it hard to go on everyday and how he felt very alone; his family had practically disowned him. He asked for my opinion and for any feedback.

As I spoke, words came out of my heart through my mouth that I needed to hear for my own life. I felt myself being uplifted in the process and felt a change in my physiology. I knew that this was God’s way of reminding me to remember that there are those that need me “just as I am”, and that remembering this is one of the major tickets to my own growth and healing. As we teach, we learn; as we heal, we are healed. God will work with us and through us, and help us learn, grow, and heal in the process. It says in many of the great spiritual texts that we will not know what we have “until we give it”. We will not know the many answers that have been waiting for us to our problems and dilemmas until we give them to others; then we can learn from our own wisdom, as I did in Dunkin Donuts that day.

Justin Buffer is a Certified Professional & Transformational Life Coach, and the owner of Pure

Truth Life Coaching, LLC, a personal life coaching and consulting company. Justin is the author of the forthcoming book titled “Any Day Inspiration” about

ways to inject spiritual principles into everyday living. You can learn more about his upcoming workshops based

on the ideas in the book, and sign up for his inspirational newsletter at his website

www.justinbuffer.com. He has an office in Raritan, NJ and also does phone

consultations. He can be reached at [email protected].

Everyday Spiritualitywith Justin Buffer


Column

Recently, residents of Brooklyn, New York held a vigil in Prospect Park for four hundred geese who had been exterminated without forewarning in an attempt to control the city goose population, which was a supposed threat to air traffic safety.

The vigil was attended by, among others, the borough president and a New York senator, both of whom were shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of the geese. Activists for humane treatment of animals condemned the act as both cruel and unnecessary. While air safety is of course, of great importance, it’s questionable whether these resident geese posed any danger at all, and experts pointed out that there are many other, less painful ways that the population could have been controlled, starting last year, when it was decided that the population had exceeded comfortable limits.

While the loss of the geese is tragic, the fact that the story and the public outcry that ensued is popping up over and over again in the media is good news for geese and other wildlife everywhere as it signals an awareness among humans that animals of all kinds are important. While I think most people would agree with this simple fact, I also think it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by policies made by anonymous decision makers and helpless and alone in the face of the number and frequency of atrocities committed against animals.

Luckily, like the media coverage of the geese, recent releases, ranging from Louie Psihoyos’ documentary The Cove, to books like Charles Siebert’s The Wauchula Woods Accord and Paul Greenberg’s Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food bring the plight of animals to light, both exposing the damage that humans have done through careless interactions with the wild kingdom, and making a case for more thoughtful choices, from boycotting Sea World to deciding what to eat for dinner.

Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff’s book The Ten Trusts – What We Must Do for the Animals We Love sets forth these tasks for humanity:

1. Respect all life2. Live as part of the Animal Kingdom3. Educate our children to respect animals4. Treat animals as you would like to be treated5. Be a steward6. Value the sounds of nature and help preserve them7. Do not harm life in order to learn about it8. Have the courage of your convictions9. Act knowing that your actions make a difference10. Act knowing that you are not alone

In the 1920’s, writer and naturalist Henry Beston wrote in his book, The Outermost House that “we need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals”. I think the time is now, don’t you?

Here is the rest of the quote:

“Remote from universal nature, and living by complicated artifice, man in civilization surveys the creature through the glass of his knowledge and sees thereby a feather magnified and the whole image in distortion. We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”

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.

The petsitter with the holistic touch!www.bethlowell.com

973.960.6464

The Whole Petwith Beth Lowell

Column


When Broken Wings Took Flight

When I came home from a month-long vacation, I was pleasantly surprised by how much my butterfly bush grew. In a sunny spot in my backyard, it’s in full bloom, showing off its purple blossoms. I was admiring its beauty through the kitchen window, when I saw a huge butterfly landing on top of the bush. Being an avid photographer, even though feeling dazed from jet lag, I grabbed my camera and rushed outside. Despite my best effort not to startle the butterfly, it flew away as soon as I approached. I watched it fly away with its stunning wings, and said silently, “Hello butterfly! I will never hurt you. I just want to take your pictures because you are so beautiful.” I said that a few times, then waited.

I quieted my mind, closed my eyes, and just enjoyed the warm sun on my skin. When I opened my eyes, a big bumble bee on another flowering bush caught my eye, and I went over to take its pictures. Then, to my surprise, a humming bird showed up! This was only the second time in my life that I saw a humming bird, and I was overjoyed I had my good camera at ready! After the humming bird, I captured some great pictures of a spider, a dragonfly, and more bees. The butterfly came back once in a while, as if checking me out. Each time I greeted it silently, reassuring that I will not hurt it. However, as soon as I tried to take its picture, it fled.

“Oh well,” I thought to myself, “I’ve really enjoyed myself and got quite a few good shots this afternoon. I’m happy with or without the butterfly.” Moments later, the butterfly reappeared. This time, it flew past me and landed on top of the butterfly bush. It lingered just long enough for me to take a few pictures. “Thank you”, I said silently as it flew away gracefully.

When I looked at the pictures, I was astounded by what I saw. A good chunk of the butterfly’s wings was missing. It’s as if someone, or something, has ripped it off violently. What battle of survival has this little guy fought? I wonder. What courage and strength does it take to fly again? I bet when the butterfly took flight with the broken wings, it wasn’t thinking its wings were no longer perfect. We all have traumas and battle scars from the past. The question is, do you focus on the trauma and imperfection, or your strength and beauty?

Personal Development

Coachingwith Hueina Su

Hueina Su, MS, BSN, CEC, best-selling author of

Intensive Care for the Nurturer’s Soul: 7 Keys

to Nurture Yourself While Caring for Others, is an

internationally recognized expert helping people find the missing peace and balance in

their stressful lives.

She is on a mission to bring the message of Intensive Self-Care to one million women nurturers worldwide.

This article is adapted from her book. Visit www.IntensiveSelfCareBook.com

for FREE sample book chapters, bonus gifts, stress relief video e-course, and many resources.

Column


Does Your Sales Strategy Work?

Do you see yourself as a good sales person, an average sales person or a failing sales person?

No matter where you fall on the “sales scale” you most likely are trying to improve. Even the best sales people are working to increase their sales and sell more than they did last week or last month or last year. Basically, no matter how we are doing we still want more! The thing with sales is that even when you have the greatest day of your life, the next day you are back at zero, until you close that next sale. So, how do you improve?

You start at square one, right?

One is the best and worst thing about sales. Best, the goal is totally measurable. You can easily calculate exactly what you need to do in order to achieve your sales goal. To do this, work your way backwards from the goal to what you need to do to accomplish it. Do you need to make 100 calls per day to acquire one new client? Or do you need to talk with 10 new people to find that one new customer? Know your numbers! On the other hand, it is the worst because each day you are back to zero and climbing that mountain again to reach the top.

Constant Improvement is the name of the game. Everyone is behind us, wanting to see us keep rising up. Our employer, the owners, managers, and even our peers, each want us to excel. Training, coaching, books, self study, all lead to new skills, but when it comes down to it, it is just you and the prospect.

With everything that is being provided to us, with everything that we are reaching out for ourselves in our constant improvement program, how is it possible to

not close the sale, to not add new clients, to not make the mark? Several factors weigh in – we (ourselves) have become bored, complacent, and not action focused.

As time passes we fall into a trap of selling and we forget to serve the client. The selling trap doesn’t feel good to the client and results in poor results. We have made a MAJOR MISTAKE. We cannot use the same technique and strategy with every prospect or client. Each is unique and has unique situations that we need to address in our sales process.

Donna Price, President of Compass Rose Consulting, LLC, provides business coaching to small business owners,

business leaders, and work teams; using her experience as a senior level manager for 18+ years and extensive background working with people to achieve their goals.

Donna is a certified program leader of the innovative and successful Best Year Yet program and is the author of Launching Your Dream, Bizology.Biz: The Science of

Building Thriving Businesses, and contributing author to 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life.

For additional tips and strategies for increasing sales at:

www.morenewsalesnow.com/reportMore Information is available at:

[email protected]

973.948.7673

Business Coachingwith Donna Price

Column


One thing is almost certain: at some point we will all make a mistake or poor choice involving money. Given this probability, what reasonably follows is deciding what to do with the information and experiences generated by the event. I propose that the information be used to transform and grow in awareness and money savvy. While this may seem obvious it isn’t necessarily the course that is followed by most people.

Have you noticed in your own experience or someone else’s a consistent pattern of repeating poor financial decisions? An example might be getting out of debt only to relax vigilance on credit use and be plunged back onto it. These recurring patterns show a tendency to perform the same type of actions and hope for a different outcome.

My suggestion is to step back, look at what happened with an objective eye, not an emotional one. Look for the beginning of the pattern in experiences and actions leading up to the aforementioned money mistake. Was there an unreasonable belief that all would be well,

perhaps an inaccurate assessment of value or even a less than detailed or hasty job of research, in short an emotional based decision? These factors would indicate that the Innocent Archetype was predominant in this decision. If there was unnecessary or excessive risk involved then add the Fool Archetype into the equation as well. Look for other experiences with money that didn’t turn out well and see if there are parallels in the decisions and actions leading up to them. Finding and examining common patterns involved in less than satisfactory money decisions is empowering and a good start to avoiding them in the future.

Remember to be gentle during this process – being harsh and intolerant will keep the stress-based emotional process firmly in place and not allow useful information to be easily realized. Approach this exercise with the intension of finding useful information and deepening your understanding of money decisions and tendencies in your experience.

For more information or to schedule an appointment contact me by email at [email protected] or by phone at 862.268.4443.

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.

Money Coachingwith Tom Selkow

Column


Dear Jefferson,

I had a dream about my mother who passed away a few years ago. In the dream, I walked into a service counter area that faced into an open room with many people present. It looked like a nice place to have dinner. The counter was curved and seemed like light oak. I saw a woman putting something away in a closet behind the counter. I stared at her because she seemed like my mother, but something was different. Although she had my mother’s face, her hair was blonder, her lipstick more red, and she was wearing a grayish cardigan with large leopard spots and gold bangle bracelets. She was Mom, but flashier.

I said, “Mom?” and she answered “Yes!” while not stopping what she was doing. I was so happy to know it was her; we were both smiling. She sat down at the counter and we started communicating by telepathy. I knew that she was generating money. She couldn’t spend it because she’s spirit now, but it was OK for me

to spend it; there was no need for me to feel guilty. I had the impression that Mom was generating lots of money. Can you tell me what this means?

Thank you,Mary C., Brooklyn, NY

* * * * *Dear Mary,

The open room, the many people, and the nice place to have dinner all represent the banquet of life, so to speak. The service counter is to one side because it is the line between the physical plane and the etheric. It indicates that your mother is working on your behalf on the spiritual plane. The counter is oak for a few reasons. In Celtic mythology, it is the tree of doors, believed to be a gateway between worlds. In your dream, it symbolizes the opening for her to reach out to you and vice versa. Oak also symbolizes strength and endurance. I suspect your mom was a person of great character. And she is continually looking out for your well being.

The image of her putting something away in a closet behind the counter is an indication that her methods cannot be shown to you at this time. This may be an indication that if you did know, you might unwittingly interfere. For instance, if the method included help from a relative or friend, that relationship would come into play. She’s showing that it’s better that you don’t know how she is helping, just know that she is doing so.

You stare at her, recognizing your mother, but she is no longer the person you knew physically. She most likely



had blond hair because western culture typically sees angels as having golden hair. The imagery you describe of her outfit reminds me of a 1950’s starlet. You are seeing your mom as herself without her earthbound concerns so she is more free-spirited. Also, you used the term “flashier”, a flash being a brilliant white light. I’m sure you see the connection.

You acknowledge each other, and she continues her work, which is helping you. Her ability to sit at the counter with you indicates a strong connection between you. She is able to cross back over to sit with you. The telepathy accentuates this. Your mother in life was a hard worker, and continues to keep busy in the afterlife. But she is unfettered by it, and the residual is meant for you.

This can indicate money, but it can also be symbolic of other rewards, such as awareness or protection. She gives you permission to spend it and says there is no need to feel guilty, showing either you or her or both

have had worries about finances in the past. Money is a second chakra energy, so this could also be symbolic of your creativity or relationships. Whatever it may be, she is clearly on your side and helping you. What a blessing!

Copyright © 2010 by Jefferson Harman. All rights reserved. Printed by permission of the author. Image Credit – “Night Sailing” Copyright © 2010 by Jefferson Harman. Used by permission.

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. He offers workshops and private readings in Lucid Dreaming

and Overcoming Your Phobias. Jefferson is a recurring guest on “Life Unedited” with John Aberle, on WCHE Radio 1520 AM, in the Philadelphia area (listen live

at wche1520.com). He is developing a podcast, “Everyday Symbology”, with psychic medium and

certified hypno-therapist Patti Lehman discussing all things metaphysical. Jefferson is a

member of HMN and a practitioner at Peaceful Paths in Butler, NJ.

[email protected]


Fallout Expected From Seasonal Flu Vaccine Requirements

Every fall, parents hit the panic button as we try to deal with the onslaught of vaccines our children are required to receive for daycare, and for school. New Jersey’s parents are no strangers to their highest-in-the-nation vaccine mandates and more than half of us have reached our tipping point.

A recent Harris Interactive poll commissioned by the Center for Personal Rights (http://tinyurl.com/236aqyq) determined that 52% of parents with children under the age of 17 believe that we, not the government, own the right to decide which vaccines our children receive. This is no longer a fringe argument but a mainstream issue of personal rights.

This year, the H1N1 vaccine component will be included in the annual, seasonal flu vaccine. There will be no opt-out of H1N1 vaccine if you are required to have the shot. (http://tinyurl.com/yblr2nx) AND, if you have never received H1N1 before, you will be required to take two doses of the shot (http://tinyurl.com/2wxkd45).

Last year, a false pandemic was propagandized. People receiving the shot were more likely to contract H1N1 than those who did not. Countries across the globe balked at compulsory H1N1 programs or recalled them after they were implemented. Reports from around the world told of neurological disease and death following H1N1 vaccination. Prominent

scientists from several countries made serious inquiries into the safety and effectiveness of this novel vaccine. New Jersey is still the only jurisdiction on Earth to mandate seasonal flu vaccines.

NJ needs Conscientious Exemption now more than ever! NJCVC leaders are keeping the flame alive on Assembly Bill 2450 (formerly A260). This year, we have moved the bill out of the Assembly Health Committee and into the Assembly Education Committee where we have the co-sponsorship of 8 out of 12 committee members, including the Committee Chair. The bill will be posted for a committee hearing and vote soon. We will also be meeting with the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services to offer reforms to a broken system that fails to fully inform its citizens of vaccine risks. A formal request has been made of Governor Christie to fulfill his campaign promise to back NJ parents in vaccination choice. Coming this fall, the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice will host an all-day seminar and reveal itself as the State’s premiere resource for complete and truthful vaccination information.

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 [email protected]

Vaccine Safety and Vaccination Choice

with Maureen Drummond


“We Hold These Untruths to be Full of Doodoo”

The number of pages that make up the Health Care Reform bills that were signed into law are in the thousands. If you do a web search for “United States health care”, over 100 million results appear, many of which attempt to interpret the new laws. However, some of the supposed explanations of what is really in the new health care reform laws are actually huge misinterpretations. Unless you read the bill’s thousands of pages, while having a dictionary (a law degree may be helpful as well), it can be very difficult to know what the truth is amongst the millions of articles that are online. While the truth may not fully be understood until the laws are enacted and the general population lives with them, we do know of two important, fear-inciting untruths that are being spread by some of the most influential politicians and media sources in our country.

UNTRUTH: The health care bill provides for “euthanasia” or death panels.

Sarah Palin actually won “Lie of the Year” by Politifact.com for making this claim on her Facebook page. This untruth instilled tremendous fear, especially among the extremely ill and older populations who were worried their health care would be cut short due to expenses. It should be noted that Politifact.com is a non-partisan, Pulitzer Prize-winning website. A web search on this untruth leads to over 34 million hits, some of which say these panels exist.

UNTRUTH: Your health care will be rationed when the bill becomes law.

Over a year ago, Sean Hannity said on his Fox News show Hannity, “We’re gonna have a government rationing body that tells women with breast cancer, ‘You’re dead.’ It’s a death sentence.” The reality is that rationing happens now with our current system. It is still not uncommon to hear of a family member or friend being denied health care by their insurance company for whatever lame reason, including care that physicians feel is absolutely necessary to sustain life peacefully and comfortably. The new health care reform laws will make it illegal for insurance companies to drop your policy because you are sick. It will also be illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage due to a pre-existing condition. While technically this untruth was expressed before the passage of the health care reform bills, a web search on this untruth leads to over 6 million hits, many of which still debate this issue.

It is very easy to clutter the mind, and ultimately influence your beliefs, with misinformation from popular sources that may not always have the best intentions. Sources like Open Congress (www.opencongress.org) and Politifact.com remain your best bets for receiving and understanding the truth.

Susannah Pitman, MS, LAc is an acupuncturist with a private practice in Boonton, NJ. She

completed her Masters degree in New York City and has traveled to China and Japan to further her studies. She is a co-founder and Secretary

of Changing Health, Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to facilitating and maintaining affordable

acupuncture clinics for people in need.

To learn more about Susannah’s practice, visit www.balanceacupuncturecenter.com

or call 973.257.8924.

National Healthcarewith Susannah Pitman


Holistic Psychotherapy for Mental HealthAn interview with Dr. Beth L. Haessig, Psy.D.

“I envision a time when all practitioners consider the mind and body as one.”

CeCe: Dr. Haessig, what do you believe about mental health?

Dr. Haessig: As a practitioner in the field of mental health, I believe many traditional practices are very beneficial; but some

clients need newer interventions as well. Overall, I see that my job as a mental health professional is to help my clients “become who they are,” so they can flourish. I have seen that clients with a disconnection between “who they really are” with “how they are behaving” often results in unhealthy mental health.

And “who are they really?” I believe that every person is a manifestation of pure love and God. When someone doesn’t live from their true essence, they are full of stress and anxiety and sadness. This is the root that causes disease. It’s like asking an orange to be an apple, and you are going to be a very unhappy orange!

Is it a sickness? …absolutely not. Is it a disease? …no. My definition of mental health is becoming clear from the obstructions that keep you from “knowing who you are.”

CeCe: Back then… why did you pioneer integrative mental health?

Dr. Haessig: Originally, I started in the Peace Corp because I was interested in the field of Political Science. That all

changed when I volunteered in Honduras. I realized that the way to really “make changes with people”

was not through the broad political arena but through education. I decided to become a teacher.

As a teacher and also a mother of young children, I asked myself what I would love to do, in addition to taking care of them. My interest was not just in educating children, but helping them to flourish. This led to a 15-year career in mental health, beginning as a school psychologist. And since I’ve always had a voracious appetite for knowledge, I continued my own education in mental health with a doctorate in psychology.

CeCe: Present day… how have you evolved the practice of integrative mental health?

Dr. Haessig: As a licensed psychologist, I integrate what I learned in 8 years of graduate school at Rutgers with the 5

years I spent at Core Energetics Institute, a body-centered psychotherapeutic modality. I practice a problem-solving approach when working in schools, and practice more holistically using mind/body techniques when adults come to my office for psychotherapy.

I discovered Core Energetics by starting to work with a practitioner myself. Her skills so impressed me that I wanted to be trained to practice as she did. Just six months using a body-centered approach led me deeper into personal growth than four years of traditional talk therapy.

CeCe: What does the future of mental health look like to you?

Dr. Haessig: I envision a time when all practitioners consider the mind and body as one. I am trained in psychosomatics,

the study of the relationship between emotions



and disease. I envision mental health professionals working closely with medical doctors, to help patients understand what their body’s symptoms are trying to work out, emotionally... and to heal the whole person, instead of just placating and quieting the body’s voice.

Dr. Beth L. Haessig, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and certified Core Energetics practitioner. At her holistic psychotherapy practice in Denville, she integrates conventional mental health talk therapy practices with

complementary psychosomatic and energy therapies to heal through the mind-body connection. For more information, visit www.BethHaessig.com or call 973.627.5810.

Cecelia H. Inwentarz, MBA, RMT, Empowerment Marketer and Holistic Energist, creates “Positive Belief” and detoxifies painful emotions and anxiety, which helps stop stressful thinking. CHi Energy Therapy combines beneficial Reiki energy wisdom, rapid Diagnostic Coaching techniques utilizing Guided Kinesiology, and therapeutic Emotional Vibration Energy Therapy implementing a Bio-Resonance Scanner, a proven 21st century technology used by German naturopathic doctors over 35 years. For more information, visit www.CHiEnergyTherapist or call 973.879.2402.


Photography © Sean NicholsSquirrel Fish in Belize

understood the toll hisdeathtookonme;tothemhewasonlyabird. I then adoptedPatches, a tame babycockatiel.Initially,Patcheswaslikeanyotherpetwhowouldhangout,havemealswithme,andhavetherunofmyroomplayingonhisgym. Asyearspassed,hespentmostof thetime inhis cage mainly being apet who just needed meto change his food andwater, cover his cage atnight,andtakehimtothevetonetimeperyear. Allthistime, Ididnot realizemy love for him or howsmart he trulywas as I figuredhisbrainwasonlythesizeofapea.Everythingchangedintheblinkofaneyepriortohis13thbirthdayinSeptember2008. Life for me in 2008 wasdifficult. The symptoms ofmymental health conditions weresignificantly exacerbated as Istruggled to find purpose inmy life given circumstancesoccurringthroughoutmyworld.My depression continued toworsen and was not alleviatedby medication attempts thatwere failing due to extrememedicationsensitivities. Friday, September 19,

A Life-Saving Bond:

The Story of a Feathered Friend

and Humanby Bonnie Rosenthal

I would have neverthought getting a pet at 14yearsoldwouldturnintoalife-savingbond20yearslater.Itallbeganwith an agreementwithmy parents that if I got all A’sandB’s in school, I could get apet. A baby parakeet, Spunky,soon entered my life and wasanintegralpartforsevenyears.When Spunky died few people


remain inhis carrier. I refusedto leavehim inhis carrierwithlittlestimulationorobservationat home so Patches continuedtocometoworkeveryday. MyfamilyandIgotusedtoPatchesbeingwith us. Sixweeks laterPatches received clearance togointoacage;Irefusedtoleavehim alone in his cage at homeas had I not been homewhen

he initially was injured,he would have died. So,I ended up setting up hisold cage at work wherehe continued to comeevery day. Given thecircumstances, Patchesand I now had a strongbond. Patches beingwith me on a daily basiswas helping to decreasemy anxiety although mydepression continued toworsen. Although Patcheswing was 99% healed, Iknew something was stillwrong. I raised concernsbut we were not gettinganywhere with the vet.

On November 6th after 5 pm,I realized that Patches neededimmediatemedicalattention.IwastoldthatifIwantedtohelphim Iwould need to drive 1½hours to a major vet hospital.A family member said “you’rebetter off having quality timethan quantity time”. I refusedto accept that and took himfor treatment. I soon learnedhow gravely ill Patches was.By this time, Iwas questioningmypurposeinlifeexperiencingfurther depression. I did notknow how I would survivewithout Patches as he was

2008startedout likeanyotherday. Within seconds, this daybecamethecatalystforchange.Patches became significantlyinjured while in his cage. Animmediate trip to the vet wasmet with advice that Patchesbe observed for the day. Likeother days when he had beenat the vet, he spent timewithme at work in his carrier, hiscarrierbeingthesizeofasmalldog or cat kennel in which hewascomfortable.Overthenextweeks,hisopenwoundfailedtoheal causing him to bleed andbeinpainattimes.Thereweretrips to the vet, andhehad to


And uponmy recently reading the book about Alex, the famousparrot,Ilearnedthat“animalsthinkmorethanweknowandknowmorethanwethink”,asPatcheshasshownmemanytimes. Thankfully,a littleoveroneyearafterhiscrisesbegan,wecelebratedhis14thbirthdaywithfriendswhohelpedheandI togetthroughtheroughtimes. Currently, ithasbeenclosetotwoyearssincehiscrisesbegan.Patcheshealthremainsstablethankstowonderfulveterinarians,dailymedications,thelovehereceivesfrommyfamilyandme,aswellasourspecialbond. I now have a psychiatric service animal that I rely upon.Thelawofaserviceanimalisthattheymustbeabletoperformafunctionthatahumanbeingwouldnototherwisebeabletoperformforthemselves.IhavefoundthatonlydogsarereallyconsideredtobeofficialbutIknowthatPatchesperformsfunctionsformeonaconsistentbasis.IammetwithjudgmentaboutmyneedforhispresenceandthatdoeshurtmebutIknowthatmylittlefeatheredfriendhassavedmylifeonmorethanoneoccasion!PatchesandItraveltogethernowtoaidoneanotherandeducateothers. Never underestimate the power of what an animal, nomatterthekind,candotosaveaperson’slife.

Bonnie Rosenthaldevotes her life to helping others. As an American Red Cross instructor she teaches curriculums including Pet First Aid. She works with children who have special needs, is the founder and past-president of DBSA Succasunna, a member

of DBSA Speaker’s Bureau having been quoted by media sources, and has been a speaker at national conventions. No matter the

time or location, she is always teaching, advocating, and helping to improve the rights of persons living with physical, mental

and/or emotional disabilities.

Bonnie receives assistance through her psychiatric service animal, Patches, who travels her journey beside her. Thus,

Bonnie spends time educating people that other animals, besides dogs, are capable of performing functions to aid their humans.

Life-Saving Bondcont’d

the only thing that loved meand accepted me for whom Iwas and what I was with nonegative judgment, providingmeapurposeforliving.Patchesbegan taking daily medication.This did not mean that therewerenotemergenciesrequiringinterventions; people werejudgmental in terms of howmuchmoneyIwasspendingonhim, the fact that hewaswithmemostofthetime,andhowIwascaringforhim.Peoplealsotoldmethathehadlivedalongtime,anditwasokaytolethimgo.OnmorethanoneoccasionI verbalized that if he went Iwent;many people found thathardtofathom. I began to realize howsmart and emotional Patcheswas. When Patches was outof his cage at home, hewouldfollowmeintoanotherroomorif I was in another room, he’dcomelookingformebyfollowingmyvoice.IfI lefthimalonehewouldchirpuntilIreturned.IfIwashystericalcrying,hewouldsitattheedgeofhiscageclosesttome,notmove,andjuststare.He had becomemy psychiatricservice pet. His presencehelped to reduce my anxiety,keptme alive – as people toldme “he needed me and wasstaying alive because of me”,and he continued to love me.Patches provided many otherexamples of our unendlessbondandloveforoneanother.He has continued to stick byme through many significantstressorsoverthepastmonths.


MaybetheViridiannonprofitplanhasasolutionforthesepeople. I think thatin the U.S., ourworld view of theenvironment andnatural world hasbeen redefined togreater depths inthe last ten years.I would arguethat many morepeople now havea genuine concernwith creatinga sustainableeconomy andgreener livingenvironment. The scope of the wordenvironment has changed somuch fromwhen Iwas young.Growing up as a child theenvironmentwaslimitedtoair,water,andtrees. Today I thinkof work place environments,socialenvironment,smokefreeenvironment,etc. Growing up in PatersonNJinthe50’sand60’s,Ihadnoidea of the natural world andhow to relate to it. My onlyassociation with the naturalworld was watching Tarzan ofthe jungle on TV. The natural

What Can We Do NOW to

Protect Our Planet?

by Charlie Semeraro

Working with ProjectPlanetandotherenvironmentalorganizations I am often askedwhatcanIdootherthanrecyclingto help the environment. Iusually respond by asking howmuch time, money, and effortthey are willing to invest in aproject. Most people answerverylimitedtoallthreebuthaveadesiretojointhegreencause.



world was trees, wild animals,waterfalls, and jungle people.As a child I wondered, whowouldwanttoliveinthewoods?In college, while studyingengineering, and throughoutmyearlyadultlife,theexchangeof woodlands and wetlandsfor urban development madeperfect sense. Many of theactivities in my life that madeperfectsenseInowfindmyselfquestioning. In school I learned howimportant natural resourceswere to our economy. A tree

was something people cutand sold as lumber to buildhouses. Dogs, cats, goldfish,andparakeetswerepets.Cows,chickens, and pigswere a partofthefoodchainforustoeat.Insects were something to kill,step on, or spray asmuch andoften as possible. The waterin the Passaic River was oftenred, green, blue… depending

on what color thedye factory wasmaking. That wasokbecausepeopleneededthejobsinthe factory. Therewere no smoke-free zones. Manyofmy adult familysmoked cigars andcigarettes. Manyof my teenagefriends smokedand related moreto the imageof the cigarettecommercials thenthe darkening oftheir lungs. I canstill remember myfavorite cigarette

jingles. “Winston tastes goodlike a cigarette should” or “IwouldwalkamileforaCamel”.Why is it that I can rememberthesejinglesfrom50yearsagobutcannotrememberifIwrotethechecktoPublicService lastweekformyelectricbill? OverthepasttenyearsIhaveupdatedmyworldviewtoone that feels a connection toeverything andeveryone.Withthis shift in worldview I findmyself questioning somany ofmyhabitsandlifestyleactivities.

Protect Our Planetcont’d

52

companies.Viridiancansellyouelectricforyourhomethatcomesfrom20%greenor100%greensources.IfyouswitchtoViridianhereiswhatwillhappen:

Itnolongerseemsrightthatthecowandchicken in the factory farm isdifferent thanmypets. That the food I eat needs to contain somany chemicals, or that the shirt I bought for$4.00doesn’tfeelthesameifitwasmadebychildslavelaborinaforeigncountry.Myfive-bedroomhouse isnotworththehours Ineedtoworktomaintainit.Iwonderhowclosethegarbagefrommyhouse isbeingdumpedtothebeachIswimin.Howmuchofmylifestyleisrelatedtotheoilspill in the Gulf? Will I support nuclear powerwhenoneoftheseplantsisbuiltinmytownandIhavetolivenexttoit?Mostorganicandgreenproductsaresoexpensivethatavoiceinsideofmeconvincesme to staywith the conventionalproduct. It seems the Viridian fundraiser hassomething to offer to people with no time ormoney to invest but want to do something togreentheplanet.Hereishowitworks.Youhavea choice to buy your electric from a variety of

Charlie Semeraro, pictured with Linda Mitchell (Founder of HMN + MARCI) and Ana Marie Presti

(Chair of Project Planet NetworkTM)

1.Youwillprobablysaveaminimumof5%onyourelectric.Nocontracts,nofees.Ifyouarenothappyatanytimejustgoonlineorcallandswitchbacktoyouroriginalsupplieratnocharge.2.SignupthroughanonprofitwebsiteandthenonprofitorganizationwillgetacommissioneverymonthyoubuyelectricfromViridian.3.Bychoosingagreenelectricsupplieryourelectricdemandwillbeaddedtothegridbywayofasustainablesourcesuchassolarorwind.4.YourchoiceofusingagreenelectricpowerprovidersuchasViridianwillhelpourstatemeetitsgreenmandatesfor2020.


If you use the Viridiannonprofitplanyoursavemoney,thenonprofit organization getsa donation every month, andthe environment get electricfromagreensource.

Tofindoutmoregotowww.viridian.com/

FEMSALESLLC

Charlie Semeraro is a leader in community awareness and pro-activeness. As a

social activist he addresses concerns and potential

resolutions that affect the

Protect Our Planetcont’d

environment and human conditions on a local and

global basis. He is a mentor for Project Planet Network

and sits on the board of Genesis Farms. Through

Genesis Farms he has been trained for Transition Towns leadership, an international

grassroots effort formed out an urgency to move

communities from oil dependency to community

resilience in the face of peak oil, climate change, and economic instability. He has been for the past six years a facilitator for the Just Faith program, a 30-

week course on social justice

53

and globalization. He is a member of the Pachamama

Alliance which created the Awakening the Dream Symposium. He also has

several certificates from SQ Wellness. He has worked

with the Franciscan Action Network on lobby efforts both in Washington and

NJ. His home is heated and cooled by a geothermal

system. Several years ago, at his place of work, he was the

first to receive Caterpillar rebates and install two

upgraded air pollution diesel engines for two of his larger

excavators.

humans when they are scared,uncomfortable, happy, excited,angry, etc. Understandingthese cues can help preventunnecessarydogbites. Most dog trainers knowtheyarereallytrainingthedog’sguardian, not the dog. Thatis the most challenging part.Peoplecomewithpre-conceivednotionsofeverything. Dogsdonot. Dogs live in themoment.They don’t hold on to the pastand they don’t anticipate thefuture. They simply are in thehere and now as Eckhart Tolleprofesses we all should be. Ifa dog is barking, growling, andlungingontheendoftheleashat

anotherdog,thefirstimpressionis“hehatesotherdogs”or“heis acting aggressively”. Maybeandmaybenot. Hecouldhavebarrier frustration knowing heis attached to the leash andultimately confined fearing forhisownsafety,soheimmediately

Holistic Dog Training:

A Kinder Approachby Dee Broton

Unlike traditional, force-basedtrainingthatfocusessolelyonmakingthedogsubmittoitshandler and perform specificcommands, holistic trainingin my opinion is training thewhole dog. My training startswith assessing the situation,


understanding thedog ’s personality,and working with thehumanfamilytocreatebalance in the pack.Regardlessofwhatkindof behavior my clientis looking to modify,I start by teachingthe dog that focusingon their person for“permission” will getthe dog something hewants. If there is noconnection betweendog and guardian,there is very little toworkwith.Manytimesthatconnectionisbuiltduringourfirstsession. Communicationis key in everyrelationship. It makes me sadtothinkthatmanypeoplesharetheir lives with dogs, but donot ever really communicatewiththem.Sure,theymaytalkto them, but communicationis so much more than saying“goodboy”.TuridRugaas,adogtrainerinNorwayhascoinedtheterm“calmingsignals”.Shehasspent a lifetime watching dogsand has captured her findingsin awonderful book and videocalled On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals that Ithinkeverydogguardianshouldown. Shepointsoutbehaviorsand subtle cues that dogs giveoff towarn other dogsor their

goesintofightorflightmode. He may be aboisterous youngsterwho just wants tosay hello and has nomanners. Hemaylackconfidence once againfearing for his safety.He may be protectiveofhisguardian. Orhemayhateotherdogs! As I am writingthis,Iamsittingonmydeck surrounded bymy pack all peacefullylaying amongst oneanother in perfectharmony. Manywould say it would beimpossible to havethe motley crew ofguarding and bully

breeds living under the sameroof. WehaveBoss,anEnglishMastiff whom we rescued inApril 2009 at the age of 7 ½years; Tyson, an Olde EnglishBulldoggerescuedabout4yearsago; Lola, aCaneCorsoMastiffrescued2yearsago;Brandan,a5 ½ year old Golden Retriever;andTucker,aRottweilerrescuedlast November at the age of 4½months.AllmalesexceptforLola,ofcourse.AndthenthereisSydney,theSiamesemixhangingamongst his canine comrades.We achieve this harmonicbalance by understanding eachindividualpersonalityandtheir


Holistic Dog Trainingcont’d

specificneeds. Most people, however,have one or two, maybe threedogs.Theyarenotcrazylikeus.The average dog guardian justwantstheirdogstorespectthemandbea fun-lovingmemberofthe family. This can easily beachievedbybeingabenevolentleader.ThereisapopularshowcalledtheDog Whisperer.CesarMilanhasanassertive,confidentapproach with the dogs heworkswith.Thefilmcrewdoesa great job atmaking him looklikethemasterofalldogs.Oneminute the dog is dragging hispersondownthestreet,theygotoacommercialbreakandwhentheycomebackCesariswalkingthe same dog with his pinky.This is not realistic. Training

takes time, consistency, and alot of patience. The producersconveniently leave out thethree weeks or three monthsin between taping where allthe real work takes place. Hehasalsobroughtbacktheterm“dominance”. Now Iheara lotof people blaming their dog’sbehavior on being dominant.Just to clarify, dominance indogsisdefinedaspriorityaccessto a limited resource. In otherwords,twodogsandonebone…there is a good possibility thatonedogwill becomedominanttowintheprizeoftheboneovertheotherdog.Dogswhojump,pull on the leash, or refuse toperform a specific task are notacting in a dominant manner.Theyaresimplyexhibitingalackofmannersandrespect. Instead, I like to appearcalmand confident tomydogsandthedogsIworkwith.Dogs

needtoknowyouareincontrol.They thrive on leadership andare able to relax knowing theydon’t have to be the one incharge. By expecting your dogto“sayplease”,manyunwantedbehaviorswillbeeliminated.Byteaching them impulse control,they will start to understandthattheworlddoesnotrevolvearoundthem.Teachingadogasolid leave it, drop, watch, stay, and come will improve yourrelationship in so many ways.These commands will give youtheabilitytocommunicatewithyour dog without using anyforce. I alsoutilize thebenefitsof therapeutic-grade essentialoils to help me speed up thebehavior modification portionofmytraining.Ihavefoundthatessential oils such as Lavenderand a blend called Peace &



Calming aid in helping dogsovercome their anxieties andphobias. Another blend calledValor is incredible for dogs wholack confidenceor are incrediblyshy. I highly recommendfeedingarawdietthatisspeciesappropriate and providingadequate exercise. Differentbreedsrequiredifferentamountsof exercise. A walk around theblock might be enough for aFrench Bulldog, but isn’t goingto cut it for a young LabradorRetriever. Manydogswerebredtoworkwhether in thefield, ontheranch,orinthemountains. If you shareyour lifewithadog Ihopethatyouwill takeadeeper look at your relationshipandthinkofwaystoimproveyourcommunication.Forthoseofyouthinkingaboutaddinganewdogto your household, please takethetimetotrulyconsiderthebestmatch for you, your family, andexisting pets. Finally, considermakingadoptionyourfirstoption.Therearesomanydogsinsheltersand rescues across the country.Puppiesanddogsaredyingeverydaybecausetherearenotenoughpeople to adopt them. Theappreciationyouwillreceivefromadogthat isrescuedfroma lessthanadequatesituationislikenoother. Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutadoptingyournext caninecompanion or have behaviorconcerns for a dog you alreadyshareyourlifewith,I’dbehappytotalktoyou.Iamofferingafree15minutephoneconsultationforallMARCIreaders.

MEMBERS CLUB OFFER:10% discount off services

Holistic Behavior Solutions, LLC973.713.0175

[email protected]://holisticbehaviorsolutions.blogspot.com

Dee Brotonsteps outside the traditional training box and uses Young Living Essential Oils, flower essences, a natural

diet and exercise to assist in her behavior modification regime when it comes to dogs plagued with fear and

anxiety, as well as aggression. Dee’s philosophy is to heal the dog’s mind, body, and spirit, and to strengthen the bond

with their family by creating harmony in the pack.

Holistic Dog Trainingcont’d


WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT MARCITM...“Well worth the read! Powerful and inspiring HMNetwork of Holistic Practitioners share their years of Health and Wellness wisdom in MARCITM Magazine... and they are waiting to help you too.”

Erin SaxtonFormerTelevisionProducerforBarbaraWalters,“TheView”CEOandPresident,The Idea NetworkRepresentingJackCanfield,LisaNichols,andmanymorefantastic peopleandcompanies


sufferanymore.ThedaywetookhertothevetIheldher,toldherhow much we loved her, andtold her how much happinessshe had brought to our familyand the lives of everyone shetouched. I heldher inmyarmswhenshetookherlastbreath. AfterwardsIwaslisteningtomycarradiowhiledrivingtomeet my friend at the park towalk. I askedGod to givemeasignthatRosiewasoknow.AsaSpiritualMediumIhavebroughtthrough for my clients manyanimals thathavecrossedover.I immediately heard a voicesay turn on your CD player. Ihavea10-CDchanger that Idonot use regularly. The answercameinthesewordsasadirectresponse to my question: “I’llwalk with God from this dayon. There is no death thougheyesgrowdim.Thereisnofear

whenI’mneartohim.”Then inmymind’seye I “saw”Rosieasayoung10-month-oldfrolickingin a beautiful meadow, whereshewasveryhappyandhealthyagain! Iwasamazed!!!Thiswasnot a CD I had played even inthelastyear,noristhatthefirstsongontheCDorweretheythefirstwordsofthesong!WhatagiftIhadbeengiven. WhenImetmyfriendattheparkIwascrying–nottearsofsorrow,buttearsofgratitudethatIhadmyanswer–Rosiewas“home”beingwelltakencareofonceagain.Thesignsdidn’tendthere. As we were walking wesawapuppyexactly likeRosie,a Black English Cocker Spanielabout10monthsold!Thiscolorand type of dog is rare to see!But I had been given another

Yes, Dogs Do Go to Heaven

by Rosie’s Mom… Arlene Rich

Allow me to tell youaboutour littleRosiewhostoleeveryone’s heart. We adoptedRosiewhenshewas10monthsold. Rosie is an English CockerSpanielwiththemostbeautifulloving brown eyes. Over theyears everyone who ever pether commented on how silkyandbeautifulhercoatwas.Butitisthelovethatsheexudedinthose eyes that captivated allwhomether. Rosie was part of ourfamily for almost 16 years.People would call me Rosie’smom, they may not haverememberedmynamebuttheyrememberedhers! Whenitwastimeforhertoleavethislifetimeitwasveryemotional for everyone. Weknew thatwehad tomake thedecision to lethergo inpeace,dignity, and not to have her


Rosie (left) and Remi (right)


symbol just tomakecertain I knewshewas ok. I started laughing through mytearsandlookeduptotheskyandsaid,“Thanks God! Thank you for answeringmyprayers.” Itwas such a blessing to receivethesemessagesformyselfandmyfamily.Rosiehasbeengonephysicallyfrommylife for 3 yearsnowbut she is still verymuchapartofmy life. Icantellbyourother dogs, especially Remi (picturedwith Rosie)whowas Rosie’s pal for 5½yearsthatshecomestovisit! IhopebytellingRosie’sstorythatitbringscomforttoeveryonewhohaseverlovedandhadtoletgooftheirbelovedpet.Youwillbewith themagain somedayand theyarebeingwelltakencareof!

Yes, Dogs Docont’d

Arlene Richis a Spiritual Medium and an Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist as well as an Interfaith

Minister and Spiritual Counselor.

Arlene feels she has been given her psychic gifts to help others achieve a better life for themselves. She is a bridge to the Other Side! Arlene helps give clients a new perspective on the life they are living by getting them in touch with someone in spirit, helping them

through past life regression, and with hypnotherapy sessions.

The Spiritual Awakening offers workshops and individual readings.

www.thespiritualawakening.com973.398.0169

MEMBERS CLUB OFFER:10% off Spiritual Medium

private reading


respectedassuch. Where is the care, thecompassion? It should not bethe domain of only the few.Isn’t it timewebecomemoreawareoflifeoutsideourown?To paraphrase Albert Einstein,“A new manner of thinkingis required if mankind is tosurvive”. Modern life is harriedand hectic. Every newinvention that seemingly willmake our lives easier actuallyhas the opposite effect. Takecomputers for example: howmanyhoursadaydoyouspendat your computer looking atemail, browsing the internet,shopping, looking for a mate,etc.? For something designedto simplify life (and it does inmanyareas),itsuretakesalotof time – precious time away

from the things that reallymatter…likerelationships. Thenthere’stheissueofthe almighty dollar. It alwaysseems as if there’s perpetualtime for this inexhaustiblepursuit,buttherealnecessitiesof life – love, laughter,companionship – take abackseattomoney. When did our prioritiesgetsoscrewedup?Andwhenare we collectively going toawaken and see the folly inourself-centeredquestforthelatest and greatest? With anewworldageuponus,isn’tittimewechangedourfocusandstartedshowingmoreconcernforeachotherandthewildlifewesharetheplanetwith?NottomentionMotherEarth. As the more intelligentspecieson theplanet, it is upto us to be the stewards ofthe planet and all its variedlifeforms.Thewildlife literallyrunningforitslifefromtheoilspill is our responsibility andnot just because we createdthis mess. Together we canbrainstorm and comeupwitha reasonable solution, first tosee that this never happensagain, and second, to devisea sustainable plan of rescuefor the area wildlife. Manypeople have good intentions,but this problem would bebetterservedifwecouldcometogetherasoneandimplementthesolution. You can do your partby acting out at the locallevel. Write a letter to theeditorof the localnewspaper,

Our Care and Responsibility to

Wildlife by Sarah M. Collins

We’ve all beendevastated by the eco-destruction caused by thegreatest oil spill in US history.Livelihoods have been lost, agood portion of the nation’sseafood supply interrupted,the marine life food chaindisrupted, not tomention theharmtoallmarinewildlifethatlive in the Gulf waters. Thenthere’s the environmentaldestruction: the full extent ofthe consequences probablywon’tbeknownformanyyearsorevendecades. As distressing as theenvironmental concerns are,what is even more horrifyingis the effect on area wildlife.The images of crab and othersealifeflockingtogethertogetaway from the oil is appallingand sickening. Even with theheroic efforts of volunteerscleaning the oil off of theanimalsonebyone,theoilstillleavesanemotionalmark. AsofearlyAugust2010,theconfirmednumberofdeadwildlife stands at 3271 birds,503seaturtles,and64marineanimals. The total impact isobviously greater: 4914 birds,843seaturtles,and69marineanimals.1 Manybelieve thatsincewecan’tsavealltheseaturtlesor all the brown pelicans thatwe should just abandon themto their fate. Since when didlife become less than sacred?Wesharethisearthwithothersentient beings (i.e., animals)thatfeelpainnotjustphysicallybut emotionally as well. Alllife is precious and should be cont’d on next page


Our Carecont’d

start a local meet-up withothersthatwould liketobepart of the solution. Writeyour Congressmen andother representatives inWashington, and if you liveoutside the United States,make some noise so yourlocal politicians know youcare about this situation.Because if it can happenhere in the U.S., it canhappen anywhere. This isnotjustalocalproblemora

USproblem;it’saglobalproblemaswellandit’stimetoembracetheglobalcommunity. Showyoucarebystandingupforalllife.Beginbychangingyoumindset;move your focus away fromyourself andembracetheconceptoflookingoutforothers.Startwithyourneighborandlet your newfound awareness grow to include thewholeworld.Together,wecanchangetheworld.

1DefendersofWildlifestatistics,www.defendersofwildlife.com

Sarah M. Collinsloves all animals. One day she hopes to open a foundation to assist homeless animals and to

create a solution to animal suffering.

Learn more about Sarah at www.WellnessCareToday.com and

www.TheLittleGuideToBigChanges.com.



bringintoourlives. The ancient Romanswere so obsessedwith omensthat they rarely made adecision without looking foranomenorportendrelatedtotheirconcern.Inmanywaysithamperedtheuseoftheirfreewill; in other ways, it helpedto point them in the rightdirection. During theMiddle Agessuperstition ran rampant.Anything that was notunderstood was suspect andthoseinpoweroftenusedfearandsuperstitiontomanipulatethe people. Omens were averyeffectivewayofdoingjustthat,andomensandsignswereofteninterpretedinsuchawayastomanipulatethemasses. There has been such a

longandsortedhistoryrelatedto omens that during the lastcentury, mankind went inentirelytheoppositedirection,embracing science and fact,refusing to acknowledge theexistenceofomens.Thosewholiveclosetothenature,aswellas indigenous peoples, havelongunderstood themessagesinherent in the behavior ofanimals. Then along came theAge of Aquarius and thecounter culture movementof the 1960’s, and mankind’scollectiveconsciousnessbegantoexpandonceagain.Throughthe resurgence of interestin Native American cultures,we began to understand themeaningofanimaltotemsandthe significance of animals inourlives.Therearemanygoodbooks on the topic of totemspirits and the meaning andlessons these creatures haveforus,butanimalsareheretobring usmessages and omensaswell. It is the animal thatstandsout, thebird that soarstoo close to your car, the onethat dart across your pathwhen walking in the woods,thatbringsthemessagetoyou.Listenwithyourheart,examinethebehaviorortherarityoftheevent, and the message willcome. If bluebirds are rare inyour neck of the woods, thenseeingoneisaspecialblessing.You could interpret this as theUniverse congratulating youfor the good work you aredoing, or it could be an omen

Animals, Omens, and

Messagesby Christina Lynn Whited

Therearemanylifeformswithwhomwesharetheplanet,yetmankind has always had aspecial relationship with theanimals.Thereisthepotential,for those of us living in asuburbanorruralenvironment,to cross paths with a diversegroupofanimalsonadailybasis.Eventhosecitydwellersamongus are finding a wider varietyofspeciesoccupyingterritoriesthat, in the past, would havebeen foregone in favor ofmoreruralenvirons. Fromtheever-present squirrels in ourbackyards, to the woodchucksalong the roadside, to theelusive blue heron picking itsway along the riverbank, tothestatelystaginthemeadow,there are ample opportunitiestolearnfromtheanimals. Animals are instinctualcreatures,completelyinaccordwith nature and the forces ofCreation.TheUniverse,avast,complex hierarchy of spiritualenergy, intent, and purpose,uses animals to communicatewith the less instinctivecreatureswithwhomtheysharethe planet – human beings.Those on the receiving end ofthis bargain are often quiteobtuseandmissthesignalandthe meaning altogether. Weare so focused upon what weneed to accomplish each day,upon our personal agendas,thatweoftenforgetto lookatthe world with wonder. Weforget to embrace the beautyof themoment,andwe forgettolookforthegiftsofSpirit. One of the mostimportant gifts is themessageortheomenthatananimalcan cont’d on next page


Animalscont’d

ofgoodthingstocome,simplyagooddaytobealive.Examineyour thoughts before the birdappeared–wereyouplanninganewprojectorworkingoutthedetails of a current problem?Then the bluebird is tellingyou that you are on the righttrack. Ifnothingmuchwasonyour mind, what was the firstthing you thought of as youglimpsedthiselusivecreature?Did the Bluebird of Happinesscross your mind? If so, lookforspecialblessingsinthedaysahead. In the fall, squirrelsare everywhere. Such an

overabundance of squirrelmedicine hardly signifiessomething special, yet therearestillspecialmessageswithinthetimeframeofautumn.Ifasquirrelissittingontheroofofyourcarwhenyouventureoutfor theday, that is amessage.Is he clutching a nut or eatingone?Whatcrossesyourmind? Squirrels can be tellingyou that youneed to storeupenergy insomeaspectofyourlife. Perhaps you need to sitstill and rejuvenate? Is therea need to bemoremindful ofwhat you are eating? Maybeyouneedtotakestockofwhatyouarehoarding?Themessageisyourstofind. If on the other hand,everytimeyougoouttheback

dooryoufindsquirrelsplayinginyourbackyard,onyourfavoritetree, maybe the message ismorebasic.Moreplayforyou.Squirrelknowshowtocreateabalancebetweenworkandplay–somethingthatisoftensorelylackinginourhecticlives. Haveyoufoundafeatheronthewindshieldofyourcar?DoyouknowthatitisagiftfromSpirit?Somepeoplecollectthefeathers they find and displaythemproudlyintheirhomesinlieuofflowers.Ifyoudecidetoassignameaningtothecolorofthefeathers,whitecomesfromthe angels, gray comes fromyourSpiritGuides,forexample,thenSpiritandtheanimalswillcooperatetosendyouthecolor



Animalscont’d

featheryouneedordeserve.Themembersof theanimalkingdomarewillingandablepartnersintheCosmicPlan,bearers of messages andomensforhumankind. Takethetimeto lookfor themessages, to assessthe omens, to honor thegivers. The animals andbirds will not cease theirofferings,even ifwedonotacknowledge them, butthey will be happier if wedo our part and expressour gratitude for theircontribution to the good ofallbybeingthemessengersbetween our worlds.Connect with them, honorthem, and acknowledgetheir contribution and theirwisdom. Your life will bericherforit.

Rev. Christina Lynn Whitedhas developed

Soul Path Clearance and created Unconscious Scripts Release as a

means of empowerment for her clients. She is head of the Circle of Intention School of

Intuitive Sciences in High Bridge, New Jersey, and is available for private

consultations.

www.CircleOfIntention.com 908.638.9066


This poem (poet unknown) was sent in separately by two individuals, both who were touched and found it appropriate for losing a loved one being human or animal:


Vivian SartorettoHarmony Holistic Wellness Center

973.426.9208www.harmonyholisticwellnesscenter.com

Ingrid WernerRema Originals201.871.3811

www.saltcrystallights.com

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Book Review

Suzanne Clothier uses a holistic approach to introduce her readers to a method of dog training that uses various forms of communication to bring a deeper sense of understanding between dog and human.

Suzanne helps us to see things from the dog’s unique perspective. Dogs in particular experience the world so very differently from us humans. They have their own language and culture. Suzanne explains how our different cultures can collide leading to terrible consequences if we do not respect each other. It is very similar to various cultures of people clashing due to opposing views. An American, for instance greets strangers and friends alike with a hand shake after approaching head on maintaining direct eye

If A Dog’s Prayers Were Answered… Bones Would Rain

from the Sky: Deepening our Relationships with Dogs

by Suzanne Clothier,reviewed by Dee Broton

contact. Dogs on the other hand greet one another by approaching on an angle as subtle as it may be and then proceed to sniff each others’ rear ends. The people in the equation usually pull their dogs away from one another and typically yell at them to stop thus interrupting the dog’s natural greeting behavior. Suzanne points out that if we take the time to understand the way dogs communicate, we can also learn to communicate with them hence eliminating a lot of miscommunication and therefore deepening our relationships.

Aggression is one very common misinterpreted behavior. Dogs are often labeled aggressive when they growl, lunge, and/or bite. There is usually little consideration as to why the dog acted in such a way, just that they did and it is not acceptable in our culture for those thought to be subordinates to act in such a way. Suzanne reminds us in chapter 16 that aggression is very much a part of our daily lives. People get aggressive when they are driving in traffic and beep and yell profanities at the person who cuts them off. The person cutting into traffic is also acting in an aggressive manner. Some people loose their temper quicker than others. Dogs are no different in that regard. Dogs show signs of aggression when they are in pain, fearful, irritated, angry, protective of territory and family (both canine and human), and for self-defense. And again, as with humans, they may have a biochemical imbalance.

I would recommend that anyone sharing their lives with dogs or thinking about adding a dog to their family read this book. It is eye-opening and intriguing book that will keep your attention from start to finish.

Review by Dee Broton, dog training and behavior modification specialist, founder of Holistic Behavior Solutions, LLC, and YLEO Independent Distributor.www.holisticbehaviorsolutions.blogspot.com


Announcements

Changing Health (formerly called The Nagano Project) opened its first donation-based

acupuncture clinic on August 30th at Domestic Workers United in Manhattan. Changing Health is New York State’s first non-profit dedicated

to facilitating and maintaining acupuncture treatment centers for people in need.

Check out their new website at www.changinghealthinc.org

to learn more about how you can help us help a lot of people.


Announcements

Introducing HMN’s Newest Members of 2010…

From New Jersey:Susan Freeman, The Art of the HeartLinda Gros, A Center for Light Eileen Maciejunes, Universal Health, LLC Robin Mansfield, Goddess in EdenLyn Ann Edelman Arlene Rich, The Spiritual Awakening CenterChristine Spaziano, Kwan Yin Center of LightJoan Velardi, Kali Energy Healing Christina Whited, Circle Of IntentionDr. Barbara Gibbons, Gibbons HolisticBarbara L. Finlayson, The Art of BalanceMonika Hamburger, ComForCare Home CareJosephine Jacoby, Body Energy BalancingLouise MikkelsenSheila Pearl, Mind-Body-Spirit Connections Life Donna Reynolds, Willow Moon Herbals, LLCLouise Umberto, Empowered to HealLee Ann LaRocca, Montclair Metaphysical CenterLee VanZyl, Montclair Metaphysical CenterJenifer West (Natural Awakenings - Bergen/Passaic Counties)Miriam Divinsky, Center for WellnessRenae Jensen, Conscious Design Inc. Mei Jin Lu, Feng Shui CatalogTara Shakti, From Work To Oneness: Bridging The GapKaren Flaherty, Custom Health Solutions, LLCColleen Murray-Seig and Rosina Valvo, The Natural Health Center Shelley Tzorfas, Better School ResultsJoann Bjornson, Interfaith Council of Homeless Families of Morris County

From Outside of New Jersey:Enrique & Kristen Dura, Allá Arriba (Holistic Retreat Center), ArgentinaElena Tonetti, Birth Into Being, California


CALENDAR OF EVENTS


Now through October 10Encounters:ASculptorsGuildexhibitiononGovernor’sIsland,NYCwww.sculptorsguild.org/governorsisland.html

Monday, September 27 [ 9:00 - 10:00pmFallDetoxWithaDifference:Teleconferencewww.lifestylesofthehealthyheart.org/Lifestyles_of_the_Healthy_Heart/Workshop_Special2.html

Saturday, October 2 [ 7:00 - 8:00pmQuartzCrystalSingingBowlHealingMusicConcertDanceWorksAcademy|CentennialCourt,4FarmSt,Upton,MA01568www.tlovereiki.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=30

Sunday, October 17 [ 2:00 - 4:00pm QuartzCrystalSingingBowlHealingMusicConcertLakesideConcert|4HiddenValleyRoad,Newton,NJ07860www.tlovereiki.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=30Tuesday, November 16 [ 11:00am - 12:00pmQuartzCrystalSingingBowlHealingMusicConcertSussexCountyCommunityCollege,Newton,NJ07860www.tlovereiki.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=30

Friday - Monday, December 3-6MatrixEnergeticsSeminarwithDr.RichardBartlett,Level1&2DoubletreeHotelSEAAirport,Seattle,WAwww.Matrixenergetics.comTuesday, December 7MatrixEnergeticswithDr.RichardBartlett-Practitioner’sCertificationClassDoubletreeHotelSEAAirport,Seattle,WAwww.Matrixenergetics.com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

73MARCI™

31Fall 2010

Holistic Mentorship Network Chapter MeetingsNew Jersey

Butler:4thFridayofthemonth,7:00-9:00pmPeacefulPaths,7HighStreet,Butler,NJTheresaFlynn:201.919.5688|[email protected]

Middlesex/Monmouth County:1stWednesdayofthemonth,6:00-8:00pmTheNaturalHealthCenterofCentralNJ,NorthBrunswick,NJRosinaValvo:732.821.5800|[email protected]

Morris County: 3rdTuesdayofthemonth,7:00-9:00pmNew location:PresbyterianChurch,65SouthStreet,Morristown,NJLisaMacGray:973.879.1106|[email protected]

Northwest NJ (Sussex County): 4thFridayofthemonth9:30-11:30amUnityChurchofSussexCounty,25MudcutRoad,Lafayette,NJTracyNosal:973.978.4230|[email protected]

Washington County: 4thThursdayofthemonth,9:30-11:30amMountEden,56MillpondRoad,Washington,NJ07882EileenMaciejunes:908.362.6353|[email protected]

Montclair:3rdWednesdayofthemonth,7:00-9:00pmGoddessinEden,74ChurchStreet,Montclair,NJRobinMansfield:973.919.3600|[email protected]

Bergen County:October21|3rdThursdayofthemonth,7:00-9:00pmAdvancedHealingCenter,41LocusStreet,Emerson,NJBarbaraFinlayson:201.641.9008|[email protected]

Pennsylvania The Poconos: Friday,October22,6:00-8:00pmCorporateHealthSchool,753PhillipsStreet,Stroudsburg,PAEllenSuazo:877.875.9634|[email protected]

ThelaunchofMilford,PAandNYCchaptersareunderway!

Interested in starting a new chapter in your area? Learn more here:www.holisticmentorshipnetwork.com/New_Chapters.htm

NEW!

NEW!

NEW!

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