APRIL 2010

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Real Vampires

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Continued on Page 4

BotanicaSpiritus:

PlantCommunication

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New Column:Touchstone: Astrological

OverviewFor April

7

Author Catriona MacGregor says, “ Being in touch with the land, mountains, the sea, and the forest enhances our sense of self and our ability to make wise choices. From this place of clarity, calm, and steadiness, we influence the energies around us for the better. We choose to make a positive contribution to the Earth and other living things.”

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the celebration of Earth Day. Millions of people across the planet will be participating in a variety of events designed to show appreciation for the earth as well as to raise awareness of the environmental issues we are facing. There’s a lot happening online such as at www.billionactsofgreen.com/ where you can type in your commitment of living green. www.chiff.com has a “Go Green” section where you can find all sorts of resources, events, and ideas to celebrate Earth Day as does www.environlink.org. Disney is opening their movie Oceans on Earth Day. Many publications such as the Seattle Weekly will have special sections with information about how to make environmental concerns front and center in daily life. A quick online search for what might be happening in your city will most likely provide a wealth of information. A wonderful book called Partnering with Nature has just been published by Atria. The author, Catriona MacGregor, is an authority on global environmental trends. Her book talks about our interactions with the world around us and she says that all of us can become more open to the power of nature to transform our lives, lift our spirits, and bring ourselves into better balance. Have you ever wondered how this event got started? Although the basic idea was started by individuals in the counter-culture movement of the early 1960s, it wasn’t until a senator took the issue on that the actual day was started in 1970. Here’s the story.

How the First Earth Day Came About

By Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day

What was the purpose of Earth Day? How did it start? These are the questions I am most frequently asked. Actually, the idea for Earth Day evolved over a period of seven years starting in 1962. For several

years, it had been troubling me that the state of our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. Finally, in November 1962, an idea occurred to me that was, I thought, a virtual cinch to put the environment into the political “limelight” once and for all. The idea was to persuade President Kennedy to give visibility to this issue by going on a national conservation tour. I flew to Washington to discuss the proposal with Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who liked the idea. So did the President. The President began his five-day, 11-state conser-vation tour in September 1963. For many reasons the tour did not succeed in putting the issue onto the national political agenda. However, it was the germ of the idea that ultimately flowered into Earth Day. I continued to speak on environmental issues to a variety of audiences in some 25 states. All across the country, evidence of environmental degradation was appearing everywhere, and everyone noticed except the political establishment. The environmental issue simply was not to be found on the nation’s political agenda. The people were concerned, but the politicians were not. After President Kennedy’s tour, I still hoped for some idea that would thrust the environment into the political mainstream. Six years would pass before the idea that became Earth Day occurred to me while on a conservation speaking tour out West in the summer of 1969. At the time, anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called “teach-ins,” had spread to college campuses all across the nation. Suddenly, the idea occurred to me: why not organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to our environment?

An Interview with Tara SpringettBy Kwami E. Nyamidie

Tara Springett, a German-born psychotherapist, is the founder of Higher Consciousness Healing. She details how this therapeutic modality works in her book, The Five-Minute Miracle: Discover the personal healing symbol that will solve your problems (Weiser Books). As the name suggests, Higher Consciousness Healing involves contacting the divine principle within so it takes control of the healing process. This divine principle is known in many traditions by various names; as the Christ within in Christianity, the Buddha Self in Buddhism, Atman in Hinduism and `Aumakua in ancient Hawaiian

spirituality. This oversoul, then, is what

Tara Springett shows us how to contact. Once you make this

connection, you have sown the seed for the solution of your problems. Over time, the relationship flourishes, manifesting in your life as healing, better rapport with others, and an all-round life improvement. Tara tells the amazing

Continued on Page 16

Tara Springett says, “All religions say one impor-tant thing— love is the answer to our problems. We have to overcome

resentments and practice forgive-ness and love our enemies as Jesus said. There are different ways for people to achieve this aim. Tibetan Buddhism is one. Christianity is another.”

BirthingA New Earth

10Living in Awareness

12

The Taoof TheTarot:

The Hermit

20

Higher Consciousness Healing

Solving Problems by Using Your Personal Healing Symbols

2 APRIL 2010NEW Spirit JOURNAL

By Sajah Popham

Plants are the most abundant life form on this planet, providing our main sources of sustenance in the form of food, shelter, clothing, and medicines. All of our automobiles run on ancient plant material; concentrated solar energy. Our very breath itself is a generous gift from the plants; their exhalation is our inhalation. We breathe in plants, and they breathe in us. The botanical kingdom mediates the earth and the sky, transmuting the mineral kingdom, air and light into a new form; a form we are utterly dependent on for our survival and well being. Human being’s relationship with plants is fundamental and necessary, but it radically changes when that relationship becomes conscious. Indigenous healers worldwide have always held plants in high esteem not only for their practical uses, but also as keepers of deep wisdom, as reflections of the divine, and teachers of living in accordance with the earth. They are food and medicines for our bodies, minds and souls. Traditional peoples did not view plants as commodities to be used, but as beings to be communed with. This entails seeing the common

union between oneself and a plant, achieved through communication. To see how that plant reflects of a certain aspect of yourself. The indigenous talked to plants, but more importantly, they listened to them. This listening is different from what we are used to; in fact, very few people know how to truly listen anymore. It is best described as receptivity. It is listening with the entirety of your being. Indigenous healers describe this as becoming the “hollow bone,” allowing yourself to be an empty vessel through which the source energy of a plant may fill. Listening with every cell in your body. I first received this teaching from the hollow bamboo. To be in a state of receptivity, one must be empty of thought, feeling deeply with the body, and attuned to the senses. From this place of calm, when your inner waters are still, you can begin to feel the ripples of a plant’s voice. This “voice” of the plant, is communicated through the resonant patterns emitted by the DNA of the plant through biophotons, which are in essence, molecules of light. DNA is the informational blueprint for the entire plant, which it expresses in its proteins. This determines everything about that plant from its shape, size, color, biochemistry, etc. The

biophotons emitted by DNA within the nucleus are not only responsible for the communication between cells within the plant, but also with other organisms in its vicinity. Information exchange occurs when two points of light (two biophotons) become beams of light. They entrain, synchronize, connect. Two points become one. Anyone with a musical ear knows when two notes suddenly synch up and come into harmony. The light emitted from the DNA of the plant comes into contact with the light within our own DNA, and when they come into synchrony, information is exchanged. Attuning with plant consciousness is achieved through centering ones awareness within the domain of the heart. As an organ of perception, the heart is able to receive electromagnetic resonances found within the environment, which are relayed to the brain and central nervous system to be processed. Receptivity occurs through heart centeredness, which is often achieved through activation of one or more of the five senses, most often sight, sound and touch. We receive a vision, a song, or a voice, or a deeply felt sensation within the body. When the mind is quieted and harmonized with the heart, our being comes into

deep congruency with the other. The sense of division between the plant and oneself dissolves and we see the common union. The process of engaging in communication with a plant is relatively simple, but it takes practice. First, I always let the plant choose me. While walking through the woods or a garden, typically one will stand out more than others, or perhaps smell particularly strong; go there, it is speaking to you. I begin by opening a sacred space and stating my intention to establish communication with the plant and that I honor the wisdom it holds. I do some gentle breathwork, toning or rattling to empty my mind and become more attuned to my senses and heart field. The first place I go is into deep sensory observation of the plant: What is its environment? Is it alone or in community? What is its growth pattern, color and morphology? What does it feel like? What does it taste like (always make sure you are not dealing with a toxic plant)? I then do cyclic breathing with the plant; my inhalation is its exhalation and my exhalation is its inhalation. The breathing is through the nose, gentle and deep,

Botanica Spiritus: Plant Communication

Continued on Page 3

with equal exhalations and inhalations. This cycling of breath exchanges the plant’s essence with mine and begins the synchronization process of our biophotons. During this active breathing, I am feeling deeply with my heart and becoming highly sensitive to any thoughts, intuitions, felt sensations in my body, or environmental shifts. It is very important to pay attention to what is happening all around and within, because everything has meaning and is relaying

information. This is called entering the daydream of a plant. I always keep a notebook nearby so I may write down any insights, intuitions, or impressions. Always note how you feel around the plant. Later that day I will take a shamanic drum journey to the plant, as well as form intentions to dream with it at night. I’ve always found that the right plant always comes at the right time. It gifts me with some useful tool needed for my life at that time, or heals a particular health issue that had been bothering me. Plants speak

in a myriad of ways, from morphology, environment, and organ affinity to its planetary, chakra, and elemental correspondences. They speak a language of energetics, for those with hearts to listen.

Sajah Popham holds a degree in herbal sciences from Bastyr University. He owns Organic Unity, a spagyric tincture company based off traditional alchemical principles, and is an herbalist and shamanic practitioner. Reach him at [email protected] or (206) 753-7101.

3APRIL 2010 NEW Spirit JOURNAL

To Outline or Not To Outline

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This past month a reader contacted me with a question about manifesting. He said he has been told that in order to manifest what he wants in his life, he must be very specific by outlining exactly what he wants. But what if, he said, what you think you want isn’t really the best thing for you? I told him that when he is done designing whatever it is he wants, he then adds the words, “This, or something better, now comes to me under grace in a perfect way.” His question had me start thinking about this whole issue and I decided to address the topic here. This whole manifesting issue is a multilayered one and not simplistic at all. As human beings, we have a somewhat limited view of reality. We’re multidimensional and we co-exist with other people who impact our lives as we do theirs. We don’t always know how our dreams interlace with those of other people. So when we are asking for things to be a certain way, indeed we don’t always know that this is in our own best interest or that of other people. Adding “This or something better...” covers the range of possibilities. There are some people who don’t think we should even ask for what we want in life, that we should just be in the “now” and allow life to unfold. While I agree with being in the now and allowing life to unfold, my experience has shown me that we are expected to create our lives. Whatever we find ourselves desiring – as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else or ourselves – is actually coming from Spirit wanting to do or be this through us as us.

Here’s a little six-step process you might find helpful when working with your dreams and goals. 1. Use your mind to decide what you want. Discern what is going on in your life and the lives of those around you. Get in touch with and follow your inner guidance about the direction you are headed. Write down your goals and be as specific as you can. When you’re done, be sure to add: “This or something better now comes to me under grace in a perfect way.” 2. Engage your will to follow through on whatever needs to be done to make your dreams come true. Your will is the part of you that says, “I will do whatever is necessary to make this a reality in my life.” Manifesting does not mean we don’t have to do anything on the material plane. If you are looking for work, get your resume written, check on sources for jobs, and apply for jobs. Although it is possible an employer will show up at your doorstep and offer you a job without your having to do anything, this is highly unlikely. 3. Create an emotional atmosphere that matches what you want to create. Act is if you already have and are what it is you are creating. Truth is, once you have chosen something, it is yours so acting the part comes easily. Quantum physics is now teaching that our environment reacts to this in a positive and intelligent way.

4. Take action on a consistent basis long enough for results to show up. Many people give up way too soon. It is not uncommon for people to give up on their dreams just before they were to come true. Stay the course. Be committed to a course of action. 5. Stay in touch with your soul-self for ongoing guidance and be willing to change if necessary. As we move forward, it is possible we will find our needs and desires changing. By staying in touch with our guidance through meditation and prayer, we can be sure to be current with the true course of action for our lives.

Living The Good Lifeby Krysta Gibson

6.From the minute you state your desires, start saying thank you. Why? Because from the beginning what you want to create is already yours. Say thank you and this will propel your desire to manifest on the material plane faster and easier.

Obviously, these six steps can’t possibly give everything there is to know about the complex topic of manifesting. I didn’t even talk about loving what is already in your life. Read and study the vast amount of information that is available. Choose the methods that work for you. Most of all, have fun with the process. I know that if you are out of work or don’t have the love of your life, it is more

difficult to have fun. The truth is, though, the more lighthearted you can be – the more joy you can experience right now no matter your current circumstance – the sooner your life will be more to your liking. Go ahead: sing, dance, laugh, create. You are safe. You are loved. And you don’t have to hurry. The more you enjoy your life, the more you will have to enjoy.

Krysta is publisher of New Spirit Journal. Hear her on the Conscious Talk radio show the third Thursday of the month, April 15, 7 a.m., on KKNW 1150 AM, or streaming live and archived at www.conscioustalk.net. She can be reached at [email protected].

Continued From Page 2

Plants


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I was satisfied that if we could tap into the environ-mental concerns of the general public and infuse the student anti-war energy into the environmental cause, we could generate a demonstration that would force this issue onto the political agenda. It was a big gamble, but worth a try. At a conference in Seattle in September 1969,

I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone to participate. The wire services carried the story from coast to coast. The response was electric. It took off like gangbusters. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country. The American people finally

had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air, and they did so with spectacular exuberance. For the next four months, two members of my Senate staff, Linda Billings and John Heritage, managed Earth Day affairs out of my Senate office. Five months before Earth Day, on Sunday, November 30, 1969, The New York Times carried a

lengthy article by Gladwin Hill reporting on the astonishing proliferation of environmental events: “Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation’s campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam...a national day of observance of environmental problems...is being planned for next spring...when a nationwide environmental ‘teach-in’...coordinated from the office of Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned....” It was obvious that we were headed for a spectacular success on Earth Day. It was also obvious that grassroots activities had ballooned beyond the capacity of my U.S. Senate office staff to keep up with the telephone calls, paperwork, and inquiries. In mid-January, three months before Earth Day, John Gardner, Founder of Common Cause, provided temporary space for a Washington, D.C. headquarters. I staffed the office with college students and selected Denis Hayes as coordinator of activities. Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself. From http://earthday.envirolink.org/history.html.

How The First Earth Day Came AboutContinued from front page

Communicating with animals and receiving messages from them, both domestic and wild, are often topics of this column. Last month I shared messages from Coyote for us humans in general. Sometimes the wild ones bring messages or lessons to us as individuals. In the last issue of New Spirit Journal, in addition to my animal column, there was a wonderful article written by Dr. Steven Farmer. He talked about animals as spirit guides and gave some really good techniques to help access the messages they bring to us. I believe the awareness of animal spirit guides and the ability to access the information they bring to us is becoming vitally important. As our planet is moving into the higher ascension energies, with all the changes we need to make and adjust to and with many humans struggling to keep up, the animals are stepping up in service to help. But, what if you know this already,

are aware that animals around you have messages for you and have tried the recom-mended techniques to retrieve the infor-mation with no success? That is the big question I am hearing so often these days. Just yesterday I got a call from a woman that was in this situation. She called me because there was a particular bird, a chickadee, that was showing up at her home on a regular basis and drawing her attention in a very blatant fashion. She knew it was important and had a message for her but she had been unable to understand on her own. She called me for help.

While on the phone with her, I pulled one of my favorite books off the shelf. The book I pulled was Animal-Speak by Ted Andrews. It is a classic and along with the other titles he has written (Animal-Wise and Nature-Speak), will always remain on my absolute favorite list. Unfortunately and sadly, I recently heard that Ted passed away this past fall due to cancer. He was and is such an incredible spirit and the wisdom he shared with us through his books

about animals, plants, and nature is a valuable gift that remains. Because the information he brought through is so vitally important right now, I felt it appropriate to formally honor and thank him through this column. If you are one of the many who have difficulty connecting intuitively with the animals around you, Ted’s books will help. In them he lists most animals, birds, insects, reptiles, and even plants. Individually he describes what they represent and the messages and lessons they may bring forth. In most cases, by reading what Ted has to say about them you will find the message meant for you. Personally, I get what I call an energy surge or tingles throughout my body when I read the part that is important for me. That was the case for the lady on the phone with me and the chickadee. I read her the pages from Ted’s book and the message for her was quite obvious. I have done this many times over the years when someone has called me wanting to know what significance a particular animal had in their lives. I have often used the books myself to discover the meaning of events involving nature around me. In fact, years ago I used to carry Animal-Speak with me wherever I went in order not to miss anything. Sometimes when an animal shows up on our radar screen and we know it is significant, we don’t have time to stop and meditate to get the message and for some, even if we have the time, we can’t seem to do it. Those are the times I find Ted’s books most helpful. In August of 1996, I was very fortunate to meet Ted when he was in Seattle. I attended his workshop and had the honor of having him in the radio studio with me for an entire show. It was an experience I will never forget. During that show he shared a great technique with us for getting answers to dilemmas in our lives and I want to share it with you now. Whenever you need help knowing what to do about a

Thank You Ted Our Animal Friends

by Martha Norwalk

situation in your life, spirit has the answer if only you ask. Ted suggested asking Mother Nature and the animals your question. It is appropriate to sit down and through meditation or just speaking out loud or silently explain the issue you need help with and be specific about asking the question. Then go outside. Now this is very important. Go wherever you feel like going. Maybe you feel like going out in your own backyard. Maybe you feel like taking a walk or going to a favorite park. Maybe you feel like driving out to the country, the mountains or a forest. If you are unable to go outside, walk or travel you could just turn on your TV and tune to Animal Planet or even the Discovery or Disney channels, whatever feels right. Once you get to where you feel like being, pay attention to see what shows up. Look around you. What animals, insects, or plants do you see? Look them up in Ted’s books to get the message. If you have more questions then, ask them and just pay attention. The answers will come and with Ted’s help anyone can access them. So, from myself, all of nature and the animals, for giving them a voice and for the wonderful gifts you have left for us all, Thank you, Ted. Namaste.

Martha Norwalk is an animal behavior therapist and host of Martha Norwalk’s Animal World, Sunday mornings, from 9 a.m. to noon on Alternative Talk AM 1150. She can be reached at Martha’s Canine, Feline and All Creature Counseling at (360) 217-7258 or www.marthanorwalk.com. For a free, no-obligation telephone evaluation or to make an appointment for Martha to work with you and your animal friend, give her a call.


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By Lisa Iversen, MSW, LCSW

Over almost 20 years as a psychotherapist, I have often noticed clients’ unexpressed pain stemming from isolation and disconnection from family and community. I often sensed an internal voice remind me, “You’re not a tribe. What they are missing is bigger than what therapy offers.” The reminder guided me as to what I could and couldn’t offer, helping to define the parameter of therapy. I continued my practice, allowing this invisible knowingness to ebb and flow over the years. Over 10 years ago I began working as a Systemic Family Constellations practitioner. Through my experiences with this body-based, experiential method and reconnecting with my own ancestral roots, my intuitions led to an expanded awareness of the need for healing in American culture. I could increasingly see that the difficulties people described in my office were not only individual problems; they mirrored the collectively unacknowledged experiences of our ancestors. I began to see a connection between our American quest for psychological health and the unacknowledged traumatic truths of our country’s history. Emphasis on the individual experience of shame, guilt, perfectionism, communication, and abuse are in resonance with America’s earliest immigrant, colonial history. Therapists are trained to diagnose, analyze, treat, manage, medicate, hospitalize, pathologize, label, and help others cope with life. Where were, I wondered, healing resources in American culture for the tragedies and traumas experienced as a group, such as Indigenous American genocide, enslavement of African Americans, wars, health epidemics, the Great Depression? Without intending to do so, psychotherapy has been asked to become one of our culture’s replacements for ancestors,

elders, shamans, medicine people… for the grandparents, the interconnectedness of the generations...for the web of connection lost when our ancestors emigrated from the home countries. Psychotherapy has in some ways become like a pacifier, a replacement for the real breast milk: family and tribal connection.

From dysfunctional family to honoring our roots

Many schools of psychological thought focus on the effects of wounding in family life. Modern language used to describe family experience in American culture is often rooted in pathology and judgment. The label “dysfunctional family” blinds us from seeing how the human experience takes place within the context of a larger ancestral web. Can we imagine our immigrant ancestors describing their elders as dysfunctional? We have confused psychological health with the human condition, missing the most important fact: life got through. If you are reading this article, there is a fundamental way in which your family was functional: you’re alive. If this awareness is followed by a “yes, but…,” consider for a moment the impact on your sense of self, your identity, in your soul, on your cells and in your physical body, your relationships, your ancestors and your descendants, to live from the conviction, “My family is dysfunctional.” Does this belief have a strengthening or weakening effect on your being? Over the last 100 years, many Americans have moved away from multi-generational, extended family networks. Many people seek therapy while living in a context of this isolation from grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Connection with a therapist provides solace, comfort, and a place to learn that one’s feelings and experience are “normal.” What’s also true is that all of us, including therapists, are all entangled in one way or another with aspects of our family history that are waiting to be acknowledged.

Each of us is a part of the larger, human family, and we need each other to wake up those aspects of our own ancestry that are ready to be seen, honored, and integrated.

Remembering our roots It has become commonplace for Americans to link their identity to their jobs. Doing so while disconnected from ancestry exacerbates imbalance around work and family life. Whether your work life is flourishing or you are unemployed, you are more than your job. Imagine how American culture would be affected if each of us still practiced remembering our relationships as descendants with our ancestry:• My name is:

• I am the daughter/son of:• I am the the granddaughter or grandson of:• I am the the great-granddaughter or grandson of: • My ancestors came from (name as many immigrant countries as you know or tribe if Indigenous American): 1. What effect does it have on you to consider introducing yourself in this way? 2. Are there blanks where you are unable to fill in the information? 3. What do you know about these circumstances? 4. Are there places where you sense a need for healing from one generation to the next? 5. What do you notice physically, emotionally, and spiritually as you consider these questions? We are simply not as original as our egos or the American story would like us to believe. How we are living our lives is deeply influenced by the ones who came before us. As my practice has developed into teaching individuals and groups about ancestral resonance and reconnection, I consistently witness transformative strength that comes from seeing one’s life experience in connection with earlier generations. Families can develop a trancelike way of existence in response to suffering. Understanding how the family trance is often passed on from one generation to the next and reconnecting with our ancestral roots often promotes compassion and a renewed respect for the human experience.

Lisa Iversen, MSW, LCSW, has been a Systemic Family Constellations practi-tioner since 1999 and psychotherapist since 1993. The author of Ancestral Blue-prints: Revealing Invisible Truths in America’s Soul, Lisa lives in the Pacific Northwest. To learn more about her work with individuals and groups or order her book Ancestral Blueprints, visit www.lisaiversen.com or www.familyconstellationswest.com.

Your Therapist Isn’t Your Tribe

Psychotherapist Lisa Iversen says that there is a need for healing in American culture. Psychotherapy has become a replacement for ancestors, elders, grandpartents, and for tribal connection.


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By Kathy Wilson

Vampires are all the rage now. Magazines, books, movies… all are touting something or other vampirish. Most of us in Western Washington are aware that the town of Forks out on the “west end” has been transformed from a logging town into a vampire-y tourist mecca as a result of the filming of recent vampire movies in that locale. Souvenir shops are sprouting up on the main street in downtown Forks and vampire tours are now available. Menus in restaurants sport vampirish names for their entrees. I recently had the diabolical idea of opening up a shop to sell items that protect one from vampires, such as: • Strings of garlic to wear around one’s neck. • Wooden stakes to pound through a vampire’s heart. Hammer included, of course. • Mirrors to detect which of your friends are truly vampires (they have no reflection in a mirror, you know). Although my idea was humorous, protecting oneself from vampires is not a joke. The vampires I’m referring to aren’t the blood-sucking, red-eyed monsters with long, sharp fangs depicted in movies and novels. The type of vampire I’m talking about is just as real and harmful as the fictional one. This vampire will drain you of your life force so slyly that you may not even be aware of it as it happens. They’re called energy vampires. The first and most important step to protect yourself from an energy vampire sucking you dry of all your energy is awareness: you must first recognize them. .Although they have no visible outward characteristics for you to easily identify them, like long fangs or being surrounded by a flock of bats, you can easily recognize them by their behaviors. • Chronic complainers: They can drain you of your energy just by being near you. These people don’t want to change a thing in their life. They just want you to listen to their sad stories… over and over and over. They leave you feeling depressed, dumped-on, and frustrated because no matter what you say or do, they continue in their self-defeating behaviors… and then return to you so you can listen as they whine on about how life ain’t fair and everyone’s working against them. • People-users and manipulators: These people are so adept at getting other people to take responsibility for them and their actions that their victims typically don’t realize they’re being sucked dry of energy until they’re dragged down to the ground, gasping for breath. If you find yourself repeatedly doing work that’s the responsibility of someone else or constantly “loaning” someone money or your car, you’re being sucked dry by an energy vampire. • Drama kings and queens, crazy-makers, and others of that ilk: This type of energy

vampire enlarges the reality of current events in their life until the event becomes a major trauma or catastrophe, thus creating small disturbances of energy. As they share with you their story and the accompanying emotions, which have been blown into monster-size proportions, the energy of your emotional reaction fuels the energy disturbance, growing it larger and more intense. When these energy vampires have filled themselves up on the energy of your emotions, they happily go away, leaving you drained and exhausted. It’s important to note that most people aren’t energy vampires all the time. Like the blood-sucking vampires of fiction, energy vampires typically only appear on occasion. Moreover, anyone – even you – can be an energy vampire if the circumstances are just right. How can you protect yourself from an energy vampire… or from becoming one? Once you’ve identified the person and/or behavior you’ve got the upper hand. Now all you need do is to activate the almost magical power of your personal boundary protection. There are four steps to using a personal boundary: 1. Becoming aware of the boundary violation. Recognizing the behaviors of energy vampires will aid you greatly to easily identify them so you can take further steps to protect yourself from their energy-sucking habits. 2. Informing the violator of your boundary. Believe it or not, most energy vampires don’t actually realize that their behavior is detrimental to others. The truth is, most people think that everyone thinks the way they do. Be prepared for surprise when you inform your energy vampire that their behavior is not acceptable to you. 3. Asking for compliance. The manner in which you deliver your boundary to a violator has great impact on how it’s received and, thus, the chances of its success. Having the language beforehand will make you more comfortable and confident when you’re stating your boundary. Because most energy vampire behavior is habitual, you have the advantage of being able to prepare your boundary

language in advance. Practice saying it until you can state your boundary calmly, without being angry, defensive, or nervous. You’ll get better results. 4. Thanking them for their compliance. You might think that thanking an energy vampire for their compliance isn’t very important, yet it’s a very vital part that contributes to the successful results of your boundary enforcement. Our brains are programmed to assume that when we hear “Thank you,” it’s as an acknowledgement of an act that’s already happened. You say “Thank you” for a gift or a compliment after you’ve received it. When you say “Thank you” in advance of getting compliance to your boundary, you set up the thought in the other person’s mind that it’s already a done deal. This adds greatly to the chances of you actually getting compliance. Finally, after you’ve delivered your personal boundary to your energy vampire, the following is extremely important to remember: • Do not justify, rationalize, or apologize for your boundary. • Do not open it up to debate or negotiation. • Do not fill in any stunned silences with an explanation. Any of these actions will diffuse the power of your boundary and render it worthless. Simply state your boundary, ask

for compliance, thank the person, and move on. People who violate your boundaries drain your energy with their behavior. When you uphold your personal boundaries, these people will either stop their behavior or they’ll go away. Energy vampires will no longer want to be in your presence because you won’t allow them to play their games. Consequently, you’ll have more energy. Additionally, as you continue to uphold your personal boundaries, you’ll experience all of your relationships becoming of a much higher quality.

Kathy Wilson is a life purpose coach, spiritual teacher, Reiki master, and author of, An Inner Journey: Living Your Life Purpose, who works with energy for healing and enlightenment. Visit her website at www.Warrior-Priestess.com.

“The vampires I’m referring to aren’t the blood-sucking, red-eyed monsters with long, sharp fangs depicted in movies and novels. The vampires I’m talking about are just as real and harmful as the fictional ones. They’re called energy vampires.”

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let go and allow, you will not mind the retrograde. This is a time to slow down and integrate what has occurred in your life over the last several months. Mercury turns direct on the 11th of May. Saturn and Uranus will exactly oppose each other from the 22nd of April through the 1st of May. We have experienced this connection before within the last year. It represents

the integration of the past or status quo with change, creativity, and innovation. Some of you will feel this opposition as a tug of war; others will feel it as a bridge. Focus on the bridge. A passageway from an old reality to a new one is forming. The tension between the two must be honored and held with care. Compassionately hold this space for yourself and for the world ;another birth is in process. The new moon occurs on the April 14 at 24° of Aries. This later degree of this sign can serve to open our minds and hearts to the world. As well-defined and self-interested individuals (Aries Moon), we can also know ourselves as part of the whole. This is a time to reach out into a larger circle of social connections and learn from

This month begins our new astrological column and we welcome Elizabeth as our regular columnist. Please let us know how you enjoy this column. -Editor

April 2010 On March 20 the sun moved to 0° of Aries, marking the spring equinox when day and night are equal in length. 0° Aries is also the beginning of the zodiac. This year, in late May through mid-August, this degree and sign will play prominently in our collective experience, and now is the perfect time to explore their meaning. Mars rules the sign of Aries, which expresses initiating fire. Symbolically Aries represents the potent life force that propels the unfurling first leaves and pale stem through the wall of a mature, nourished seed. There is great exuberance in this moment, and great promise as the germinating seed gives birth to what it has nurtured. During the first half of this year we would be well served to hold the image of an incubating seed in our hearts and minds. It is important to honor and shelter what it is that we are germinating, what we want to produce. We also need to gather the energy, nutrients, and resources necessary to birth a new expression of self and/or an important gift for the world. Our clarity and intention are essential parts of this process. They encode the embryo, and they focus the life force energy needed to pop our unfurling creation into life. From now through May 26, do not scatter your energy, contain it. Hold your intention deep within you and allow it to fully mature. On May 27th, Uranus will move to 0° of Aries, and on June 6, Jupiter will join it. The life force of this planetary pairing is assertive, especially at this prime, initiating degree. Together these planets fuel the potential for beneficial change and innovation; also for sudden, unexpected releases. The intentions, that you have thoughtfully created and held, will provide a guiding direction for what is birthed and for your personal experience of this time. More about this in the months ahead. Mars has recently come out of a retrograde and will now aid certain movement in our lives. Decisions will flow more easily, actions will follow. However, because of the multiple influences now occurring, we will each need to discern what action fits this time and what action best serves our current gestation.

On the 7th of April, Pluto turns retrograde. This movement will generate emotional intensity the first half of April. Pluto, more than any other planet, activates powerful energy when entering a retrograde phase. Be aware that you – and/or those around you – may feel compelled to accelerate or complete any changes you have been working toward. In order to meet your timeline and expectations, you may force yourself or another to exert an extraordinary amount of energy or you may attempt to push someone out of your way. These are not good strategies and, under this Pluto transit, can lead to chaos. Pluto rules the interplay of fear and power and catalyzes the deepest processes of regeneration. When we work with its nature and energy in an informed way, Pluto becomes a much-needed ally. Pluto will guide us through death to rebirth. It facilitates the breaking down of anything within us that is not reflective of our true and deepest nature. It also sustains the creativity and life force needed for renewal of consciousness and vitality. Since January 2008 Pluto influences have increased, and we have seen this planet’s alchemy at work in the world and in our lives in profound ways. From April 1 to April 15, keep in mind that Pluto’s transition into retrograde can awaken willfulness, fear, obsession, an urge for power, profound self-examination, and deep emotions from our unconscious (to name a few.) It is important to shake off some of the intensity of this planetary influence and not be seduced or numbed out by it. There is an opportunity now for you to see what lives deep in your emotional being. Breathe it through and out. Mercury turns retrograde on April 17. From the 14th to the 21st, it will remain at 12° of Taurus. This seven-day period, as well as the retrograde, can complicate contracts, communication, scheduling of appointments, and travel plans. It can also initiate a period of computer and/or mechanical problems. If you are willing to


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Touchstone

by Elizabeth Frediani

Monthly Astrological Overview

our differences. On April 28, the full moon sits at 8° of Scorpio. It opposes retrograding Mercury and forms a tension-producing connection to Mars. Use the deep nature of Scorpio to penetrate the attitudes and emotions that keep you stuck. Swim into the deep water and feel the connectivity and fluidity between us all. Honor what challenges you and who challenges you. More in May.

Elizabeth Frediani is an author, teacher, and practitioner, whose work with astrology and with subtle energy healing spans three decades. For information about classes and private sessions, contact [email protected]. Comments and questions about this month’s overview are welcome.


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By Gail Lennox

It’s not always easy staying on the gratitude path. Life has a way of imposing all kinds of things to deal with along the way. Even with our best intentions, we sometimes lose sight of everything we have to be grateful for. Typically, I am in full alignment with all the good in my life and can stay on track. But, every now and then, I get a big reminder that I have fallen off it. I have learned that the phrase, “take what you like and leave the rest” is a good one. Living in the moment and realizing what a precious gift life is, is the key to our happiness and fulfillment. Being aware of

our breath is a way to stay in touch with all that there is – which is now – this present moment. Realizing who you are and what you can give is a worthwhile and valuable journey. Sharing who you are with your family, your friends, and the world, is doing a great service and is an inspiration to us all. If it’s not reflected back to you right away, it will soon be on its way; this I know for sure.

Gail Lennox is the founder of Balanced and Centered, LLC and helps people design their lives and live their dreams through life and career coaching, workshops, and image consulting. www.

Everyday Gratitude

By Cristina Pavey

Beyond all the material instruments in the world, I have gained a grand passion for my voice and elected it as the most powerful instrument God ever gave me. Voice can make and perform unimaginable sounds and take us to altered states of consciousness and assist us all in self transformation and self healing. However, in Western society it is still a little hard to make people believe in the power of their voices. The voice resides in the throat chakra (energy center in the subtle body), which is the center for communication, also where the seed of your truth and power is located. As you believe in

yourself, you can start speaking your truth. Expressivity with the spoken word becomes richer and the sound or vibration and frequency gets more balanced, grounding, gentle and yet assertive. Your arms are a continuation of your throat chakra that can express what you feel by moving and create an energetic field with the frequency and intonation of your voice. Voice can be powerful both ways, negative and positive, just like the sounds we hear in our daily lives. It can trigger beautiful or damaging emotions. The example of a tyrant father talking to his kid in a tough voice of command, emanating that hard vibration constantly on him,

ends up by shutting the kid down. Whereas a situation in which the child is imbued with this love and balance from his dad, translated by a soft and yet assertive voice, can only open the kid’s heart and feel love. Jonathan Goldman, a music researcher for many years, and also my teacher, put together these two formulas:

Frequency+Intention=Healing/

Visualization+Vocalization=Manifestation

They reveal that sound is a carrier wave of consciousness. When you talk or you tone or chant, and you have an intention in mind or you visualize something in particular, that sound (which is a wave of energy) or frequency is their carrier wave. So, when you talk to someone – or even to yourself – be cautious with the words you use, because your thoughts and words are being manifested. Your word and thoughts are your creation. In terms of healing, voice can be amazingly powerful. Imagine you are sending energy to someone who is ill. Visualize that person already healed and set the intention by saying the affirmation “You are healed” and then you tone (elongating the sound, i.e. sacred vowel ah). Ah is the sacred vowel for the heart chakra, for love/compassion. When toning you use mainly the vowels, even though sighing, moaning, and humming can also be recognized as forms of toning. As you are toning you are releasing and relieving tension out of your body and giving it a better flow of energy and restoring your harmonic patterns. Toning is different from chanting. Once you start chanting it is no longer toning, as you are using words. Mantras, like “Om mani Padme Hum,” are a form of chanting. However, the single elongation of a seed syllable, such as om or uh can be considered as toning. There is an interesting story that takes place in Africa that reveals how voice is an intrinsic part of your being and that assists you in lifting up your spirits by balancing and harmonizing all parts of your being: body, emotions, spirit, and soul. One man comes to the shaman of the village and says to him that he feels down emotionally and has low energy, to which the shaman replied, “When was the last time you sang?” When teaching a workshop, it is my intention to bring people the awareness of their uniqueness and the power they bring from within themselves. During the workshop it is my intention to make people feel safe and loved so their hearts can

open and express themselves in a free way. Sound is a manifestation of the soul and spirit and when being open to the divine consciousness of love or God, beautiful sounds can come through us and the overtoning or harmonics are amidst them, which are the most powerful regenerative sounds that heal us. May you and sound be as one!

Cristina Pavey has been in the health field since 1999, as therapist. Originally from Portugal, shehas been residing in the USA for the last 12 years. She is a reiki master, reflexologist, massage therapist, sound healer, African improvisational drumming, intuitive painting artist. For further information go to www.lightenessofbeing.com; phone, (586) 260-5112. Cristina will be in Seattle April 22-23.

Sacred Sound Healing – The Healing Power of VoiceWhen listening or doing vocal harmonics, toning and overtoning here is what these sounds can bring you:• Reducing and relieving stress• Enhancing memory• Charging the cortex of the brain• Growing new brain cells• Teaching and entraining the brain to restore and replace weak dormant or missing frequencies• Stimulating and enhancing the functions of the immune system• Improving the flow and pulse of cerebral spinal fluid• Creating new neural synaptic connections• Regenerating body systems• Expanding consciousness and inner awareness.• Open and balance the chakras • Fast relaxation


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By Karen Louise RN, RHT

The phone rings and after my cheery “hello” I hear a tentative voice asking for help. Sometimes it is for weight loss, an addiction, physical pain or chronic stress. A common trait these individuals share is their futile struggle to change behavior or circumstance. Their lives become a war between their desire for change and a reality that doesn’t. In despair, many seek solace in the very behavior they are trying to change. Desperate, they call and ask for help. My offering? A way to peace.

But first: Let’s do a reality check. The failure rate of diets and addiction recovery is legendary. Why is it we continue to offer solutions that aren’t working? We extend the hand of hope with methods that have clear statistics of failure. Why? Of course, we know that one reason this deception continues is monetary gain. Another is a belief that we can change behavior by creating war against it. As Dr. Phil would say “How’s that working for you?” What then? Stop warring with reality. The present moment cannot

be altered. The future, if it comes, will be a present moment when it arrives. The past is a memory stored in the brain. So what do we do with the present moment; one we want to be different than it is? We make peace with it. Accepting the content of what is now is not a moral posturing, rather, it is an acknowledgement of reality, a knowing that this moment cannot be different than it is. We let it be (it is anyway). And then in the serenity of presence we make our plan for changes we desire. We take action, accept outcome, stay present, tweak our

plan, take action, accept outcome and so on. No war. No struggle. So now, what is your reality? Fat? Drunk? Stressed out? Sick? In prison? Go ahead, rail against reality. Scream, kick, fight, war, hate, and be furious. Stop now. Are you still fat, drunk, stressed out, sick or in prison? Yes, indeed and now you have added the suffering of resistance to the unaltered condition. Had enough? Now, I invite you to make peace with life – your life, as it is in this moment, as a friend or bitter enemy – what is, remains, until it is no more. A daily affirmation: Take a moment now, become fully present and read the following: “I see that I am living in a larger body than I would prefer (or in prison, addicted, ill or whatever your ‘problem,’ insert here). My preference cannot be my reality right now. That’s just fine, because I can’t be in this moment anything but what I am, where I am and that is the way of it. If I fight this, I am at war with reality and I will lose. “Instead, I can accept my current circumstances as they are, because whether I do or not… they remain as they are. “Then from peace I will

Making Peace With What Is

do what I can to make the changes I desire, accepting the outcome, whatever it is. I am one with reality every step of the way. No war, no struggle, trusting life, life that is always and only this very moment. And it is good.” Many forces create each moment, absolute cause and effect is never clear. So, we can either be at peace with the moment’s offering or we can suffer in

futile resistance. Peace or suffering? I have come to prefer peace. Karen Louise RN, RHT, Balanced Living Strategies, (360) 840-8032; www.awakenaware.com, acknowledges her teachers: Byron Katie, Wayne Dyer, Patanjali, My Children.

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By Reba Cain

A new earth is birthing and you are one of the six billion midwives that are helping. The release of the movie 2012 has brought an increased focus on 2012 and is causing people to wonder what will happen. Will it be the end of the world? Or will it be a new beginning for planet earth? You have a vote. A new earth is birthing, but the final outcome of how that will look, has not yet been determined. It is being created each day by every person on this planet. Looking at some background information on 2012 will help to clarify how you can play your part. On Dec 21, 2012, there is an alignment of our sun and earth with the center of our Milky Way galaxy. This marks the ending of the Mayan Long Count calendar. The Mayans, who were extraordinary timekeepers, were able to map time very accurately over thousands of years. Their Long Count calendar represents the ending of a 5,125 year cycle. A controversy has developed around what exactly the ending of the calendar means. The media has focused on it representing the end of the world. Mayan elders assure us that it is not the end of the world, but the beginning of a new world that many are now calling a new earth. Mayans measured not only time with their calendar, but also the evolution of consciousness. The elders say that this is a time of shifting of consciousness when the human race is waking up. Consciousness is simply our level of awareness, how attuned we are to all that is unfolding in our world, externally and internally. As our consciousness vibrates at a higher level, our bodies and our world begin to vibrate at a higher rate also. Our bodies are becoming less and less dense, and expressing more as energy and light. This in turn causes us to experience our world at a higher vibration. As we move from fear, anger and pride to love, joy and peace, the events in our outer world change to match our consciousness. Since the larger meaning of 2012 is more about a consciousness shift than it is physical changes to the earth, we all play a part according to how we shift our own consciousness. The energy from our every thought, feeling and action is imbedded in the matrix, the energy field of the earth, causing it to either rise or lower. At the recent I Can Do It! Conference in Tampa, Fla., Gregg Braden, author of the book, The Matrix, gave this example of how human thoughts and emotions impact the energy field of the earth. He explained that there are two satellites circling our planet that measure the magnetic fields of the earth. One day, scientists noticed a huge spike in the field and wondered what it meant. After overlaying a calendar on the data, they discovered it was Sept 11, 2001. The disaster

caused a heart opening in millions of people around the globe, which in turn was reflected in earth’s energy field. So here is proof that we humans impact what happens in the matrix. The next step is to realize that when enough people imprint into the matrix a certain belief, a critical mass is reached and the belief spreads through the matrix impacting everyone. Using a wave in the ocean as a metaphor, we know that when enough drops have gathered to form the wave, it reaches a tipping point, and there is no stopping it. All the water rushes forward. It’s the same with humanity. As the matrix is seeded with a pattern of thought, a critical mass is reached, and the change accelerates so that all of humanity is transformed by the new belief. This puts the responsibility in each of our laps. Truly, each one of us is a midwife. Here are some practical suggestions for things you can do to contribute to the birthing. They are based on the concept of being a conduit for adding positive energy to the matrix. 1. Be a lighthouse emitting gratitude and appreciation. A technique I have used for years is to write five things I am grateful for each night before sleep. Then each morning when I awaken – before I even open my eyes – I silently do a rampage of appreciation. This is a technique from the work of Esther Hicks in which you enthusiastically list all of the things you appreciate about your life. The Institute of HeartMath has found that gratitude and appreciation vibrate at 0.10 hertz, which is the quality of emotion that heals our body and the earth. 2. Begin to honor the earth as a living being by attuning to her cycles and seasons. This can easily be done by doing simple rituals on the equinoxes and solstices in which you express love for the earth. As you open your heart and consciously send loving energy to the earth mother, you are raising the vibration of the matrix. 3. Be a spokesperson among your family and friends for a positive outcome in 2012. Your loved ones, who may not read material like New Spirit Journal, may believe that 2012 is the end of the world. You can be the voice of reason and help alleviate their fear and confusion by talking about your optimistic views of the coming times. As you focus on a positive outcome you create momentum for that reality to manifest. Just as one drop of water tipped the wave, it only takes a single individual to tip the wave of critical mass. As you do your part, it could be you that is the crucial drop causing the wave to surge forward birthing a new earth of harmony, joy, and peace.

Reba Cain writes a blog about 2012 at www.theawakeningshift.com. Reba is an astrologer and energy healing practitioner offering astrology readings and Lightbody Activations. For information about her services visit www.rebajeancain.com.

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Consciousness has been evolving on this planet for millions of years. The energy vibrations that were sustainable on a physical plane have now become obsolete. Existence has waited for billions of years for us to finally evolve to a point where we can create a new life on this planet that will be based on each person’s innate ability to live with love, honesty and courage. Instead of living with our old ego-centered fearful and competitive programming, the global shift in 2012 will bring us many opportunities to create a better life on this planet. Mother Nature knows that it’s now time to destroy the old outdated structures, and she will help

us create a new and a better foundation so everyone can live in joy and abundance. As the polar axis of the earth shifts to its new position in 2012, a powerful energy wave will be freed to help humanity enter into a higher vibration of existence. Like an earthquake that causes the surface of the planet to quiver, the final shift in polar axis will cause massive destruction on physical, mental, and emotional planes for everyone around the globe. The weather of the North and the South will reverse, and the imbalance of power and wealth will no longer be able to sustain itself. 2012 will expose our unconscious darkness on a massive scale. Those who are

Seven Things You Can Do to Prepare for 2012 1. Ask yourself who am I? And why am I here? Examine your attitude towards life and death and search for your eternal being. 2. Surrender your personal will to the will of existence and whatever life brings you moment to moment. 3. Make a list of your fears and allow yourself to act in spite of them. Don’t be afraid to be different. 4. Understand and break through your social and religious conditionings. Search within to find your own answers instead of relying on other people’s opinions of what is right for you. 5. Look for the lessons you need to learn in every situation in spite of the ups and downs of life. 6. Be honest with yourself and others and take full responsibility for your thoughts and emotions. 7. Live each day as if it’s your last, and trust that existence always takes care of you.

2012 – An Opportunity For a Better Life

after their own selfish interests will become more and more visible and more and more miserable. But those who have been working hard to purify themselves and find their true being will find true happiness and joy, which is within their own heart and consciousness.

Disconnecting from the Past

A significant number of humans are already beginning to recognize that no one can ever be separate from the universe. Many are becoming aware that their innate state of religiosity is independent of the organized religious beliefs and conditionings. We have created multiple concepts of God out of our fear of the unknown and we have learned to control life instead of celebrate its abundant blessings. Our man-made concepts about the many different gods have created much pain and suffering for the whole of humanity and have brought us to a point of self-destruction. Our survival is now dependent on surrendering our different ideas of God and our unification as cosmic beings belonging to one earth and one universe. Those who gather the courage to surrender their ego-mind will heal into consciousness and be

the torchbearers for this new cycle of human evolution. The new beginning will give birth to a new man and a new woman who will follow their own intelligence and inner knowing, and will be true to their own heart.

Living with A New Consciousness

The universe evolves and expands as we transform our individual unconscious energy into consciousness. In order to transform our collective energy, each person needs to take full responsibility for his or her own transformation into consciousness and start functioning from higher energy centers (chakras). 2012 will awaken us out of our collective sleep and give us an opportunity to surrender our attachments to our fears, conditionings and old belief systems. Destruction of the old structures will help us purify our first three chakras, and propel us collectively into the fourth chakra where we will begin to function through our heart. In the higher chakras, fear of survival, competitiveness, and the sense of separation will be transformed into love, compassion, and awareness of our being.



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By Karuna Poole, ARNP, MN

I enjoy looking at life as if it is a series of lessons. I think it is fun, on occasion, to identify the lessons as they are occurring. I once had such an opportunity when a group of 12 friends from Seattle, Tacoma, Vashon Island and Port Townsend joined together for an early morning

adventure. Our goal was to take a three-hour long boat journey to Rat Island, where we could watch the seal colony waking up. We congregated at the local marina at 5:30 a.m. when it was still dark outside. Our leader was experienced in the use of the longboat and a few others had some rowing experience but most of us were beginners. We took

Lessons from Rowing: Living

in Awareness

our places in the boat and learned how to insert the oars. After some time, we pushed off and the challenge began. There was a lot of wind and current. Since most of us didn’t know how to row properly, at first the ten oars seemed to be going ten different directions. We constantly hit against each other. Over and over again, we bumped against the dock and came perilously close to hitting other moored (docked) boats. Lessons: • Individual effort without teamwork can lead to going in circles or going nowhere. • Like meditation, getting started might be the hardest part. • Recognize that a beginner needs time to learn new skills.

~ ~ ~ When you row a boat like this, the people rowing do not see where they are going. The leader is standing: watching and directing. The rowers are completely dependent on his directions. Lessons: • Choose a leader who knows more than you do

and with whom you have a sense of trust. • Listen to your leader. • Be willing to learn from those who know more than you do. • Be humble.

~ ~ ~ Slowly, we were able to round the first turn from the place where the boat had been docked. We were soon being thrown from place to place by the waves and were having trouble getting out of the marina. Another boatman asked if we would like a tow. He towed us a short distance and then freed us. From there, we were able to finally start making progress. Lessons: • Accept the help God sends through other people. • Be humble.

~ ~ ~ We finally made it out of the marina and began to row… and row…. and row. The wind and waves were going against us. We were able to get in sync for short periods of time but it never lasted. Any time any one of us lost focus, we would crash against each others’ oars. There was a big difference between what the

waves looked like and what they felt like, meaning they looked so small and felt so huge. Lesson: • Challenges sometimes aren’t as big as they seem at the time we are undergoing them.

~ ~ ~ When we left the marina it was dark. We didn’t even notice when night began to turn into day. Lesson: • How often we are in the darkness and don’t see the light when it presents itself.

~ ~ ~ At one point, someone pointed out the sunrise. The pink and orange rays of light silhouetted the Olympic Mountains. As people turned to look at the sunrise, our oars once again began to clank together. Lessons: • It is important to stay focused on your higher goal. • Sometimes you need to see beauty through the eyes of others. • Keep rowing; the sunrise is there even if you can’t see it. • The time to see the sunrise yourself will come.

~ ~ ~

The rowing was difficult work. If we became too tired to row, we had to pull up the heavy oar so it wasn’t in the way of others. Whenever too many people put their oars up at the same time, the boat would drift away from the path. Lessons: • Know your own limits. Be willing to push yourself beyond your perceived limits but if you need to rest, then rest. • Be willing to start again immediately, if you are really needed. • More can be accomplished through group effort, than by a single individual.

~ ~ ~ We rowed for about an hour and a half. Sometimes it seemed like we weren’t getting anywhere, no matter how much we rowed. Lesson: • There is a story of three frogs that fell into a pot full of milk. One of the frogs began swimming frantically, trying to keep itself from drowning. The other frogs floating in the milk jeered as the first frog swam and swam trying to save itself.



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By Karen Murphy

Things are rapidly changing around the planet. Just looking around you or reading the news headlines tells you that this is so. People are losing jobs and homes, the climate and economy are in flux, and politics are more polarized than we remember from years past. At the same time, people are getting married, having children, relocating, and planning for the future. Change occurs all the time, even within ourselves. Many spiritual teachers have long agreed that earth’s inhabitants are in for quite a ride as the planet shifts into high gear. How can we best navigate all this change while remaining centered, grounded, and connected to ourselves as humans? It’s easy to get carried away by fears, especially when life seems precarious, so these easy steps will help you connect to your humanity and to the inner spark of you – your soul – that rests in deep, ancient wisdom.

Breathing Oh sure, we breathe all the time, but conscious breathing has many

benefits. It rests, relaxes, and rejuvenates your body. You’ll have more energy, an increased sense of spiritual connection, a healthier body, and an overall feeling of well-being just from adding a breathing practice to your daily routine. While there are many techniques in pranayama (a yoga practice that means the control of life or energy) that offer benefits in specific areas, most of us have become disconnected with the simple full abdominal breath that is so natural when we are children. • Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. When you take a deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the chest. This insures that the diaphragm is pulling air into the base of the lungs. • After exhaling through the mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your nose imagining that you are sucking in all the air in the room and hold it for a count of seven (or as long as you are able, not exceeding seven). • Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of eight. As all the air is released with relaxation, gently contract your abdominal

muscles to completely evacuate the remaining air from the lungs. It is important to remember respiration is deepened by completely exhaling air, not by inhaling more. • Repeat the cycle four more times for a total of five deep breaths and try to breathe at a rate of one breath every 10 seconds (or six breaths per minute).

Movement We are used to thinking about exercise as a punishment, or as a means to an end. Instead, I’d like you to think about movement from a childlike perspective: movement from the sheer joy of it. Incorporate large-muscle movements into your daily routine, and think about these movements as expanding you into the space of what is around you. Some types of movement to try: • Spontaneous dance. Ten minutes of dancing in your living room to music that inspires you can do wonders. Feel your muscles stretching and contracting. Feel your heart rate increase, and feel the flush and warmth from opening up your limbs to the universe. • Qi gung or tai chi. Slow,

practiced movements that move energy around and through you can be very sustaining, providing a foundation inside you upon which everything else rests. Both qi gung and tai chi are thought to be wonderful at increasing overall vitality, and they will help you connect energetically to the world around you.

Walking In Nature This combines large-muscle movements with a connection to trees, plants, animals and the outer world in general. A daily walk clears your mind, helps you think, allows you to sleep more deeply, and provides movement and exercise. Be sure to think about your walk as a gift to yourself rather than as a “must-do” in order to receive the biggest benefits.

Nature No matter where you live, there are elements of nature around you. Here in the Pacific Northwest it’s the perfect time to get outdoors and observe daily changes as spring deepens. As you enjoy the natural beauty around you, keep in mind that you are taking in energy from everything you see, touch, hear, and smell; nature becomes a

tiny part of you.

Community How many of your neighbors do you know? Make it a practice to get to know everyone who lives within a short radius around you. You are already taking in their energy in some level, and matching names, faces, and homes deepens your sense of connection to the place where you live. After you get to know people and greet them on a regular basis, take things a step further: • Neighborhood events. Throw a potluck, movie night, or neighborhood cleanup party as a way to get to know people further. Make this a regular practice. • Communal ownership. Don’t own every power tool they sell at Home Depot? No problem. Support sustainable living by creating a community mélange of tools that are available for everyone’s use. Or create space for a community garden.

Self Don’t neglect the most important person in your life: you. This is the year to jump into change and

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The Wisdom of Your Face is based on the same ancient principles as traditional Chinese Medicine. The Chinese believed that your face is a reflection of your true inner spirit, the blueprint of your original design. The wisdom written there explains why you think, feel, and behave as you do, and can help you find the life path that brings you joy, relationships that nurture you, and most of all, gain a way to feel true compassion for yourself and everyone you encounter. Please join author Jean Haner to learn the wisdom you can find in the curve of your cheek, the slant of your nose, even the style of your hair. If you have questions for Jean about your own face or those in your life, please send them to [email protected] or mail them to New Spirit Journal, 14911 Chain Lake Rd., #431, Monroe, WA 98272.

Dear Jean, I have an employee with a huge jaw that extends past the sides of her face, similar to California’s First Lady Maria Shriver’s jaw. I’m having problems with this staff member and wonder if that kind of jaw has a meaning that might be helpful to know?

Jean‘s reply: Face reading is incredibly useful at the office. It’s a skill I’ve taught to many

human resources professionals, not only to give them easier ways to find the best person for the job, but also to “tweak” someone’s duties to make their job a better fit. Every facial feature offers loads of information that can be so helpful to know about the people you work with. In Chinese face reading, the jaw is called “The Roots of the Tree.” If someone’s jaw is very large and well-defined as your employee’s is, it means she’s like a tree with strong roots that can’t be easily blown down by the wind. In other words, she has a firm belief system and isn’t likely to be influenced by others. This can be a positive trait, in that someone like this often has strong values, and is willing to stand up for what they believe in. But the difficult side of this trait is that someone with such a strong jaw can have too rigid a belief system, a “my way or the highway” mentality. They’ll be less likely to be willing to listen to others’ points of views or change their minds about anything. Such an extreme jaw has other meanings as well. It reveals someone who is usually quite driven in their career, with specific goals they want to achieve. They can be

impatient and easily frustrated if they have to fuss with little details as part of their job, or work through layers of bureaucracy to get anything done. They may be extremely competitive, and their impulse can be to try to win at all costs. This can even show up in daily interactions; what you think is simply a friendly conversation turns into an argument they feel they have to win. A strong jaw also indicates a person who can size up a situation quickly and realistically. They’ll tend to be decisive and want to leap into action right after they’ve made a decision. This can be great in certain business settings, but in human relationships, it has the potential to cause problems, because a person with this kind of jaw often immediately makes up their mind about you on first meeting. With someone like this, you really only have moments to establish your credibility with them, and if you don’t they’ll reject you. This overly judgmental nature doesn’t usually serve

them well. This kind of person is often quite confident in their abilities. And frankly, they can be wonderfully entrepreneurial, and fantastic at creating logical and practical strategies for solving problems. But if they’re highly stressed, they can click into the attitude that everyone else is a moron and they should be running the show. If you recognize any of these qualities in your employee’s personality, please know these are natural tendencies that are inherent

in her temperament. This can help you from taking her behavior too personally, or misunderstanding her motivations. Often just gaining this kind of new perception eases the situation. You can also use this knowledge to adjust her responsibilities, or your own expectations. By the way, for those of you in Seattle, I’ll be there teaching a workshop in April, and I hope you’ll join me to learn more. You’ll find the flyer on my website.

Jean Haner is the author of, “The Wisdom of Your Face,” and the upcoming, “The Wisdom of Your Child’s Face” (June, 2010). With her 25-year background in ancient Chinese principles of balance and health, Jean places an emphasis on compassionate and affirming ways for people to live in alignment with their own true selves. Please visit www.wisdomofyourface.com for information on workshops, consultations and Jean’s free newsletter.

by Jean Haner

The Wisdom Of Your Face

A Powerful Jaw

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Have you ever been stuck on the toilet and there is no toilet paper on the roll. Have you ever found a roll nearby but slightly out of reach, or perhaps just below the empty roll itself? Chances are you have. The changing of the toilet paper roll is a seemingly innocuous event in our daily lives but can reflect our attitudes toward self and others at a very basic level. Perhaps if we could measure the “changing of the roll,” so to speak, it would reflect the way in which we are in the community. Imagine this, you are sitting on the “throne.” The tissue is hanging off the roll, just enough for you. Another fresh new roll lays just below within easy reach. What do you do? Honestly now! Do you take your piece, leave the roll empty, wash your hands and go? Do you use the last piece, and as a courtesy to the next person, change the roll? Or, do you leave the roll empty on the floor for the next person to change it? Perhaps you are so absorbed in your internal or external activities that you don’t even notice the roll on the floor. In

which case, I sure hope you wash you hands on the way out! What we do and how we are as individuals in our daily lives reflects what we bring to the larger community. If we change the roll, we are thinking of the persons who come after us. It reflects an act of kindness, mindful of the present and anticipating future needs. One can extrapolate a potential attitude of concern for the generations to come. Not changing does not automatically assume its opposite possibility, but perhaps a position of mindlessness or ignoring what is. Yet if we ignore possibilities for small acts of kindness and let the next person be greeted by the empty roll, it reflects an attitude of

every-person-for themselves, and dog-eat-dog. Dogs don’t generally eat dogs, perhaps not unless they are starving, or trained to. We live in an age of plenty, for the most part, and there would be more than enough if there was more generosity of spirit. Ask yourself even further, do you change the roll only in your own house, or do you also change it public places? Otherwise, do you stick to only taking care of your own “tribe,” or are you extending your act of kindness however small to others. If the toilet paper is out of reach, do you make the extra effort and change it after, or leave it? Do you not change the roll at all but leave the roll on the floor

after using it? How do you feel when you change said roll? Do you do it automatically because that is how you were trained? Do you change the roll with frustration, perhaps perceiving always having to do it, or anticipating always having to do it? Do you change it wanting recognition in what you do, perhaps distilling future anger for recognition not being forth coming? Or are you changing it because it is simply what needs to be done. None of these positions are right or wrong, however they do reflect the quality of heart on an individual and collective level. I was in a job interview years ago, being interviewed by some women. After all the questions were asked and the interview was coming to a close, someone asked, “Is there anything else you would like to tell us about yourself?” Without really thinking I blurted out, “I know how to change a toilet paper roll.” This little comment garnered a few chuckles, for we had all been there, but it also reflected, that I took the extra step of consideration for others after me whoever they may be. I am not suggesting that we

“What we do and how we are as individuals in our daily lives reflects what we bring to the larger community. If we change the roll, we are thinking of the persons who come after us. It reflects an act of kindness, mindful of the present and anticipating future needs.”

When Do You Change the Toilet Paper Roll? start running around and taking care of other people’s business. It is important to first take care of your own and then perhaps one extra thing. We are all in this together, whatever color shape or size. If daily we did one extra thing to make the world a better place without measuring reward or personal gain, how quickly our world would change. If we changed that toilet paper roll, or picked up the trash, or performed a random act of kindness or generosity of any sort we would be making one more gesture, which opens our hearts personally, and as a community. It is easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of things that need to be changed when we start looking. It is easy to lose heart when overwhelmed. Breathe deeply and remember the heart of your being, it is here we are connected.

Leslie Ciechanowski, M.Ed, has a holistic therapy practice in Seattle and has been involved in the area of creativity and the healing arts for over 25 years. For appointments and/or information contact her at www.fuzionhealingarts.com or www.soulnavigations.com.

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As we move towards universal consciousness, we will remember our true nature and recognize that our being never dies. With awareness of our eternal and indestructible presence, our fears will disappear and no one will be able to control and manipulate us. We will be happy to take risks and live in the present instead of dwelling on the past or escaping into the future, and will stop suffering. 2012 will allow those who have the best intentions at heart to set the new standards of social living. Their light will shine brightly, paving the way for many others to transit between the old and the new. No harm will come to those who are conscious, as their consciousness alone will protect them. The best thing we can do to prepare ourselves to ride the cosmic wave of 2012

is to purify our energy and consciousness, so we can move into vibration of joy and celebration. Through joy and celebration of life we’ll be able to surf the massive wave of global and cosmic change as we move into the new era of universal consciousness.

Eliza Mada Dalian is a multi- award-winning author of, In Search of the Miraculous: Healing into Consciousness (six awards). She is a spiritual guide, mystic, and the founder of an evolutionary new healing method – DHM (Dalian Healing Method) – the 21st century light-speed method for transformation of pain, fear, depression, and illness into health and self-empowered consciousness. Mada travels internationally offering private sessions, workshops, self-healing seminars, and retreats to individuals, children, and organizations. www.madadalian.com.

2012: An Opportunity for a Better LifeContinued from page 11

Due to their lack of effort, the two jeering frogs soon drowned. The constant movement of the milk caused by the frantically swimming frog eventually turned the milk to butter, and the frog climbed out of the pot to safety.

~ ~ ~ The whole journey was supposed to take three hours and when we assessed the situation we realized we were only a third of the way to our destination. It was obvious we needed to consider going back to the marina. As we paused to make the decision and rest, our boat turned around on its own and started returning to shore. Lesson: • Be willing to put in the effort without knowing if you will reach the

destination. • Be willing to accept the result of your effort even if it isn’t what you wanted or expected. • Knowing when to put in effort, and when to let go and let God take over, takes discrimination. • Not reaching the destination doesn’t mean you didn’t receive many gifts. In this instance even though we didn’t make it to Rat Island or see the seals, we met the goals of participating in something fun, and experienced teamwork, adventure and learning. • Not all progress will be noticeable. Even when it seems we’ve accomplished nothing, we might have actually learned a lot. Looking at the list of lessons in this article is evidence of how much I had the opportunity to learn.

~ ~ ~ After a short rest, we started heading back to shore. Now that we were going with the wind instead of against it, our progress was remarkable. We quickly made it back to the marina. But would we be able to get back into our stall? Would we hit against the dock and pilings again? No, the miracle continued. With just two people doing a little rowing, the boat practically returned itself to the place where it was to be moored. Home again. What a gift the morning had been.

Karuna offers individual and group psychotherapy in Seattle, Wash. She also co-leads a group in Bellevue. For more information about Karuna go to www.karunapoole.com or call (206) 722-0878.

Rowing: Living in AwarenessContinued from page 12

embrace something new or something you’ve always wanted to do but felt you lacked time or talent for. In this practice, it’s not about the outcome but is instead about the process. This is the fun part. Ideas include: •Art. Painting, drawing, jewelry-making, mosaics, quilt-making. • Thrills. Skydiving, motorcycling, kayaking. • Beauty. Dance lessons, audition for a play, chorus, improvisation classes. 2010 is an exciting year to be on the planet. Your presence here is a gift – to you and to the planet – so do everything you can to make the most of it.

Karen Murphy is a channel, energy healer and life path mentor in Bellingham. She channels Polaris, who combines the energy and wisdom of Seth as well as Michael (Messages from Michael) and other high-frequency energies. Her website, www.polarisrising.com, contains articles, channeling, video.

Solving Problems By Using Your Personal Healing Symbols

Planetary ChangesContinued from page 12

stories of 43 people from hundreds of clients she has helped. Holly, 29, contacted Tara because she “had suffered from depression all her life.” Holly said that when she was 10, her parents took her to India where she witnessed shocking poverty firsthand. She couldn’t shake off images of the dispossessed she saw there. She became depressed. The painful feeling stayed with her for the next 19 years, until she met Tara Springett. Without requesting Holly to relive her painful memories, Tara asked her where in her body she felt her depression. Holly replied that the pain felt like “a black rock in her brain.” Tara guided Holly to smile and send love to herself with the help of a personal healing symbol. She asked Holly to see the black rock in her brain open like a beautiful flower. After two sessions, Holly’s depression was completely gone. Like Holly, we all suffer from psychological wounds and diseases. Each one of us, in some way, is wounded. Tara is a wounded healer who received Higher Consciousness Healing to heal herself. Growing up in Germany in the sixties and seventies she suffered a persistent form of sadness that would not go away. “The greatest thing my parents gave me while I was growing up was to think for myself,” Tara says. Because her parents Christiane Fulda, a medical doctor, and Hermann Fulda, a physicist, do not believe in organized religion, Tara grew up with the freedom to explore and build her own personal belief system. Armed with this freedom to explore, Tara’s young adult years found her on a spiritual quest. She had everything she needed materially, yet a deep feeling of emptiness haunted her. She tried to get rid of it through discovering different traditions, cultures, and religions. Psychotherapy came in handy. Her quest continued. One day, she visited a Buddhist Temple in Heidelberg in Germany. “It was love at first sight,” Tara remembers. “The very moment I entered the temple we had a meditation and I said: ‘That’s it,’ and I’ve been a totally committed Buddhist ever since.” That was 24 years ago. Tara meditates every day. She spends her holidays and vacations on spiritual retreats, some of which are silent contemplations that last two

for help and – lo and behold – this time, my prayer was answered,” Tara Springett writes. Higher Consciousness Healing as a therapeutic modality is the distilled wisdom of Buddhism. But you don’t have to be a Buddhist to benefit from it. “All religions say one important thing: love is the answer to our problems. We have to overcome resentments and practice forgiveness and love our enemies as Jesus said. There are different ways for people to achieve this aim. Tibetan Buddhism is one. Christianity is another. “The essence of The Five-Minute Miracle and Higher Consciousness Healing is love,” Tara Springett says. “I made it really practical, not telling people to love, but actually giving them the steps for how to love; how to overcome the inner hurdles that might be in the way of loving your enemies or of sending love to people who have given you trouble, or

sending it to the part of your body that is in pain. That’s what I’m trying to do. Giving people steps that anybody can do no matter what religious background they may have. And if they are atheists, it doesn’t matter. Anybody can do it; even children have solved many of their problems with this method.”

Tara Springett is the author of two other books: Make Your Dreams Come True and Soulmate Relationships, translated into four languages under her Christian name Ulli Springett. For more information on Higher Consciousness Healing visit: http://taraspringett.com/. To read about Garchen Rinpoche and his teachings visit: http://www.garchen.net/about.html. Kwami E. Nyamidie is a spiritual director and can be reached at (206) 407-8980 or by email: [email protected]

weeks. She has been the student of some of the most respected Buddhist teachers of our time. One of her teachers is Rigdzin Shikpo. Born Michael Hookham, he is one of the earliest Western Buddhists who studied with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the founder of Shambala Meditation Centers in America and Canada as well as Naropa, the first accredited Buddhist University in North America. Michael Hookham did a three-year retreat with Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche who changed Michael’s name to Rigdzin Shikpo after his realization. He is the head of the Longchen Foundation in Great Britain. It was while listening to Rigdzin Shikpo’s talk in a Buddhist temple 13 years ago that Tara Springett received the insight of Higher Consciousness Healing. She could not follow what the Meditation Master was saying. “I could not concentrate, because I was inwardly struggling with a painful feeling of sadness that had been with me for many years. As I had often done before, I prayed

Continued from front page


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A 21-year-old woman is denied residential treatment for an eating disorder by her insurance company after her physician recommends treatment and then appeals the denial due to the severity of this individual’s condition. The denial stands. A physician takes an oath to first, do no harm. She has the responsibility for the patient’s welfare and the insurance company has the power. The message to the patient is that she cannot get treatment without doing further damage to her body, which feeds her own internal ambivalence and shame. A young man is depressed and medications for treatment are not working. He finds a way to get a

I consider the cornerstone of any healthcare plan to be prevention. Prevention has a few meanings. It may be annual exams, labs, pap smears and other tests that let us know we are on track with health. Perhaps it goes further and looks at the food we eat, the amount sleep we get, exercise, emotional support, spiritual support and how we handle stress. Such a plan would mean a shift in culture to one of life, where all people have access to nutritious, non-processed food, and an environment free of pollutants and toxic chemicals. Perhaps a place to begin is with education and our children. Twenty percent of their daily caloric intake comes from sugar-sweetened beverages. Our children are suffering from high blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. We live in a culture where snacks have replaced meals and the number of families who sit down together for meals is diminishing. Here in Washington and throughout the Northwest, a value is placed on alternative and complementary medicine. Naturopathic physicians, integrative medical doctors, and integrative mental health practitioners take time to understand the whole person, search for the cause of a problem and rely on the innate healing power within the individual. For those whose insurance covers these services or who can afford to pay for them, health and the quality of life can improve. In addition to

these services, acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic care are all available and can be integrated to meet individual needs. There is a culture of care here in the Northwest that goes to the heart of preventative medicine. As a naturopathic physician, I consider myself a partner with you in achieving optimal health. Prevention begins with the food we eat. The best diet is the one that nutritionally supports your body, mind, and senses. Some individuals need more protein, others higher complex carbohydrates, some individuals can eat more raw foods and others need their vegetables cooked. You can be assured that foods from a full rainbow of colors are typically anti-inflammatory and nutrient dense. Doctor as teacher represents an important brick in the foundation of health. The stability of our hormones is affected by sleep, stress, exercise, and food. Each system of the body interacts with the other and the doctor’s understanding of metabolism and physiology can identify patterns and support you in making changes to optimize health. You can learn that excitotoxins or food additives increase cravings for junk food and increase consumption. Some excitotoxins include MSG, aspartame, and hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Exercise improves blood sugar, lowers triglycerides, improves HDL and improves

weight loss. Spiritual health – including meditation, prayer, and participating in a church that speaks to you – have been shown to improve health and vitality. Prayer and meditation feed the spirit. Yoga is a practice that supports the flow of energy throughout the body, helps to heal the body by decreasing stress hormones and stimulates internal organs. Identifying and freeing ourselves from negative beliefs opens the doorway to self love and creating a new way of life that supports the essence of who you are. The use of herbs, nutrients and supplements accelerate the return to balance and harmony. Once an individual returns to a balanced, healthy physiology, then there is no longer a need for so many supplements. Sustaining a healthy lifestyle becomes reinforcing as we feel stronger and vitally alive. Health care reform goes beyond basic care. It requires a consciousness of life and love, a return to our essential nature. Let us work together.

Moira Fitzpatrick is a naturopathic physician and licensed clinical psychologist, who practices in the Northgate area of Seattle. She is a primary care provider, specializes in the unique health concerns of women and functional holistic medicine. Dr. Fitzpatrick can be reached at (206) 525-5576, www.theemeraldcenter.com.

dunces of the past, was believed to help spiral in the intelligence of the Universe. Guiding the qi or life force energy downwards through the upper dan tian in the head, the Qigong practitioner activates this spiritual center facilitating transpersonal awareness, divine insight and sacred dreaming.

Qigong movement

meditation Go to the place you would like to practice and get into a comfortable position. Bring the tip of your tongue upwards to gently connect with the upper palate just behind the upper teeth to connect the flow of energy called the microcosmic orbit around the body. Relax the focus of your gaze, slowly closing your eyes and bringing in your spiritual

light. Relax the body part by part. Bring your mind’s attention to the center of the palms, the acupoint known as Lao Gong. Turn your palms forward and imagine yourself holding a ball of vibrant energy or qi in front of your body. Focus on the palms of the hands and with relaxed arms, use your shoulders to slowly lift the ball of qi upward towards the heavens. When your hands reach the level of your ears, relax your wrists turning your palms downward. Bending your elbows to the sides, slowly and naturally guide the ball of qi down through the top of the head and into the central of the body. Moving your hands softly downward in front of the body, feel or imagine the energy going through the middle of the head, through the center of the chest and into the lower

dan tian at the center of the lower abdomen. Relax the hands to the side of the body and repeat several times. Finish the practice with hands comfortably resting over the belly. Take a few deep breathes to concentrate the energy generated into the vitality center of the lower dan tian. Set a positive intention for the rest of the day. When ready, slowly open your eyes.

Christina Bjergo is author of The Tao of Tarot, a Washington-based acupuncturist, Qigong Grand Master of Sacred Serpent Spiral Qigong and founder of Qigong Dreaming. For upcoming classes and more information visit the website www.taooftarot.com.

The Tao of The Tarot: The HermitContinued from page 20

All’sWellHealth for Body, Mind, Spirit

by Moira Fitzpatrick, PhD, ND

Leading From The Heart

Sundays at 1 p.m. 18732 Division St, Suquamish at SUCCRev. Amy Aspell206-780-5825

Center for Spiritual Living

few appointments with a naturopathic physician, who together with the young man creates an integrative plan using both medications and supplements. For the first time in his life, he is no longer depressed. The insurance company denies continuation of care. A homeless woman has not had a pap smear in 10 years, now she has cervical cancer, one of the most preventable cancers. I am sure everyone reading this article has a story to share. I cannot help but wonder how our collective consciousness can cope with how we are denying a basic right to our brothers and sisters. How is it that so many stories have

emerged and attempts to change the system are sno balled? How is it that the current administration came into office with hope and the faith of the people that change is possible? Where are we and where do we want to go? How would you imagine health care to be? I start with the premise that there is a common denominator for all of us. We live in bodies, which are vulnerable to stresses, disease, and our own consciousness. Some of us are prone to allergies, others digestive issues such as heartburn, indigestion, irritable bowel, others high blood pressure, high cholesterol, blood sugar instability and cancer.

whether these are companion animals, wild ones, are those being used in scientific experiments or grown for food. Marc Bekoff has a long and deep background studying animals and their emotions and this book presents many stories and examples that will convince even the most stringent disbeliever that animals are “whos” rather than “its.” He has published more than 200 papers and 22 books, including The Emotional Lives of Animals and brings a lot of solid information to the table. Although the case for vegetarianism is made, this book is about much more than that. It is about the daily decisions we make that have a huge impact on the lives of animals as well as of the whole environment and our planet. This is a book well-worth reading, for animal lovers as well as those who aren’t convinced we can and should treat animals with greater compassion.

The Way of TarotThe Spiritual Teacher in the CardsBy Alejandro Jodorowsky and Marianne CostaDestiny Books The tarot is about so much more than reading one’s future and this book certainly underlines this. At 535 pages this book is filled with theoretical and practical information that can support the reader in using the tarot as a companion on the spiritual path. Jodorowsky is a filmmaker, psychotherapist, and the author of many books on tarot and spiritualism. Costa has worked with him since 1997. Both are well-versed in the tarot. Jodorowsky has been a student and teacher of tarot since the 1950s. Although he is a somewhat controversial figure in some circles, his knowledge of tarot does run deep. The purpose of this book is to show the reader how the tarot can be seen and used in a practical way that is holistic, balanced, and grounded. The deck used is the Tarot of Marseille that has been restored, using computer technology, from several different versions of this particular deck. The story about how this transpired is fascinating and worth reading by every tarot enthusiast. The bulk of the book is dedicated to explaining the tarot in depth and helping the reader apply this information to their lives. The details are amazing and to study this book would take many years. But, then, tarot


On The BookshelfBOOK, CD, DVD, AND PRODUCT REVIEWS

Do you have eight to 10 minutes a week to be inspired?

Listen to the free podcast “22 Steps to Success.”Every week for 22 weeks Krysta Gibson shares ideas from her book by this same name. Topics range from manifesting to karma to death and each episode gives you practical ideas you can use in your life immediately. Go to www.krystagibson.com for the link to these inspiring podcasts. You are worth it!

The Generosity PlanSharing Your Time, Treasure, and Talent to Shape the WorldBy Kathy LeMayBeyond Words If you’ve been thinking about getting more active in supporting your favorite causes, grab a copy of this book. It will help you find out what inspires you, clarify what you can afford to give (time, money, or talent), and then direct your generosity in your chosen direction. Many times people don’t give because they think they need to be able to make large financial gifts in order to make a difference. The Generosity Plan shows otherwise and will help you find out you can be a philanthropist right where you are with the talents and resources you have. The world needs philanthropy more than ever. Join the ranks for everyday people who are actively making a difference in their world right now.

The Animal ManifestoSix Reasons for Expanding Our Compassion FootprintBy Marc BekoffNew World Library This book is all about ways to treat animals better than we do right now,

is like that: it calls one to spend time with the images if one is to draw the sustenance that is there. The Way of Tarot can be a guide along this path.

The Tao of Tarot“The Way” to Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Illumination through Qigong Dreamingby Christina BjergoO Books This is an unusual book about tarot. Until now, I had not seen one that coordinates the major arcana of the tarot with the Chinese practice of qigong. After giving us some historical background about tarot and Chinese practices, Christina explains how each of the major arcana can be used for healing and dreaming and how to incorporate the energies into the practice of qigong. There are many stories shared that illustrate the various meanings and uses of the cards as well as a section where the author shares her dreamtime experiences. She introduced us to the practice of spiral qigong and gives instructions so that we can begin to incorporate this into our lives if we wish. This is a book well-worth pursuing for those who want to broaden their knowledge and experience of the tarot.

Ix Chel Wisdom7 Teachings from the Mayan Sacred Feminineby Shonagh HomeIx Chel Publishing Shonagh has studied the teachings of the Maya and has specifically focused her learning on the ways of the sacred feminine as lived by the Maya. She made contact with Ix Chel who is considered to be the holy mother of the Maya. This book consists of transmissions

of information Shonagh has received and her comments on the material. The topics are: the magic of the womb, sacred bathing, beauty, spaciousness and creating, radiance of the sun, path of the heart, and sacred blood. The information shared is deep, personal, and meaningful. Shonagh’s interpretations and comments give added dimension to the thoughts as well as grounding them in practical applications. She shares many of her own experiences that makes the book very personal. This is a delightful book which will be well-received by women who want to make a deeper contact with their divine feminine. The author lives in the Seattle area and also offers groups and consultations for women. Her website is www.shonaghhome.com.

Flipping the Joy SwitchSimple Tools for Building Emotional Resilience to Take Control of Your LifeDVD by Joy Gilfilen and Friends Locally produced by Bellingham author, speaker, and entrepreneur Joy Gilfilen, this 45-minute DVD is about how to turn on our joy power so we can lead more fulfilling and happy lives. Through telling stories of her own, her family, and Doug Banner, Bonnie Dean, and Nola Ayres, Joy gives us information about how to use the Joy Triangle model that she has designed. We can learn how to tell ourselves new internal stories. This will cause new results in our lives. The information is presented in a visually-appealing way, with beautiful nature scenes. The DVD could be used individually and it would make a great group discussion tool. I enjoyed watching it and found it to be clear, concise, and motivating. Find out more at www.flippingthejoyswitch.com.

APRIL 201020 NEW Spirit JOURNAL

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Changing the world, one listener at a time!Listen to hundreds of archived shows, including: Marianne Williamson, Richard Bach, Gary Zukov, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Arjuna Ardagh Neale Donald Walsch, Ariella Ford, Dr. Wayne Dyer, plus the editor-in-chief of Utne Reader and Natural Home, and the publisher of Mother Earth News

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Start your day in a powerful way and experience the difference from the inside out!

www.conscioustalk.net

Be sure to join host Brenda Michaels along with Megan Skinner

every third Friday of the month for their new segment, “The Women’s Hour –

Giving Voice to the Feminine.”

By Christina Bjergo

The word “tarot” is derived from “tota” meaning “total” and “rota” meaning “revolving wheel.” The tarot is a deck of cards that uses symbolic imagery to express universal truths. With each movement of the wheel, deeper understanding into the cycles of life and the seasons of the soul is accessible. Ultimately, the journey around the wheel takes each of us inward to the center of ourselves, to the totality of our being. The Major Arcana are the original 22 cards of the tarot. Webster’s Dictionary defines arcana as the great secret of nature which the alchemists sought. This mysterious elixir remedy is the formula for long life, well being and spiritual transcendence sought after by alchemists and spiritual seekers alike since the beginning of human culture. The mysterious origins of alchemy came from Egypt and China then spread through Greece, early Islam and medieval Europe. In China, the earliest practitioners appear to have been the Taoists. Chinese alchemists focused primarily on inner cultivation techniques such as Qigong to purify the physical body and become one with spirit. Unknown to most people the Asian secrets of health, longevity and spiritual illumination are hidden in the symbols of the Universal Waite tarot deck.

The Hermit Mircea Eliade writes, in “A History of Religious Ideas,” that the Chinese ideogram for an Immortal (xian) suggests a Hermit. The tarot’s Hermit card represents the spiritual qualities of inner cultivation leading to transcendence. Vitality and

The Tao of Tarot: The Hermit long life can be obtained through mindfulness practices like Qigong. The ultimate aim of practice, however, is to return to Source Consciousness in what the Taoists referred to as the Rhealm of the Immortals. Like the Waite-Rider Hermit tarot card the Rhealm of the Immortals is described as high upon the mountain peaks and amongst the clouds. The immortal Hermit of the Waite-Rider card shows from an eastern perspective that the individual pictured has achieved eternal life and lives in harmony with the totality of the Tao/Source/God. Maintaining awareness of the innate oneness behind creation, living immortals in China and elsewhere continue to spend time meditating to be a benevolent influence upon humanity. The Hermit in this card also represents the qualities of the mind used for relaxation and visualization. Imitating the movements of animals and imagining oneself in and part of different natural settings such as the ocean or a forest floor we connect with different aspects of our own inner nature. Self discovery is achieved through communion between the inner self with that which we might label as other since everything in our external reality is also found within. The power of intention is also utilized in Qigong practices to direct energy to key acupoints and body parts to help clear and strengthen the energy of the

body during meditative movements. Even without physical movement, however, Qigong is said to be about 70% effective as a visualization. This demonstrates the strong influence of the mind in healing. This is particularly the case when concentration is developed through mindfulness practices. The energy of mental consciousness, known as shen in Chinese Medicine, is the subtle yang energy of the heavens. Shen Spirit is one of the three internal treasures of the human body and corresponds to the energies of the Central Sun. This spiritual energy is stored in the center of the brain within an energy field called the upper dan tian. In Chinese art, celestial energies are represented by the color blue. The robes of the Hermit card reflect the blue color of the sky showing divine influence. The Hermit holds a lantern directing the light of consciousness downward through intention. He has drawn in his spiritual light by closing his eyes and is gently guiding the energy through the head and down the body depicted here in the Waite-Rider card as the wooden pole. It is at the crown of his head, particularly acupoint GV-20, that the Hermit expands his conscious connection and becomes a channel for Spirit. Similarly, the Hermit’s pointed hat, like those worn by wizards, witches and school


APRIL 2010

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