ONENESS - Earthstar

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 3

Free Night on an ISLAND!Book a full orhalf dayretreat by calling:508-693-0001 or800-595-9996Would you like to be pampered for a day?Well why not take the day off and spend it with ushere at Martha’s Vineyard Holistic Retreat. Imagine afull day of Spa Treatments and total relaxation from9:00am to 5:00pm. LOSE A POUND A DAY with ourfamous detox program. MVdiet/detox allows you to cleanse and loseweight while having fun juicing, colonics or massage, body wrap andprivate consult with N.D. We would provide a free room with privatebath, soothing music, feet reflexology or, if you prefer, infra redsauna…for a day you won’t want to end. ALL FOR $350.Visit our website at www.mvholisticretreat.comWe’ll be waiting for you!EARTH STARThe Leading Magazine for Holistic Livingin New EnglandEDITOR/PUBLISHERCody BideauxASSOCIATE EDITORTim Gunnstgearthstar@aol.comADVERTISING OFFICESBOSTON617-498-0265email: EarthStarM@aol.comEDITORIAL OFFICE617-498-0265email: EarthStarM@aol.comADVERTISING MANAGERSTim GunnsJanessa HowardDESIGN & PRODUCTIONEarthstar ProductionsJay Scott HacklemanCONTRIBUTING WRITERSNaisha Ahsian • Andrew Cohen • William DavisJoe Dispenza • Rosemary Gaddum GordonGail Gorman • Tim Gunns • Thom HartmannPheng Kouch • Jill V. Mangino • Evrol OfficerPaul Scott • Jerry Seavey • Marilou SeaveyRobert SimmonsSUBMISSIONSManuscripts, artwork, and photographsmust be accompanied by a self-addressed,stamped envelope. Earth Star Magazinecannot be responsible for loss ordamage of unsolicited materials.Earth Star Magazine is notresponsible for advertising claims.PRINTERSEagle PrintingThe Offset HouseDISTRIBUTIONMax’s TruckingSteve RouleauADMINISTRATIVE & EDITORIAL OFFICESEarth Star Magazine75 Scotland RoadNewbury MA 01951Earth Star Magazine, Copyright © 2007by Earth Star Magazine Incorporated,All Rights Reserved. No articles may be usedwithout written permission of the publisherVolume XXlX, No. 174 — February / March 2007www.earthstarmag.com6 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Wine and Pine MaySlow AgingHarvard medical professor DavidSinclair, whose research focuseson finding the genes and smallmolecules that slow aging, has regularlyseen his work reduced to oversimplifiedpronouncements like “the secret to livinglonger is found in red wine and pine trees.”Earth Star Up FrontTuning In To ETIt’s an alien idea to some, but not to scientistsat the Harvard-Smithsonian Center forAstro-physics. The center is set to announceplans to scan about a thousand stars for signs ofextraterrestrial life with its new radio telescope.“We may pick up spurious signals from peoplethat never meant for us to hear them and get aninkling that something’s going on,” said David Aguilar, communicationsdirector for the center. —New York PostNew Blood Test forHeart DiseaseWhen asked directly, Will we live longer ifwe drink copious amounts of wine andchew on pine cones? The associate professorof pathology whose work is featured ona ‘NOVA: science—NOW’ airing on PBStelevision said, “The amount of red wineyou’d have to drink would kill you. Butwhat we did find is that there are moleculesfound in red wine and other things that canslow down aging in complex organismslike mice.” Professor Sinclair is also anassociate member of the Harvard-MITBroad Institute for bioinformatics.An inexpensive blood testmay identify which heartdiseasepatients are at thehighest risk of a stroke or heartattack, allowing doctors to movemore aggressively to help them.The study, published in theJournal of the American Medical Association, followed nearly a thousandpeople for three years.The blood test, which measures a combination of amino acidscalled NT-proBNP, would cost from twenty to forty dollars.Researchers found that heart-disease patients with the highest levelsof the substance had nearly eight times the risk of stroke, heartattack or heart failure as those with the lowest levels. –ReutersVision And Hearing Loss ConnectedVision and hearing loss are likely to occur hand-inhandin older people, research suggests. Australianscientists examined about two thousand people withan average age of seventy. They found the volunteers withrestricted eyesight were more likely to suffer hearing impairmentsand vice-versa.Writing in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology, theresearchers said the underlying causes for these sensoryimpairments may be the same.Among the participants, all from the Blue Mountainsregion in New South Wales, Australia, one hundred and seventy-eighthad a visual impairment, categorized as eyesightworse than 20/40.And a further fifty-six had “best-corrected” visual impairment,meaning even when using glasses or contact lenses theireyesight was worse than 20/40.Of this combined group, two hundred and six people(eighty-eight percent) also had a hearing problem.The researchers discovered that, for each line of the eyechart used by ophthalmologists that a volunteer could not see,there was an eighteen percent (for the visually impaired) andthirteen percent(for thebest-correctedvisuallyimpaired)increase inthe likelihoodof hearingloss.Conversely,those in the group that suffered hearing loss were one-pointfivetimes more likely to have eyesight problems than thosewith good hearing.The authors, from the University of Sydney and theNational Acoustics Laboratories, Sydney, said the connectionbetween vision and hearing could be explained by the fact thatboth are consequences of aging.They suggested common risk factors can predispose peopleto these sensory impairments. —BBC NewsFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 7

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 9

Earth Star Up FrontRosehips ‘CouldHelp TackleInflammatoryDiseases’Rosehips could provide newways of tackling a wholerange of inflammatory diseases,research suggests.The red berries, one of the richestsources of vitamin C, have beenused in cooking and medicine forhundreds of years.More recently, a rosehip extracthas been shown to reduce pain andimprove movement in patients withosteoporosis.Experts now believe the samerosehip ingredient may combatrheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s diseaseand even heart disease.All are conditions in whichinflammation plays an importantrole.Biochemist Dr Kaj Winther,from Frederiksberg Hospital inCopenhagen, Denmark, who has aspecial interest in rosehips, said:“There’s emerging evidence that theanti inflammatory and antioxidantcompounds in rosehips might havequite a wide therapeutic effect. Thepreliminary findings are very exciting.”A small trial run by Dr Winthershowed that a herbal remedy calledLitoZin, made from the ground upseeds and shells of hips from the dogrose, Rosa canina, had a big impacton pain suffered by osteoarthritispatients. —Evening Standard, London10 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Sat., April 14, 2007 –– 9AM - 5:30PMFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 11

Heart andMindThe Dangerous LinkBetween Heart Diseaseand DepressionBy William Davis, MD, FACC12 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Heart disease and depression often gohand in hand. Shared biochemicalsimilarities between the two conditionssuggest that common treatmentstrategies may address both illnesses.Here we provide a primer on nutritionalsupplements that may help navigatethe complex interplay of thesetwo major health issues.Heart disease and clinical depressionpresent with different symptoms andare conventionally managed with differenttreatments. While heart diseasecan be acutely life threatening, depressiontends to be slow and insidious.How can the seemingly unrelated conditionsof heart disease and depressionpossibly be related?Emerging research indicates thatthe deeper we probe, the more alikethe two disorders appear to be. Whilethe ultimate manifestations of heartdisease and depression differ, theunderlying biochemical pathologiesare surprisingly similar. Beneath theemotional surface of mood anddepression can be a raging physicalundercurrent of hormonal distortions,impaired immunity, and inflammation.These disturbances of physiology contributeto the growth and abnormalactivity of coronary plaque, eventuallyleading to heart attack. Depressed people,in fact, suffer a fourfold greaterrisk of heart attack compared to nondepressedpeople.If the two seemingly disparate disordersof depression and coronaryheart disease share common causes,can there also be common treatments?Exciting new insights suggest thatstrategies to address both conditionsdo exist. These therapies work bytreating the shared metabolic originsof heart disease and depression. Thegood news is that some of these treatmentsare powerful nutritional therapeutics,readily available to all.Depression:More Than a FeelingEveryone has had the experience offeeling sad or blue. How do theseeveryday feelings differ from clinicaldepression? Symptoms of depressioninclude loss of interest in activitiespreviously enjoyed, struggling to sleepor awakening early, difficulty concentrating,feelings of worthlessness orguilt, loss of appetite or weight, andsuicidal thoughts. Symptoms thatinterfere with daily activities and thatlast longer than two weeks may signalclinical depression.Far more than just a state of mindinvolving sadness or hopelessness,depression is a disease in the trueorganic sense, with measurable symptoms.In the last decade, clinical investigationshave uncovered the myriadphysical manifestations of depression.Until recently, these manifestationshave been little understood, but growingevidence asserts that they havevery real consequences.Feeling good can hinge on a precariousbalance of internal dialogueand external events. This balance caneasily tip, setting the stage for negativeemotions and the resulting metabolicconsequences. At what point do negativeemotions begin to add to risk forheart disease?The line that separates depressionfrom the more commonplace feelingsof sadness and anger that are part of allour lives can be somewhat hazy. It is amatter of the degree and duration ofsymptoms. Full-blown depression isnot necessary to increase heart diseaserisk, as even moderate feelings ofhopelessness and sadness can morethan double the risk of heart attack.People who chronically experiencenegative emotions—such as unexpressedanger, hostility, and resentment—alsohave a higher risk forheart attack. They experience a levelof risk similar to that of the fullydepressed.Metabolic Underpinningsof DepressionBeneath the surface of sadness andhopelessness blazes an inferno ofmetabolic phenomena. Increased levelsof inflammatory proteins, such asinterleukin one-beta (IL-1ß) and tumornecrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), circulatein the blood, suggesting that lowgrade,body-wide inflammationaccompanies depression. IL-1ß andTNF-a levels correlate with the severityof depression, with higher levels ofinflammatory proteins linked to moreserious depression. C-reactive proteinis another inflammatory proteinfound at higher levels in depressedpersons. All these inflammatory mediatorshave been clearly linked toincreased risk of heart attack.Extensive clinical trial data show thatwhen the fires of inflammation areburning, coronary plaque is unstableand more prone to “rupture,” an eventthat can lead to heart attacks.Just as a life-threatening eventsuch as a car accident triggers biochemicalreactions in the body, depressionactivates the release of stress hormones.The feelings of anger, frustration,hostility, and anxiety are alsoassociated with increased levels ofstress hormones. Hypersecretion ofcorticotrophin-releasing hormonefrom the hypothalamus triggers therelease of cortisol and norepinephrine,both of which are involved in the survivalresponse that occurs when thehuman organism is threatened. Thesehormones are potent contributors tohypertension, insulin resistance, anddiabetes, three well-established risksfor coronary disease. When negativeemotions become chronic and deeplyrooted, the risk for developing pathologicalheart disease grows.Cortisol and norepinephrine alsocontribute to development of metabolicsyndrome, a combination of abdominalobesity, hypertension, low highdensitylipoprotein (HDL), and higherblood sugar (above 110 mg/dL). Theepidemic numbers of overweight andobese people in America are fueling askyrocketing increase in metabolicsyndrome, estimated to currentlyaffect forty-seven million US adults.Metabolic syndrome is a rapidly growingcause of heart disease, anddepressed people are particularlyprone to develop the features of metabolicsyndrome.During periods of depression, the“fight-or-flight” response of the sym-Continued on page 16FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 13

Pure Home CenterNON-TOXIC PRODUCTS* AFM Paints & Sealers * Eco Timber Flooring* AFM Stains & Finishes * Organic Cork Floors* Air & Water Purifiers * Natures Wool Carpet & PadsRt 16/ Village Plaza at Holliston508-429-5255 www.purehomecenter.comEarth Star Up FrontRISING TIDESFor what may be the firsttime, a village has beenforced to move to higherground because of global warmingand rising sea levels, according to aUN report.E n h a n c e Y o u r L i f e w i t hF e n g S h u iA n a t o l y T s i r e l s o n , M . S . C . E .F e a t u r e d i n B o s t o n H e r a l d , I m p r o p e rB o s t o n i a n , N e w E n g l a n d C a b l e N e w sw w w . F e n g S h u i A r t . n e t6 1 7 - 5 6 6 - 5 9 9 5On Tegua Island in Vanuato, ahundred people packed up theirhomes and moved them inland. Inrecent years, surging tides haveflooded the village four to five timesannually.Rising oceans, swollen by meltingpolar ice caps, threaten coastalareas around the world. In 1999,two uninhabited Kiribati islands disappeared.Near Papua New Guinea,about two thousand people are planningto move to a new island.Metaphysics & Mysticism ClassesDiscuss Classes the teachings, will be meet held Rosicrucian every Wednesday students and learn of the about month the Rosicrucian 7:30 to Order 9:00 AMORC. pm(except the Classes fifth Wednesday); are open to second all and are Saturday held every and Thursday fourth from Sunday 7:30 pm 2:00 to 9:00 to pm 4:00 pm,and at every the second Johannes Saturday Kelpius of the month, Lodge 2:00 AMORC, pm to 4:00 pm. 13 Clevemont (Lodge Closed Avenue, for August)at the Johannes KelpiusAllston,LodgeMAAMORC,02134.13 ClevemontAll are welcome.Avenue, Allston, MA 02134.For further information call617-782-4333or visit: www.rosicrucian.org/local/ab/johanneskelpius.htmlFree Night on an ISLAND!Book a full orhalf dayretreat by calling:508-693-0001 or800-595-9996Would you like to be pampered for a day?Well why not take the day off and spend it with us here at Martha’sVineyard Holistic Retreat. Imagine a full day of Spa Treatments andtotal relaxation from 9:00am to 5:00pm. LOSE A POUND A DAY withour famous detox program. MVdiet/detox allows you to cleanse andlose weight while having fun juicing, colonics or massage, body wrapand private consult with N.D. We would provide a free room with privatebath, soothing music, feet reflexology or, if you prefer, infra redsauna…for a day you won’t want to end. ALL FOR $350.A panel of scientists that advisethe UN warns that sea levels couldrise three feet by 2100 as a result ofcontinued climate change.—ReutersSENIOR STUDENTSThey’re from the old school,but one Chinese officialwants to send them to a newone—a university for the elderly.“These institutions may evenaward degrees to answer the dreamsof many seniors who yearn to beuniversity graduates but wererobbed of such chances in theiryounger days, as they had to till andtoil for their families,” said LeongChi-hung of the government’sElderly Commission.—Dan Kadison, Wire Services14 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 17

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2007Apowerful full moon in Leo late on the 1st could elicit some emotionallychargeddramatic outbursts for a day or two around this date. Don’t push toohard now, or be overly assertive or aggressive towards colleagues or work-mates,as there’s a tendency to exhibit a “my way is best” attitude during this period.Nonetheless, full moons are often a time of enlightenment, when perceptions are heightenedand fresh insights may be forthcoming. The Leo-Aquarius axis emphasizes personalcreative efforts that, if selflessly applied, may be of benefit to others, which representsa higher manifestation of the potential this full moon holds.Mercury enters Pisces on the 2nd for an initial visit, before it retrogrades back intoAquarius on the 26th. Intuitive and telepathic abilities increase during its transit throughthis perceptive sign, and yet, discerning fact from fantasy could prove challenging.Maintain contact with reality now.The sun aligns in conjunction with mysterious Neptune, ruler of Pisces, on the 8th, beforemoving on to form an opposition with Saturn on the 10th. Strike a balance between addressingyour own needs, and your obligations to others during this latter, more serious transit.Don't take on more than you can comfortably handle. Avoid speculation. Working alonebrings greatest satisfaction now.Cosmic messenger, Mercury, planetary ruler of logic and reason,turns retrograde late on February 13th for the first of its threeannual directional shifts. During these three-week periods, inwhich Mercury actually appears to move backwards through thezodiac, astrological lore advises that we should avoid makingbinding agreements, embarking upon ambitious new ventures,nor to boldly go where we haven’t been before. The good newsis, though, that these brief retrograde phases are wonderfullyappropriate for editing previously created literary works, goingover facts and figures for errors or inconsistencies, for reviewingplans or strategies for a new venture, or simply for revisiting localhaunts you’ve not frequented in a while.February’s progressive Aquarius new moon on the 17th favorsgoal-setting, and planning for the future. Be a visionary duringthis inspiration-laden lunar cycle, allow your creative imaginationfree rein. Flashes of pure genius could inspire bold, newobjectives, enhanced by a helpful sextile to Pluto. Consider technologyupgrades and innovations that could help you to be moreproductive in the weeks ahead.The sun glides out of the airy, intellectually stimulating environmentof Aquarius and enters the ethereal waters of tropical Pisceson February 18th. During this reflective four-week cycle, tune into your dreams and meditations for guidance or inspiration.Balance what you put “out there” in helping others with somequality quiet time by yourself. Dance, film, and myth can alsohave greater appeal and meaning now.18 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

The Chinese New Year of the fire Boarbegins on February 18th. Good will to allis a general theme of Boar years, in whichbusiness and commerce can flourish. Anair of abundance is all-pervasive, and weare encouraged to be thankful for what wehave. Indeed, contentment and security arekeywords for the Boar year. New friendsand social connections can be readilymade (at the trough, presumably). Doguard against excess, though, as overindulgencein la bon vie can overtake one at thedrop of a hat. In terms of celestial influencesand cosmic coaxing, this is likely tobe anything but a Boar-ing year!Passions rise as Venus enters Aries on the21st, encouraging us to be more sociallyoutgoing; for some, perhaps, in pursuit ofromance, while others may simply want tobroaden their circle of friends, or to becomemore actively involved in creative pursuits.Seek out new sources of personal incomeover the next month, while the money planettransits the sign of drive and initiative.Creative artistic pursuits are also favored.The inferior conjunction between the sun andMercury retrograde occurs on the 22ndreleasing subconscious memories or ideasinto our cognitive awareness. Intuitive flashescan provide insight into and a better understandingof your current life path—or perhapsreveal alternatives. Communicate yourbright ideas to those who could be of help.Mars enters innovative Aquarius on the25th, for a six-week sojourn, a transit wellsuited to actively pursuing goals and objectives.Projects requiring teamwork can fareparticularly well now.When Mercury revisits Aquarius on the26th review recent work for errors. Thestudy of metaphysics, science, or astrologycan provide intellectual stimulation, duringwhat can often be a mentally frustratingperiod with Mercury in retrograde.As February draws to a close, the ringedplanet, Saturn forms a precise oppositionwith distant Neptune on the 28th, the secondin a series of three potent alignments. Thesame alignment occurred on August 31st,2006, and the polarity culminates for thethird time on June 25th, after which theopposition gradually separates. As with allopposition aspects, we are challenged to payattention to key relationships. Make sureyou're on the same page with associates andsignificant others and above all, be honest,sincere, and respectful; strive to do the rightthing. Clarity of intent is important now.A total lunar eclipse occurs at the Virgo fullmoon (6:17pm) on March 3rd, visible onthe East Coast, low on the eastern horizon(but not, alas, on the West Coast). Don’tsweat the details around this fastidiousVirgo full moon period. If you’re wellorganized and focused, much can beaccomplished now. New information maycome to light that could facilitate progressat work, or a breakthrough that allows apersonal project to quickly reach fruition.The sun makes its annual conjunction withUranus, planet of innovation, on the 5th.Investigate new technology or computersoftware, particularly to increase work efficiency.Revolutionize business or careerstrategies to incorporate new methodologies.Research spiritual “technologies”with which you resonate. Above all, allowyour creative self-expression free rein.To the relief of many, Mercury, planet ofchoices and decisions, resumes directmotion on March 7th, in 26° Aquarius, signalingthe “all clear” to sign important documents,make travel plans, or to moveahead with new projects—cautiously atfirst, as an element of impulsiveness maystill prevail until the winged messengergathers forward momentum.When Jupiter makes the first in a series ofthree trines to Saturn on March 16th,review your long-range goals or objectives;seek clarity of purpose or intent.Restructure your business affairs to optimizeassets. Schedule a job interview now.This aspect will culminate again on May6th and finally on January 21st, 2008.Venus makes several flowing alignmentsduring the first two weeks of March,before moving into its more preferred territoryof Taurus on the 17th. Trines toJupiter (8th) and Saturn (9th) favor boldbusiness moves, and efforts to grow yourfinancial worth, while a sextile to Neptune(16th) aligns mind, mood and feelings,enhancing awareness and artistic abilities.Upon its ingress into Taurus, money, possessions,and personal values are emphasizedthrough April 11th. Treat your hometo a few new indoor plants.Mercury, now direct, enters Pisces onceagain, just hours before a potent newmoon. While one's intuitive and telepathicabilities can increase, discerning fact fromfantasy could prove challenging. Keep aDown To Earth Astrologyfirm grip on reality.The new moon on March 18th in 29° ofPisces is also a partial solar eclipse andportends a four-week period in whichopen, sensitive communications couldvery much help to not only clear the air ordispel the fog, but contribute to healingsome old wounds or rifts. This is a time forsharing your fears and philosophies,dreams and creative visions with thoseclosest to you. Perceptions will besharp...perhaps scarily so. The irony is,however, that, with all of this additionalpsychic input, discerning fact from fantasycould, itself, pose a significant challenge.The vernal equinox occurs on March 20thsignaling the long-awaited arrival ofspring, as the sun makes its grand entranceinto tropical Aries—the first zodiacal sign.As with New Year’s Day, consider whatyou want to accomplish in the next twelvemonths and, with increased determination,go after it! A grand trine in fire signsbetween the moon, Jupiter and Saturn addsa powerful infusion of perseverance toassist your best efforts.Mars forms a series of energizing aspectstowards month's end: an opposition toSaturn (22nd), requiring patience, especiallywith authority figures; a high energysextile to Jupiter (23rd), auguring an activeperiod; and a beguiling conjunction withNeptune (25th), when unconscious desiresare powerfully stimulated. The doors ofperception could open wide now, providingintuitive insights into business or careermatters, but be realistic if making financialor business decisions at this time.Tiny, distant Pluto, planet of birth, death, andmetamorphosis, makes its annual retrogradestation on the 31st (till September 7th),heralding what can often be a cathartic periodfor many, when the darker side of life maybe encountered. This is the time to eliminateany psychological, or physical, obstacles thatmay be impeding your growth and evolution.Be aware that smoldering anger or resentmentcan erupt without warning around thispotent planetary station, much like a volcanothat suddenly blows its top. Take care not tovent your own frustrations unnecessarily onyour nearest and dearest.Following is a general overview of how theplanetary trends for February/March 2007apply to each sun sign. If you know yourrising sign (Ascendant), read that, too,for additional insights.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 19

Down To Earth AstrologyAries (March 20—April 19)With action planet, Mars, your sign’s ruler, still cruisingthrough your solar tenth house of success till Feb. 25th,pursue career options or opportunities, as this stellar transitonly occurs once every two years. Mind you, later this year, the weekbefore Christmas, in fact, lucky Jupiter enters this sector of your solarchart for a year, so don’t despair if you're not quite ready to make a stepup the career ladder just yet; next year could be exceptional. Meanwhile,you'd do well to set some new professional goals in the four weeksfollowing the Aquarius new moon (17th), when planning for the futureis strongly supported. You could feel on top of the world when Venus,planet of love and money, crosses your solar ascendant on the 21st, liftingyour mood and increasing your luck and personal magnetism. By earlyMarch, Mars has moved on into your solar eleventh house of friends andcollaborators, who could provide the motivating force that encouragesyou to assume a leadership role in a creative project or venture. Be sureto make some quiet time for yourself after mid-month, to reflect onrecent gains and the progress (or lack of it) you've made thus far this year,and the next steps you plan to take.Taurus (April 19—May 20)Friends continue to be a source of luck and inspirationfor much of February, when your stock-in-trade is ridinghigh. Saturn’s continuing presence in your solarfourth house may have elicited some serious soul searching from timeto time, which can be helpful in working through any fears of success(or failure) that may be lurking just beneath the threshold of your consciousawareness. Such a process could be particularly successful andindeed, therapeutic, now, while your confidence and sense of selfworth are elevated. This would allow you to take full advantage of thepioneering influence conferred by February’s Aquarius new moon(17th) in your solar tenth house of professional activity, followingwhich a new career opportunity could arise, which would surely challengeyou to rise above any self-conceived limitations. During March,your prospects for worldly success receive a further boost by the presenceof Mars in your tenth solar sector. Tap into your dreams and intuitionfor useful guidance, as great benefits can accrue from thesesources. Draw inspiration from March's Pisces new Moon (18th) toset some radical new goals for your future progress. Input derivedfrom friends, or groups with which you're associated, might also behelpful to you now.Gemini (May 20—June 21)The expansive trend that began in January gathersmomentum in February, as the sun continues its excursionthrough your solar ninth house of outreach and higher learningtill the 18th, accompanied by Mercury, your sign’s ruler, and Neptune,encouraging you to broaden your horizons. When Mercury begins thefirst of its three annual three-week retrograde phases on the13th,review the progress you've made so far this year, and make any necessarycourse corrections, or alterations to your success strategy. Theinnovative Aquarius new moon (17th) provides fresh impetus and newideas to synthesize into your existing plans, for implementation afterMercury’s direct station on March 7th. Your chances for success canbe greatly enhanced by incorporating the latest technology or webbasedmedia to propagate your message or information about yourventures to a wider audience. Your experience, products, or servicescould be much in demand following March’s Pisces new moon (18th),energizing your solar tenth house of professional attainment. A partneror significant other could be instrumental in helping you toenhance your career prospects.Cancer (June 21—July22)Much of the action taking place in Crab-clan memberslives these days appears to be focused in the closelylinked areas of interpersonal relationships and mutualresources and assets. The presence of Mars in your solar seventhhouse could spark heated interactions with others from time to timeduring February, yet it can also foster a willingness to work moreclosely with a partner towards a mutually beneficial objective. TheAquarius new moon on February 17th occurs in opposition to Saturnin Leo, powerfully energizing your solar financial sectors, the eighthand second houses respectively, while each are favorably linked toPluto on your solar seventh house cusp. This planetary pattern suggeststhat a workable solution can be found in the weeks ahead to anycontentious issues involving your financial affairs. In March you'rekeen to broaden your horizons and may consider a completely newarea of endeavor. For some this might entail going back to school,while others may wish to share their wisdom and experience with others.Your work can feel much more rewarding as spring rolls around,when you could be in a position to call the shots.Leo (July 22—August 22)The increase in personal discipline conferred uponLion-clan members by Saturn's presence in yoursolar first house has not been missed by your partners, friends andclose associates, who may see you now as being far more seriousabout your professional undertakings. Some may not know quitewhere they stand with you these days, so be sure to reassure thesignificant others in your life that your feelings towards themhave not changed, and keep those that need to know appraised ofyour intentions so they don't feel alienated. In the weeksfollowing February's Aquarius new moon (17th) newcollaborative alliances can be formed with innovative individualsand groups that share your objectives. One creative project inparticular may be especially close to your heart and securing thenecessary funding and resource support may be given a highpriority during March. On another level entirely, a yearning forintimacy may need to be addressed, and yet you set such highideals that it may take a very special individual to satisfy all yourrequirements. Nevertheless, this is a time when just such aparagon of your ideal partner could enter your life.Virgo (August 22—September 22)There are times these days when it may seem asthough your dearest hopes and dreams are alwaysjust out of reach, and yet at other times appear eminentlyattainable. During February, you once again sense that a muchcherishedobjective could be near at hand. Whether it's an idealjob, or the perfect home—or both—the possibility of you reelingin the big one is certainly in the stars between now and the end ofspring. Friends could very likely be instrumental in making sucha dream come true, so maintain regular contact with those in aposition to help and keep them fully appraised of your plans. Everthe consummate pragmatist, you prefer to work with cold hardfacts and down to earth realities, but you also recognize the moreesoteric value of having and holding a vision of what you want,in order that you may more quickly manifest your desires. DuringMarch, and indeed throughout the spring, by combining thesedivergent approaches to achieving an objective you stand a verygood chance of being successful.20 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Down To Earth AstrologyLibra (September 22—October 23)Many Librans have been enjoying the lighter side oflife of late, with several planets, and currently thesun, occupying your solar fifth house of fun andfrolic. Creative visioneering could be a breeze for you now, somake hay while the sun shines there. Put your powers ofvisualization to work on formulating a workable plan for the future,and set a few new challenging goals for yourself while you're at it.If romantic love is not a factor at this time, focus on work you loveto do, as much pleasure and satisfaction can be derived from it.Nonetheless, the possibility of romance does indeed exist whileyour sign's ruler, Venus, moves through ardent Aries till mid-March. The unique attributes you bring to your vocational activitiescould open new doors for you during March, when an opportunityto take on additional work may also bring you significant financialgains. Passions rise another notch when Venus sashays into yoursolar eighth house on March 17th. Great potential for both love andmoney exists now and throughout the spring.Scorpio (October 23—November 22)A longing to retreat to your inner sanctum to exploreyour emotional impulses and creative drives too oftenmust make way for professional responsibilities and obligationsthese days, it seems. Saturn in your tenth house of worldly achievementcan be a tough taskmaster, and yet the less obvious benefits ofits transit here are often overlooked. Because the ringed planet is thenatural ruler of the solar tenth house, it currently holds the most elevatedposition in your solar chart, and it's influence can be a powerhousein helping you to achieve any worthwhile professional ambition.It is also retrograde in Leo, not exactly its favorite sign, so it'simportant to understand what's driving your ambition, and that yourprofessional conduct in pursuit of your goals must be beyondreproach—as Saturn is also the lord of karma. Observe its rules, andattainment can be yours. In early September it moves on into Cancerand your solar eleventh house, so you're on a timeline, and the clockis ticking. Now explore those creative impulses, because they couldfacilitate your progress along the road to success.Sagittarius (November 22—December 21)Hope springs eternal, and especially when you havemagnanimous Jupiter, your sign's ruling planet, inthe middle of your solar first house of drive and initiative, as youdo now, making even the improbable possible if you have thedesire. With Mars in your solar second house of personal incomethrough February 25th, focus on new ways to generate a cash flow,to help you on your way. Ideas could be flowing free and fast now,and throughout this forecast period, so be sure and note the best,and act upon them when Mars moves on into Aquarius and yoursolar third house on the aforementioned date for a six-weeksojourn. Unsettled and restless Archer-clan members mayconsider relocating in March. Just make sure it's not a whim, basedupon a desire for greater personal freedom, rather than on practicalrealities. Besides, such restive feelings may by symptomatic of aneed to examine your current emotional requisites.Capricorn (December 21—January 19)With Mars boldly strolling through your solar firsthouse till February 25th, sharpening your initiativeand increasing your drive to get ahead in the world, move forwardconfidently with innovative plans to further your ambitions. If itseems like financial matters have stalled temporarily, it may bebecause you have not yet discovered or incorporated a keyingredient of your success strategy. Your intuition and instinctscan guide you here, so make sure to take some quality quiet timefor yourself to contemplate the big picture, as a fresh solar windis about to blow through the money sector of your chart,following February's Aquarius new moon (17th). Seek new waysto increase your revenue stream, with the cosmic wind at yourback to assist your best efforts. Clarity of intent and direction areimportant now. Likewise, a clear sense of your intendeddestination will help you to stay on course.Aquarius (January 19—February 18)With your solar new year now underway, this is yourprime time to shine. Make your resolutions for thesolar year ahead with confidence and conviction, and set yourcourse accordingly. February's new moon in your sign (17th)augurs progress with personal projects, and endeavors gearedtowards self-improvement. If financial gain is one of your goals,the planetary auspices are good for adding to your incomethroughout this forecast period. However, don't count yourchickens before they've hatched. Neither should you speculatewildly with your hard-earned resources. Instead, look before youleap into any new venture, and do any necessary homework.When action planet, Mars, crosses your solar ascendant onFebruary 25th your assertiveness increases dramatically, whileyour self-confidence receives a major boost. Use this extrapersonal power and forcefulness with wisdom, lest you alienateany allies who may be helpful to you in your quest.Pisces (February 18—March 20)Dreams and visions are your stock in trade, gentlePisces, so pay close attention to them for valuableinsights throughout this forecast period. February'sAquarius new moon (17th) occurs conjunct your solar ascendantand in the weeks that follow, revelations, in the form ofpremonitions, could provide clues to advancing a personal agenda.This is also a good time for making peace with elements of the pastthat could undermine your best efforts to get ahead in life. Reviewthe results of past endeavors, taking strength from your successesand seek the lessons in any failures, then release your emotionalattachments to those events and prepare for the new beginning thatcomes with March's Pisces new moon (18th). Because this lunationis also a solar eclipse its influence will be felt for many months tocome, so be prepared to ride the wave of enthusiasm and inspirationit promulgates that could carry you to greater levels ofaccomplishment as the year continues to unfold..Tim Gunns is an astrological consultant, conferencecoordinator and producer, new age market and speakerconsultant to the entertainment industry, and formerlyprogram director of the national Whole Life Expos.Tim prepares personalized no-nonsense interpretationsof Natal Horoscopes ($40), Future ForecastTransit Reports ($75 for 1 full year), andRelationship Compatibility Reports ($45). Shippingis free. Send: Name (as you'd like it to appear on thechart), Date of Birth, Time (as close as possible),Place of Birth (city/country, etc.) for each person,and your return address, phone# and check to: Tim Gunns, c/o75 Scotland Road, Newbury, MA 01951. (310) 281-7882.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 21

EvolveYourBrainTHESCIENCEOFCHANGINGYOURMINDBy Dr. Joe DispenzaWhy do we keep getting the same jobs,taking on the same relationships, andfinding ourselves in the same emotionaltraps? In Evolve Your Brain:The Science of Changing Your Mind,Dr. Joe Dispenza not only teaches why people tend torepeat the same negative behaviors, he shows how readerscan release themselves from these patterns of disappointment.With the dynamic combination of science and accessiblehow-to, Dispenza teaches how to use the most importanttool in one’s body and life-the brain. Featured in theunderground smash hit of 2004, “What the Bleep Do WeKnow!?,” Dispenza touched upon the brain’s ability tobecome addicted to negative emotions. Now, in his empoweringbook, Evolve Your Brain, he explains how new thinkingand new beliefs can literally rewire one’s brain tochange behavior, emotional reactions, and habit formingpatterns.Most people are unaware of how addicted they are to theiremotions, and how the brain perpetuates those addictionsautomatically. In short, we become slaves to our emotionaladdictions without even realizing it. By observing our patternsof thought, and learning how to ‘re-wire the brain’with new thought patterns, we can break the cycles thatkeep us trapped and open ourselves to new possibilities forgrowth, happiness and emotional satisfaction.22 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

An Interview with Author Dr. Joe DispenzaWhat inspired and motivated you towrite this book?An experience I had twenty years agoinspired me to investigate the power ofthe brain to alter our life. As I describein the book, much of my spine wascrushed in a bike accident, and foursurgeons said my only option to avoidparalysis was a type of surgery thatwould have left me with a permanentdisability and possibly, lifelong pain. Ihad to make the toughest decision ofmy life, but I turned down the surgeryand turned instead to the innate intelligencethat constantly gives life toevery one of us. Ten weeks later, withoutsurgery, I was back at work, completelyhealed and pain-free. I givecredit in the book to many factors thatcontributed to my healing.Because of that experience, Ipromised myself to spend a major portionof my life studying the phenomenonof mind over matter and spontaneoushealing, meaning how the bodyrepairs itself or rids itself of diseasewithout traditional medical interventionssuch as surgery or drugs. And soI’ve spent many years studying abouthuman potential, about our ability totranscend or be greater than our personallimitations, and about the interconnectednessof the brain, the mind,the body, and consciousness.Until just a few decades ago, sciencehad led us to believe that we weredoomed by genetics, hobbled by conditioning,and should resign ourselvesto the proverbial thinking about olddogs not being able to learn newtricks. However, what I’ve discoveredin studying the brain and its effects onbehavior for the last twenty years hasmade me enormously hopeful abouthuman beings and our ability tochange. We have just needed to knowhow to change, and today, neurosciencehas a very solid explanationfor how mind over matter works; it’sno longer a pie-in-the-sky concept.The science of changing our mind isnow available, and I wrote EvolveYour Brain to help make this scienceaccessible to everyone.Is Evolve Your Brain a self-helpbook? How is it different from otherbooks that concern human potential?Helping us understand and accept thatwe truly can modify our brain andchange our life is a major focus of thisbook. My approach is to unify themost helpful new findings from neuroscience,neurophysiology, biology,and genetics, and build the reader’sknowledge in a systematic, easilyunderstandable, and hopefully engagingway. Yet as the book makes clear,knowledge must be experiencedbefore it can become wisdom. EvolveYour Brain is designed to serve as apractical tool to guide us as we experiencethe processes that we can use tochange our mind and evolve our brain.Unlike self-help or human potentialbooks that focus on the mind, theemotions, or the body but place littleattention on the brain, this bookembraces the structure and function ofthis crown of our evolution.Everything that we do takes placethrough the brain—how we think, howwe act, how we feel, our relationships,our perceptions of the world aroundus—because our “self” as a sentientbeing, is immersed and truly exists inthe electrical web of our cellular braintissue. Then, since we can’t hope toevolve our brain without changing ourmind and understanding the role of ourfeelings, Evolve Your Brain exploreshow they all interact with the body tocreate our life.Many of us learned in school thatonce we become adults, the brain isstatic and rigid. How much potentialdo we have to change our brain?Those of us who went to school twentyor thirty years ago were taught thatthe brain is hardwired, meaning thatby the time we’re adults, we have acertain number of brain cells that arearranged in fixed patterns or neuralcircuits, and that as we get older, welose some of those circuits. Wethought that we would inevitably turnout like our parents in many ways,because we could only use the sameneural patterns that we geneticallyinherited from them.Neuroscientists now say that wasa mistake. The great news is, each ofus is a work in progress, throughoutour life. Every time we have a thought,different areas of our brain surge withelectrical Current and release a mob ofneurochemicals that are too numerousto name. Thanks to functional brainscanning technology, we can now seethat our every thought and experiencecauses our brain cells, or neurons, toconnect and disconnect in ever-changingpatterns and sequences. In fact, wehave a natural ability called neuroplasticity,which means that if we learnnew knowledge and have new experiences,we can develop new networksor circuits of neurons, and literallychange our mind.So, why is it hard for us to change?In my practice as well as my personallife, I have seen that change isn’t easy.When people want to commit to agoal, they start out with good intentionsand ideas, but quite often they goback to their unwanted habits. Theconcept of change means that we aregoing to do something differentlywithin the same environment; we’renot going to respond to our environmentwith our customary thoughts andFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 23

eactions. That, however, is easier saidthan done. Many of us tend to thinkthe same thoughts, have the same feelings,and follow the same routines inour life. The rub is, this causes us tokeep using the same patterns and combinationsof neural circuits in ourbrain, and they tend to become hardwired.This is how we create habits ofthinking, feeling, and doing.Don’t get me wrong, hardwiringisn’t a bad thing. Thanks to hardwiring,when we learn a new skill suchas driving a car, the more we practice,the more we hardwire what we learninto our brain’s circuits, and eventuallywe can operate a car automatically.But if we want to change something inour life, we have to cause the brain tono longer fire in the same oldsequences and combinations. We haveto create a new level of mind by disconnectingthe old neural circuits andrewiring our brain in new patterns ofnerve cell connections.The good news we’re learningfrom the latest brain research is thatwe can change the brain and thuschange ourselves, if we take just a fewsimple steps. Evolve Your Brain willtake the reader step by step through theknowledge and “how-to” steps neededto change any area of our life.What does stress do to the body? CanEvolve Your Brain help people toovercome stress?As a doctor of chiropractic, I’ve seenfirst-hand the effects of stress on mypatients. It is not short episodes ofacute stress, but chronic, long-termstress that most weakens the body.Most of us rarely face the immediatethreats to physical survival that ourancestors had to deal with, so we mayfail to realize the impact on us of yearsspent worrying about job security,credit card debt, whether our kids willexperiment with drugs, and so on.When we chronically live in highstressmode, or when we are constantlylooking for problems that mayaffect us at some future moment, weengage the body’s emergencyresponse to stress all the time.Why is this such a problem? Thechemicals that continually flood ourbody when we are under long-termstress are the culprits that begin to alterour internal state and pull the trigger ofcellular breakdown. Moreover, whenwe’re always on high alert or in emergencymode, our body doesn’t havethe time or the resources necessary torepair and regenerate itself. The bodycan even become addicted to thechemical state of being under stress.But as we will demonstrate, theability to overcome stress lies rightbetween our ears. Most stress ends upas emotional/psychological stress, andthat means it’s the autosuggestions ofour own thinking that affect the bodyso intensely. In other words, we canturn on the stress response by ourthoughts alone, and they can have thesame measurable effects as any threateningstressor in our environment. InEvolve Your Brain, we will learn howto overcome the thoughts that initiatestress responses.Can evolving the brain help people toovercome emotional addictions?Aside from dealing with physical ailments,this book is also intended toaddress another kind of affliction—emotional addiction, which alwaysaccompanies high stress levels in ourlife. We’ve all experienced emotionaladdiction at some point in our life.Among its symptoms are lethargy, alack of ability to focus, a tremendousdesire to maintain routine in our dailylife, the inability to complete cycles ofaction, a lack of new experiences andemotional responses, and the persistentfeeling that one day is the same asthe next and the next.What was once scientific theorynow has practical applications for usto heal our own self-inflicted emotionalwounds. The methods I suggest arenot a wouldn’t-it-be-wonderful, selfhelpmiracle cure. Be assured, thisbook is grounded in cutting-edge science.How is it possible to end thiscycle of negativity? The answer, ofcourse, lies in you. And in this case, ina very specific part of you. Through anunderstanding of the various subjectswe will explore in this book and a willingnessto apply some specific principles,you can heal yourself emotionallyby altering the neural networks inyour brain.Can you explain the mind/body connection?What is the relationshipbetween thoughts and the physicalbody?An emerging scientific field calledpsychoneuroimmunology is demonstratingthe connection between themind and the body, and is beginning tohelp us understand the link betweenhow we think and how we feel. Wenow know that our every thought producesa biochemical reaction in thebrain. The brain then releases chemicalsignals that are transmitted to thebody, where they act as messengers ofthe thought. In this way, the thoughtsthat produce these chemicals in thebrain allow our body to feel exactly theway we were just thinking.Essentially, when we have happy,inspiring, or positive thoughts, ourbrain manufactures chemicals thatmake us feel joyful, inspired, or uplifted.For example, when we look forwardto a pleasurable experience, thebrain immediately makes a chemicalneurotransmitter called dopamine,which turns the brain and body on inanticipation of that experience, and wefeel excited. If we have thoughts ofhate, anger, or insecurity, the brainproduces chemicals that the bodyresponds to in a comparable way, andwe feel hateful, angry, or unworthy.Another chemical that our brainmakes, called ACTH, signals the bodyto produce chemical secretions fromthe adrenal glands that make us feelthreatened or aggressive.When the body responds to athought by having a feeling, the brain,which constantly monitors the statusof the body, notices that the body isfeeling a certain way. In response tothat bodily feeling, the brain generates24 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

thoughts that produce correspondingchemical messengers, so that we beginto think the way we are feeling.Thinking creates feeling, and thenfeeling creates thinking, in a continuousbiological feedback loop. Thiscycle eventually creates a particularstate in the body—what we call a stateof being—that determines the generalnature of how we feel and behave.For example, say a person livesmuch of her life in a repeating cycle ofthoughts and feelings related tounworthiness. The moment she thinksabout not being good enough or smartenough or enough of anything, herbrain releases chemicals that produce abodily feeling of unworthiness. Nowshe is feeling the way she was justthinking. Her brain notices that, andshe begins to have thoughts of insecuritythat match the way she was justfeeling. Her body is now causing herto think. If her thoughts and feelingscontinue, year after year, to generatethe same feedback loop between herbrain and her body, she will exist in astate of being that is called “unworthy.”These repeated chemical signalscause the cells of the body to functionin undesirable ways, making us sick.This starts to explain how themind can physically modify the body.In the book I talk about a man I calledTom, who developed one digestive ailmentafter another. This finally led himto examine his life, and he realized hehad been suppressing feelings of angerand desperation over being in a jobthat made him miserable. Tom’s mindand body were in a feedback loop ofthinking and feeling that amounted totoxic attitudes that his body just“couldn’t stomach.” He had been livingin a state of being revolvingaround victimization. His healingfinally began when he paid attention tohis habitual thoughts and realized thathis unconscious attitudes were thebasis for the person he had become.There is significant scientific evidencesuggesting that the mind has adirect effect on the body.. both for betterand for worse. Research demonstratesthat we can cause our bodies tobe sick just by the anticipation of afuture event or the memory of a pastexperience. In both cases, it is ourthoughts that are creating powerfulchemicals of stress to alter most of thesystems in our body. So what we thinkabout and the intensity of thesethoughts directly influences ourhealth, the choices we make, and ourquality of life.What, then is the mind, and how is itrelated to the brain?Now that we have the technology toobserve a living brain, we know fromfunctional brain scans that the mind isthe brain in action. This is the latestdefinition of mind, according to neuroscience.When a brain is alive andactive, it can process thought, learnnew information, invent new ideas,master skills, recall memories, expressfeelings, refine movements, and maintainthe orderly functioning of thebody. The animated brain can alsofacilitate behavior, dream, perceivereality, and most important, embracelife. In order for the mind to exist,then, the brain must be alive.The brain is therefore not themind; it is the physical apparatusthrough which the mind is produced.The brain facilitates mind. We canthink of the brain as an intricate dataprocessing system that enables us togather, process, store, recall, and communicateinformation within seconds,if need be, as well as to forecast,hypothesize, respond, behave, plan,and reason. The brain is also the controlcenter through which the mindcoordinates all of the metabolic functionsnecessary for life and survival.So when your bio-computer is “turnedon” or alive, and it is functioning byprocessing information, it producesthe mind.The brain has three individualanatomical structures with which itproduces different aspects of mind. Wealso have a conscious mind and a subconsciousmind, and both are the resultof a brain that is coordinating thoughtimpulses through its various regionsand substructures. Therefore, there aremany diverse states of mind, becausewe can easily make the brain work indifferent ways.What is neuroplasticity?Neuroplasticity is our natural ability tochange how the brain’s neurons areconnected and organized into circuits,which we call its synaptic wiring.Every time we learn something new orhave a novel experience, the brainmakes new synaptic connections toform new neural patterns or networks—andthis happens at any age.When we utilize new circuits in newways, we rewire the brain to fire innew sequences. From a neurologicallevel, then, we are changed moment tomoment by the thoughts we think, theinformation we learn, the events weexperience, the reactions we have, thefeelings we create, the memories weprocess, and even the dreams weembrace. All of these alter the way thebrain works, producing new states ofmind that are recorded in our brain.Neuroplasticity is an innate, universalgenetic feature in humans. Itaffords us the privilege to learn fromexperiences in our environment, sothat we may change our actions andmodify our behavior, our thoughtprocesses, and our personality to produceoutcomes that are more desirable.Merely to learn intellectual informationis not enough; we must applywhat we learn to create a differentexperience. If we could not synapticallyrewire our brain, we could notchange in response to our experiences.Without the ability to change, wecould not evolve, and we would be atthe effect of our genetic predispositions.How neuroplastic our own brainis depends on our ability to change ourperception of the world around us, tochange our mind, to change our self.What is mental rehearsal and howcan we use it to change?Mental rehearsal allows us to changeour brain—to create a new level ofContinued on Page 65FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 25

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We Can (and Do!)Heal OurselvesHealing is a matter of time but it issometimes also a matter of opportunity.—HippocratesTrauma is nothing new to the human race. Weare certainly familiar with trauma in themodern world, from acts of war and terrorismto crime, child abuse, and the pain our dysfunctional,standards driven schools cause somany of our children. And many of us don’t handle traumawell: suicide is the third leading cause of death amongAmericans ages fifteen to twenty-four. In the last decadeover fifty-one million prescriptions were written in theUnited States just for the SSRI family of antidepressants(including Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft), with sales toppingthree-point-six billion dollars for the six most popularSSRIs, and the numbers have more than doubled since tben.Sociologists may argue about whether early humansocieties were comfortable and egalitarian, like many of themodern-day hunter-gatherer peoples living in the world’sremaining rain forests, or whether our forebears insteadlived in violent dominator cultures ruled by the memberswho were physically strongest (the fantasy of philosophersand scientists from Rousseau in the seventeenth century toFreud in the twentieth century). However; sociologists andanthropologists and other social thinkers do not disagreethat trauma and death have always been part of human life.So how has humankind historically dealt with traumafor the past two hundred thousand years, before the adventof psycho-therapy? Humans experienced mental and emotionalwounds in ancient times just as we do today. Familymembers became sick and died; friends and family werelost to battles with other tribes and with wild animals; afterthe introduction of agriculture, famine and plagues wereperiodically visited upon us.In times past, if four of us set out as a hunting partyevery few days, odds are that over time at least one personin our party would get eaten by a predator or die in an accident.When that happened right in front of the other three ofus, how would we deal with the psychological trauma thatresulted from witnessing such an event? We would be in astate of trauma-induced shock. How would we cope withthat? How would we deal with the trauma from a nearescape from death?The answer that occurs to most people is that we’dengage in some sort of ritual when we returned to the village,a ritual that usually involved drumming and dancing,two forms of bilateral activity known to induce trance. Butthis ceremony may have been more to help the people backin the village, such as the family of our lost companion, towork through their grief.The human body is a self-healing organism. When youcut your finger; it heals. If you break your leg, it heals. Evenif part of you iscut out in surgery,the surgeon’swound heals. Weheal from bacterialand viral invasions,frominjuries, and fromall variety of traumas.The mechanismsfor healingare built into us.Five millionyears of evolution,or the graceof God, or both,have made ourbodies automaticThom Hartmannhealing machines.So why wouldn’t the same be true of our minds and emotions?All of the traumas that we experience in life leave theirwounds; if humankind hadn’t had ways of healing fromthose emotional and psychological blows, over time societywould have become progressively less functional.Instead, history shows us that people usually recover fromeven the most severe psychological wounds, often learninggreat lessons or gaining important insights in the recoveryprocess.The famous Kauai longitudinal study of children ofchildren raised in stressful, disadvantaged conditions foundthat a higher percentage of the children grew up “highlyresilient” than did a middle-class comparison group. Thegeneration that survived the Great Depression and the NaziHolocaust in Europe went on to create important socialinstitutions, build nations, and offer comfort and hope tohumankind. Elie Wiesel’s experience specifically comes tomind: although he would never have wished on another thehorrific experience of being in one of Hitler’s death camps,through his writing of that experience he has given a particularlyinspiring model of resilience and healing to theworld.The reality is that although adversity breaks some people,it strengthens others. And when people heal fromadversity, the old cliche’ of “what doesn’t kill you makesyou stronger” usually rings true.But, just as with the production of scar tissue in thehealing of a wound to the skin—a process involving millionsof cells producing very specific compounds inresponse to the trauma in the tissue—there must be aninborn mechanism for healing the mind and the emotions.And just as healing from a cut can be speeded up by keepingthe wound clean and dry or can be slowed down by lettingthe wound get wet or dirty or irritated, this emotionalhealing is also a process that can be either stimulated orthwarted by our interventions.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 27

In this book (Walking Your BluesAway) I’ve identified a specific healingmechanism and process that naturehas built into the human mind andbody that enables us to process traumain a way that is quick, functional, andpermanent. Just like the skin’s mechanismfor forming scabs and scars andeventually even making the scars vanish,this mechanism is simple, fundamental,and elegant.In its simplest form, this mechanisminvolves rhythmic side-to-sidestimulation of the body. This side-tosidemotion, or bilateral movement,causes nerve impulses to cross thebrain from the left hemisphere to theright hemisphere and back at a specificrate or frequency. This cross-patterningproduces an organic integrationof left-hemisphere “thinking”functions with right-hemisphere andbrain-stem “feeling” functions. Thisintegration is a necessary precursor toemotional and intellectual healingfrom trauma.This steady movement of nerveRhythmicbilateralactivity asa healingagent hasbeen knownto aboriginalpeoples formillenniaimpulses across the hemispheres of thebrain is stimulated in the bilateralmovementprocesses of a variety ofmodern forms of psychotherapy, suchas Eye Movement Desensitization andReprocessing, Emotional FreedomTechnique, and Thought FieldTherapy. In its purest form, however;I’ve discovered that the natural andrhythmic left-right-left-right processof walking, while performing a simplemental exercise, can also stimulate thissame internal integration process.This, I posit, is the way humanshave healed themselves from traumafor the hundreds of thousands of yearsof human history, and it is onlybecause so few of us walk anymorethat we have to resort to office-basedpsychotherapeutic processes to producethe same result.And that result is impressive.When we stimulate the nervous systemin this bilateral manner while callingto mind a persistent emotional distress,the emotional “charge” associatedwith that memory quickly and permanentlydissipates. This isn’t aprocess of producing amnesia or forgetting;instead, it’s a way of reframingthe past, a way of re-understanding,of putting into context that whichhas been so “unnerving” for us. Whenwe perform this bilateral process correctly,the pictures of painful pastevents in our memory transform fromstark, scary, sound-filled color moviesinto black-and-white still pictures thatare flattened out and lose their sound.The internal dialogue we have aboutthe events—the “tag line” that we tellourselves, and actually hear in ourown heads in our own voices—changes, usually from something like“That was a painful experience thatstill scares me” or “I was victimized inthat relationship” to a more productivesynopsis, such as “Yes, that happenedto me, but it’s well in the past now andI’ve learned some good lessons fromthe experience. I can let go of it.”Inciting the movement of nerveimpulses across the brain hemisphereshelps people to come to terms withtheir past. They stop being frightenedby their imagined futures and feelcomfortable and empowered in thepresent. Walking while holding a traumaticmemory in mind in a particularway can produce this result in a veryshort time.Rhythmic bilateral activity as ahealing agent has been known to aboriginalpeoples for millennia, and inthe past few hundred years the secretof using bilaterality to heal emotionaland psychological wounds—particularlythose that produced psychosomaticphysical results—was mostfamously discovered by Franz AntonMesmer in the 1700s (called “mesmerism”),refined by Dr. James Braidin the early 1800s (and renamed “hypnosis”by Braid), and brought intowidespread and mainstream use in thelate 1800s by Sigmund Freud.However; in an odd historicalevent in the late 1890s, the growingpower of yellow journalism (sensationalized“news” by publishers suchas William Randolph Hearst) mergedwith European anti-Semitism, and thesynergy of those forces compelled28 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Freud to abandon these techniques. Freud spent the rest ofhis life searching in vain for a replacement for hypnosisthat actually worked, experimenting with cocaine, developinghis early concepts of penis envy and the Oedipalcomplex, and finally promulgating his largely unsuccessful“talk-therapy” systems. When Freud committed suicidein 1939 he still hadn’t found anything that worked aswell as the beloved bilateral therapies he’d been forced toabandon by the amazingly synchronous and unusualevents of the 1890s.From the 1890s until the past few decades, hypnosisand the bilateral therapies on which it is based were forthe most part ignored or shunned by medical and mentalhealth professionals, in large part because of the uproar ofthe 1890s. Only with the development of NeuroLinguisticProgramming (NLP) in the 1970s, the NLP developmentof eye-motion therapies, and the 1987 development ofEye Motion Desensitization and Reintegration (EMDR)by Francine Shapiro did bilateral therapies begin to makea comeback.There is now a whole spectrum of variations on thesesystems for integrating brain function and thus encouraginghealing from psychological and emotional trauma.They all involve stimulating one hemisphere of the brain,then the other; then back to the first, then back again, andrepeating this bilateral stimulation over and over. In thisbook I will show you how you can accomplish this samekind of stimulation using the simple process of walking.This bilateral stimulation gives you access to healingpowers, creative states, and emotional and psychologicalresilience beyond what you may have ever thoughtpossible.How Trauma SticksThe Mechanism of PTSDNo experience is a cause of success orfailure. We do not suffer from the shockof our experience’s so-called trauma—but wemake out of them just what suits our purposes.—Alfred AdlerOne of the enduring mysteries in the field of psychologyis why the same event produces such different memoriesand responses in different people. As the New York Timesreported in a July 1, 2004, article by Anahad O’Connor;one out of every six soldiers coming home from the warin Iraq is showing signs of emotional difficulties, particularlypost-traumatic stress disorder.Citing a report in the New England Journal ofMedicine, the writer noted, “The researchers surveyedmore than six thousand soldiers in the months before andafter service in Iraq or Afghanistan. Almost seventeen percentof those who fought in Iraq reported symptoms ofmajor depression, severe anxiety or post-traumatic stressdisorder; compared with about eleven percent of theFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 29

troops who served in Afghanistan.”In World War II, postwar depressionand anxiety was called battlefatigue; in World War lit was referredto as shell shock. The question isn’t somuch why it happens—we know GIsin war do and see horrific things. Thequestion that perplexes us is why postwaranxiety and depression hauntssome veterans and not others. Ofcourse, some vets see harder combatthan others. But even that doesn’taccount for the statistics. There arestill huge variations among individualsoldiers in how they respond to thesame event.The Limbic Brain:The One-Day Scratch PadIn order to understand why some peopleare still “shocked” months andeven years after a traumatic event, it’snecessary to first understand how thebrain and the mind process trauma.The brain is a complex collectionof deeply interconnected parts andprocesses. I will vastly oversimplifyhere for the purpose of description;this oversimplification is partly forease of understanding and partlybecause brain science still doesn’treally understand how most of thebrain works. (And science certainlydoesn’t yet understand how memoryworks.) In light of those caveats,here’s a possible scenario that is notinconsistent with much of what isknown about brain function and isquite consistent with what we observe“from the outside”—that is, by watchinghow people react and store information.There is a part of the limbic brain,or visceral brain, called the hippocampusthat is believed to function as aone-day scratch pad for memory.Everything you experience throughoutthe day is stored in the hippocampus;in order for the impressions of theexperience to become a long-termmemory, they must pass through thehippocampus into the rest of the brain.(People with a damaged hippocampusremember past events but haveextreme difficulty learning newthings.) Although the rest of the brainis able to integrate recent informationfrom the hippocampus in relation tostored past memories, in order tounderstand that one thing happened aweek ago and another thing happeneda month ago, the hippocampus knowsonly one time: today.During the night, as we sleep, thehippocampus dumps its informationfrom the day into the rest of the brainfor processing, sorting, storing, anddisposing of irrelevant information. Asthe brain is processing the details ofthe day from the hippocampus, weexperience a state that we call “dreaming.”Many sleep researchers are convincedthat when we experience rapideye movement (REM) sleep—whenour eyes move back and forth rapidlyunderneath our eyelids—most of theevents, including the traumas, of ourdaily life are processed. The process ofinformation management completed,when we wake up in the morning thehippocampus is once again empty andready to record another day.The problem emerges when thehippocampus is carrying informationthat’s too much, or too “hot,” for thelarger braini mind to handle. When arecent memory is too strong to be easilyand unremarkably processed, itpresents in our dream world as a nightmare.If that still doesn’t “download”the information from the hippocampus,then the trauma either becomesburied in the subconscious (theprocess that Freud termed repression)or it gets thrown back into the hippocampusthe next morning. It’s as ifthe brain says, “Whoa, that’s too muchfor me to process in one evening, soplease just hang on to it for now.”When the person wakes up the nextmorning, the information is still therein the hippocampus, still “remembered”and known and felt as if it hadhappened that very day.The conjecture that the hippocampusknows little about the more distantpast accounts for the unique feature oftrue post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD): that the person feels, everyday, as if the past event happenedtoday, or in the very recent past. Thetrauma is always front and center;new, fresh, and raw. The consequencescan be psychologically and emotionallydisastrous. Every day is affected bya past event: the traumatic event neverpasses from “now” into “then,” and isnever processed and filed away in amemory bank, where it loses thepower to cause pain and problems on adaily basis. The impact of this on themind and the emotions is staggering.Brain scans even demonstrate thatbefore a PTSD event has beenprocessed, the amygdala—a part of thebrain responsible for strong emotionalstates, such as those involved with survival(or the perception of a threat tosurvival)—and the hippocampus arenot functioning normally. The brainscan makes it possible to, in a way,see’ the effect of (or perhaps the mechanismof) the stuck memory. After processingthe memory, these parts of thebrain usually return to normal functioning.Access To Resource StatesOne of the key concepts of manyschools of psychology is that humanbeings are most functional when everypart of the mind has access to all otherparts. In particular; this functionality isa matter of having full access to positiveresources, such as memories oftimes when we were successful in ourundertakings and the good feelings weassociate with those accomplishments.Working from this level of functionality,then, when we take on a new task,for example, we first remember timesin the past when we attempted somethingsimilar and accomplished ourgoals. This functionality can beaccessed in all endeavors, fromembarking on a new love relationshipto taking on a first public-speakingengagement.Memories of past accomplishmentsand capabilities are stored inparts of the brain far from the amygdalaand hippocampus. The amygdalaand hippocampus, parts of our nervoussystem’s most primary and primitivestructures, lie deep in the brain.(Humans share the amygdala and hip-30 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

pocampus structures with all othermammals, unlike our frontal lobes,which we share with only the highestof the apes.) Thus, having a negativememory stuck deep in the hippocampusblocks the pain and fear associatedwith that memory from reaching and“associating with” positive memoriesand resource states, which are housedin more-distant parts of the brain.One of the most elegant and trulyuseful aspects of walking therapy (andother forms of bilateral intervention) isthat, by their very process of side-tosidemotion, they cause the right andleft lobes of the brain to alternatelytake responsibility for processinginformation. Holding your headsteady, when you look to your left, theright side of your brain is processingwhat it is you’re seeing. As your lineof sight travels past your centerlineand to your right, some of the informationtravels across the corpus callosum,the bundle of nerve fibers thatconnect the two hemispheres, and ishanded off to the left side of the brainfor processing.The two aspects of the hippocampuslie deep within the brain hemispheres,closer to the ancient midbrainthan most of the more evolutionarilyrecent “thinking-function” parts of thebrain, which are closer to the surfaceand generally reside specifically oneither the right side or the left side ofthe brain. This physical/anatomicaldetail has led researchers to guess thatone very significant way in whichbilateral therapies function is by keepingthe hippocampus (and the amygdalaand other parts of the limbic brainand brain stem) engaged throughactively recalling the traumatizingmemory, while simultaneously andalternately activating the left and righthemispheres of the brain. This processintegrates the function of the hippocampuswith the two hemispheresof the brain and at the same time connectsthe two hemispheres. Becausethe hippocampus is engaged, the processingthat would typically happenduring sleep happens instead while theperson is wide awake, provoking an“emptying” of the hippocampus andthe filing and storing of the informationit had contained in an appropriate“this-is-the-past” part of the brain.When people who undergo bilateraltherapy wake up the next day, theyknow that what had been botheringthem is now in the past. (Often theywill dream of the original eventovernight.) With the walking therapythat I have developed, in most casesthis recognition that the experience isin the past happens during the walkitself. That is the key indicator that thesession has been successful.Excerpted with permission from WalkingYour Blues Away: How To Heal the Mindand Create Emotional Well-Being, © 2006 byThom Hartmann, Park Street Press,www.ParkStPress.com.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 31

CyclesofChangeBy Gail Gorman and Marilou & Jerry Seavey“Centuries ago, people didn’t think the world was changingat all. Their grandparents had the same lives that they did,and they expected their children and grandchildren woulddo the same… and that expectation was largely fulfilled.What is not fully understood is that the pace of change isitself accelerating, and the last twenty years are not a goodguide of the next twenty years. We’re doubling the paradigmshift rate, the rate of progress, every decade.” 1Especially in the emerging global community change is anatural part of life, but what is the nature of change? Whyis it that so many people, sane stable people under normalcircumstances, seem to crack under the pressure of it?You’ve seen it happen to your friends, family, perhaps evento yourself. When things change, people get stressed andstress costs more than you think. In the U.S. the annual figureis somewhere around $300 billion 2Change in our personal and professional environmentis widely acknowledged to be the number one cause ofadult on-set stress. Euphemistically called “Life Events”,personal life changes (moving, death, birth, jobs) are suchstress based motivators that large and successful financialinstitutions bank their future on selling you relief in theform of a financial plan. Change causes stress and stressdrives everything from a species to a company to an individualto make adaptive and evolutionary change.Yet change is the only real constant in life. So why ischange so hard for us? Perhaps a dispassionate look at whathappens on the personal level is in order. Although ourgraphic shows a circle, it is useful to imagine change as aspiral or a dynamic system that winds and arcs from its startto deal with increasing complexity.In the beginning, we all start out competent at least enoughso to do the job, but then things change...Competent: When you’ve mastered a skill, youknow it almost at the level of subconscious or‘muscle’ memory. You can perform your dutieswithout much conscious effort.Challenged: When you are faced with change, yourealize that you don’t even know what you don’tknow yet. Some people will respond with excitementand some people will respond with fear.Response to change is not a good predictor of suitabilityfor the new organization.32 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Crisis: Once you start down the path of change, you beginto discover what you didn’t know when you started. Thisis usually an ought-oh moment. Stress reaches all timehigh as you realize that you need to scramble to catch up.Control: Finally, after a lot of concentration and significantlearning, at last you know what you need to know, butyou must continue to tightly control it in order to do it right.When you’ve controlled it well enough for long enough,you’ll move back into your nice comfortable groove.You’ve again become competent, until significant newchange occurs.Change then, by its very nature, challenges us to step outsideof our comfort zone and into a world where we have totry harder. In an organization, as each person’s anxietygoes up, emotional intensity of the group goes up and misunderstandingsgo up in occurrence exponentially. It is difficultto speak clearly and to hear accurately if emotionalintensity is raised, or if people feel rushed. 3Of course organizations are comprised of people whowork together in a system, making it useful to look at all ofthe disruption that is taking place at the systemic level.At this stage everyone experiences discomfort: those whoare pushing harder for change because of perceived opposition,and those who oppose change because of the unexpecteddisruption.Turbulence is the result, as pressure mounts both for andagainst change. Turbulence reaches maximum force levelsand stress hits an all time high. It is precisely at thismoment, just before disintegration of the old status quo,that everyone in the organization needs the personalresource to embrace change.Unfortunately it is precisely at this moment when those inthe throes of change are most likely to be the least resourceful.You’ll recognize this as loud but petty arguments, disruptedmeetings, higher than normal complaints, both formaland informal grumbling. Cooperation goes down, territorialbehavior goes up as does tattling, sabotage and selfmarketing.4There are useful ways to encourage yourself and others ofthe staff to behave resourcefully and we’ll cover those laterbut for now just think of positive resources as possessingqualities such as humor, introspection, patience and visionto name a few.Continuing through the system’s cycle, assuming the forcesof change including momentum are sufficient, the organizationwill move from turbulence to disintegration of theold status quo. There is never one precise moment, butrather a general knowing that, even if you wanted, there isno going back. The only way out now is through. For abrief period, turbulence in fact motion in general comes toa halt, almost as if the organization is holding its collectivebreath.Quietly a time of reflection is entered. This is the stage atwhich most people in the organization will begin to selfselect.Either they will elect to be a part of the new way orthey will resign themselves to moving on.Reflection moves into formation, where teams begin to gel.Innovation takes root and after a rehash of plans, constructionstarts. After sufficient construction, the organizationmoves into the new status quo.All change starts with Status Quo. This part of the cycle is earmarkedby predictability. There are only minor variations, dayto day. Generally organizations move into Status Quo after aperiod of growth. Everyone settles down and even disruptionoccurs only within the narrow band of the expected.Change begins when forces, either internal or external, drivetoward a new goal. Natural forces resist those drivers and disruptionoutside of the normal band begins to occur.The graphic clearly reveals that less than half the organizationalcycle of change is focused on pro-active behavior.The remainder is force, both for and against, in oppositionto each other followed by finality. Taken in conjunctionwith what is happening at the personal level, it’s pretty easyto see where the sweaty palms and sleepless nights comefrom.So what can be done? There are any number of greatFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 33

A Conscious Living ExperienceHorai-SanBook & Crystal Shopwww.horai-san.com242 Washington St. Brookline Village, MA 617-277-4321Looking for Customers?Advertise with Earth staRand reach over 180,000 readerscall (617) 498-0265for more informationchange management texts and professional guidanceorganizations such as the NLP (Neuro LinguisticProgramming) as presented by MindBridge Trainings(www.mindbridgetrainings.com). Also, hiring aPersonal/Professional Coach is highly recommended. Inthe meantime here are a few options to think about whenyou think about planning change in your environment.Change is Your Ally:A remark attributed to Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Plans arenothing, planning is everything.”We all know the power of inviting those that will beinvolved into your plans for change. The importance ofthe product is not the plan itself, but the ongoing process.By inviting others to help the system to change, you gainthe opportunity to co-opt those who are important toyour plans. By giving them a piece of the future todesign, you help them to see change as something oftheir own crafting.It’s a time-honored approach, so why not take it tothe next level? Change is an ally. Face it and encouragepeople to shoot for rapid recovery, perhaps viewing theirsituation not as a change, but as if it is an entirely newand different situation. 5 By marketing the change as positiveopportunity for all and by inviting their feedbackyou set the tone and pace for those who will recover to anew realignment.Positive ResourcesUnderstanding the power of emotions sets the best leadersapart from the rest – not just in tangibles such as betterresults and enhancement of talent but also in the allimportantintangibles such as higher morale, motivationand commitment. 6This NLP process works best if done on a one-ononebasis. Specifically for those involved in the changeprocess, ask each of them to write a list of personal positiveresources they possess. They do not need to sharethe list, only to spend the time writing it down. Positiveresources are such things as patience, humor, empathy,generosity, kindness, open-mindedness, vision, informationsharing, courage, self confidence, a sense of security,fairness and the like.When each person returns with the list, challengehim or her to remember the list when reviewing the day.We all review our day, sometimes assigning blame toothers or ourselves. This exercise simply invites us toreview with the intention of developing more positiveresourcefulness when living through periods of highstress. Basically the exercise proceeds as follows:Whenever you naturally take the time to review theday’s events, whether it’s on the ride home after work orperhaps after dinner or before going to sleep, notice thetimes when you might have acted with less than positivebehaviors or perhaps reacted with a less than positive34 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

esponse. Don’t dwell on those times,simply notice them as if you were anobjective observer. Then, recall yourlist of positive resources. Choosefrom among the resources on your listselecting the one that, if you hadmore access to it at that moment intime, would have allowed you torespond differently. Actually seeyourself going through that situationagain, only this time with theresource you needed ready at hand.Be sure to focus for a moment onhandling the situation resourcefullyand then let the entire review fadeaway knowing that if a similar situationarises again you’ll have theresource to deal with it more successfully.NOTES1 Quote from Ray Kurzweil, inventorand futurist2 Chrysallis, the Costs of Stress,September 2001 Volume 2 number 23 Managing Transitions, WilliamBridges, Addison-Wesley, 19914 Coping with Difficult People, R.Bramson, Valentine Books, 19815 The Employee Handbook of NewWork Habits for a RadicallyChanging World, Price Pritchett6 Primal Leaderships, Realizing thePower of Emotional Intelligence, D.Goleman, R. Boyatzis, A. McKeeAbout the Authors: Jerry and MarilouSeavey are authors, personal/professionalcoaches, international speakersand NLP Coach Certification trainers,founders of MindBridgeTrainings and successful thirty-yearveterans of Human Engineering andChange Management.Gail Gorman is an author and successfulentrepreneur.For more info call: 1-800 307-9026,www.mindbridgetrainings.com.©2003 MindBridge TrainingsKINDNESS CURESIn the gentle ambiance of my office developpsychological abilities to improve quality of life:• Resolve inner conflicts - get out of your own way.• Overcome anxiety and phobias.• Let go of addictions and co-dependence.• Heal emotionally from mental and physical injury.• Grieve effectively.• Discover the roots of depression and move beyond inertia.• Learn to deal with challenging people and situations.• Create and co-create healthy, loving relationships.Phone: 617-738-9480Linda Fleger-Berman, MSW,Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker,Board Certified Diplomate,Certified in Clinical Hypnosis,Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (Level II),Certified in Reiki. 30 years of success., Ph.D.My phychodynamic therapy includes Techniques of Self-Hypnosis,Psychodrama, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing,Bioenergetics and Mindfulness MeditationFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 35

CLASSES IN YOUR AREAAllstonRock City Body40 Penniman St., Allston, MA 02134617-782-4410 – www.rockcitybody.comYoga for all levels and stages of life.Certified Kripalu instructors. Theraputicyoga, Pilates, Belly Dance, Massage.ArlingtonThe Arlington CenterChip Hartranft, Director369 Mass. Ave., Arlington, MA 02474781-316-0282 – www.arlingtoncenter.orgPowerful integration of movement & mindfulnesswith Chip; also Kripalu, Iyengar, Ashtanga,Vinyasa, Kids Yoga, Yoga-Sutra, meditation,t’ai chi, Pilates, dance; wellness: massage,psycho-therapy, acupuncture, ayurveda,yogatherapy, feldenkrais.BostonYoga in the Financial DistrictBronwen Murphy, experienced & creativeteacher, welcomes students of all levels,147 Milk St., (Harvard Vanguard)most Weds & Thurs 5:30pm-7:00pm617-661-1779 for information,877-439-5465 to registerBridgewaterCenter for Stress Management/Maha Yoga Center, Diane Lagadec4 Central Sq.508-697-3273 and 508-697-3592mahayoga@juno.comwww.mahayogacenter.comHatha & Ashtanga Yoga, Teacher Training,Meditation, Massage., Thai Yoga Massage,Shiatsu.BrightonAyurvedic Rehabilitation CenterLoretta Levitz103 Bennett Street, Brighton, MA 02135617-782-1727ayurvedicrehabilitationcenter.comAyurvedic yoga, adapted yoga.FraminghamCenter for YogaLisa A. Megidesh, MS, RYT, director393 Worcester Rd.508-620-YOGA (9462)www.centerforyoga.usHatha, Kundalini, Meditation, Reiki Trainingsand healing sessions.Bikram Yoga Framingham855 Worcester Rd., #18 Trolley Square508-820-9642www.YogaFramingham.comIntro-special: 2 classes for $10.Beginning Yoga Series.HamiltonIron Crow Yoga StudioMary Hunt, Director161 Bay Road (Rte 1A N.) Hamilton, MA978-468-3390 - www.ironcrowyoga.comAstanga/Vinyasa/Power yoga/Pilates,Teacher TrainingManchester, MA(North Shore) — Kim ValeriYogaspirit StudiosP.O. Box 2337, S. Hamilton, MA 01982978-927-0099 -www.yogaspiritstudios.comYoga Teacher Certifications, CT, MA, ME, NH.NewburyportThe Water Lily Houseaka The Yoga Tree HouseH. Garber Director/Iyengar InstructorBy the Sea, Plum Island Ma.978-255-2190 Energy7H@aol.comAffordable Overnight retreats and dailyonsite yoga classes, Bodywork, Reflexology,Reiki, and Intuitive Spiritual Counseling.Yogafor all ages and abilities.PeabodyAlternative Therapy Center of PeabodyDeborah Kako, M.Ed., LMHC,24 Main Street, Peabody, MA978-532-7440 - www.yogaatc.comyogaatc@aol.com Beginner & mixed levelsKripalu-certified RYT, Art Therapy, Psychotherapy,Expressive Therapy, Body Image Work, Yoga &the 12 Steps, Yoga Therapy.Quincy CenterReal Life Yoga and PliatesDee LyonLocations in No. Wetmouth & Norwell, too!781-331-6111 - www.reallifeyoga.comA variety of Yoga and Pilates for all levels.RevereTranquil Flame YogaJanine Grillo Marra, PTPoint of Pines Yacht Club28 Rice Ave, Revere, MA 02151781-284-7949 www.tranquilflameyoga.comMorning & evening Hatha Yoga classes atoceanfront location. Seasonal workshops &retreats. Beginners welcome.To List you Yoga practiceor studio on this pagecall (617) 498-02651 full year (6 issues) for $20036 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

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DIVINEBy Andrew CohenINTERVENTIONIf we want to change the worldin a significant way, if we’reserious about creating a betterfuture for us all, then we haveto face the fact that the onlyway it’s going to happen is the onlyway it’s ever happened: through theevolution of consciousness itself. Andfor the universe to evolve at the levelof consciousness, you and I have to bethe ones to make sure it happens. Wehave to be the ones to create thefuture. What does that mean? Well, itmeans first of all that we have to wakeup to the fact that there’s no one elsewho is going to save us. Even in thetwenty-first century, some of us stillcling to the hope that there is someone“up there” or “out there,” a kind ofdivine principle, higher power, orGodhead that is directing the processand is going to intervene and makesure that everything will turn out allright in the end. Of course, many of ushave long since outgrown suchbeliefs, and it may seem utterly obviousto us that we need to save ourselvesfrom self-annihilation. But Iwonder how much we have consideredthe deepest and most profoundimplications of accepting ultimateresponsibility for the future.To accept responsibility for the futuremeans we know without a doubt that itis on our own shoulders—each andevery one of us—to create that futureright now. And now means NOW.Those of us at the leading edge have tostop waiting, stop hiding, and stoppretending. We have to be the ones totake this leap—because there literallyisn’t anyone else to do it. Yes, it isgoing to take divine intervention, butwe have to be the divine interveners.We literally have to choose to beGod—which I define as the creative orevolutionary impulse itself. Billions ofyears ago, something exploded out ofnothing. And who but God could havemade such an audacious choice—tocreate an entire universe? That powerfulurge to become is now actuallybeginning to wake up, through theunique capacity for self-reflectiveawareness that is our humanbirthright. Through us, God, or theenergy and intelligence that is drivingthis whole process, is just beginning toawaken to itself. So becoming God inan evolving universe means we haveto be the ones to carry this process forwardat the deepest and highest level,to consciously evolve in the biggestway possible for our collective salvationand transformation.Spiritually, the enormous challengefor each and every one of us is to lookdirectly into what it actually means tobe the one who is going to do this.From the absolute or nondual perspectivethat emerges in spiritual revelation,there is only ONE. There literallyis no other; there is only one withouta second. To truly understand consciousevolution, we have to grapplewith the profound implications of thatabsolute fact. I believe we can onlyconsciously evolve to the degree thatwe have actually realized at the deepestlevel of our being that we are thatone without a second. Facing into thetruth of nonduality—that the many isthe one and that the one is ultimatelywho we always are—in an evolutionarycontext forces a confrontationwith any relationship to the lifeprocess that is less than whole, complete,and fully committed. To consciouslyevolve is to surrender unconditionallyto the truth that there is noother and at the same time to acceptresponsibility for what that means inan evolving universe—a cosmos thatis slowly but surely becoming awareof itself through you and me. That onewithout a second is simultaneouslyawakening to itself as it develops, as itevolves, and it is that one, as you andme, alone, that can now begin to takeresponsibility for endeavoring to consciouslycreate its own future. That isenlightenment in an evolutionary context:the profound recognition thatGod is that singular energy and intelligencethat initiated the creativeprocess and is just now awakening toitself as we awaken to it. In that revelation,there literally is no other. Andtherefore, the only question is: Do wehave the courage, audacity, and boldnessof spirit to be that one without asecond, right now, in this world? Ourfuture literally depends on it.Andrew Cohen is the founder ofEnlightenNext, an educational nonprofitdedicated to a revolution in consciousnessand culture. He is also the founder and editorin chief of What Is Enlightenment? magazine.He will be leading an eight day intensivein Lenox, MA, February 24-March 4.For more information call 800.376.3210 or visit www.andrewcohen.org.Reprinted with permission from What IsEnlightenment? magazine; June-August2006. ©2006 EnlightenNext, Inc. All rightsreserved. http://www.wie.org.38 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Can CHIROPRACTICHelp Your HEADACHE?By Pheng Kouch, D.CChiropractic is one ofthe most popular alternativetherapies currentlyavailable. We allknow about chiropracticcare for “slipped disks” or“pinched nerves,” but few are aware ofits benefits for headaches. Mostheadaches in the general populationare caused by problems in the neck,and are consequently named cervicogenic(“born from the neck”) or tensionheadaches. These headaches aretypically localized to the back part ofthe skull, and tend to extend upwardand forward to the top of the head andinto the temple region. There is ananatomical bridge between a neckmuscle called the rectus capitis posteriorminor (RCPM) with the outsidecovering of the brain called the duramater. When there is tension on thismuscle, caused by prior trauma,stress, or lack of motion or alignmentin the cervical spine, pulling ofthis very pain sensitive duramater sends signals to the brainthat are interpreted as aheadache.Your chiropractor will beable to evaluate your symptomswith a detailed history, x-ray orother diagnostic imaging technique,and by feeling the vertebraeand muscles in your neck.If chiropractic treatment is indicated,the chiropractor will use a specific,short, quick thrust called an “adjustment”to relieve the tension in thesemuscles and to regain motion in thesevertebrae. Chiropractic adjustmentswork very well in reducing many ofthese headaches, all without the sideeffects of commonly prescribed medicationsor over-the-counter aspirin oribuprofen. These over- the-countermedications are very dangerous toyour stomach and digestive system,and cause tens of thousands of deathsper year. In addition to these sideeffects, these pills are merely maskingor blocking the transmission of thepain, and do nothing to address theunderlying problem at its cause.These headaches, often confusedwith migraines, can be devastating toyour life and those you love. Whenpresent, the person is often overlysensitiveto light and noise in a similarfashion to persons with migraines. Ifindeed, your symptoms are due to truemigraines, chiropractic may still offera great source of relief. Migraines arecaused by changes in blood flow toyour brain, and chiropractic adjustmentshave been shown to be effectiveby normalizing this blood flow, again,all without the side effects of prescriptionmedications. In a study comparingchiropractic care with medications,when treatment was discontinued,patients who had received chiropracticcare continued to have fewerand less intense migraines than thosewho discontinued medications.There are many instances whereyour headache may NOT be suitablefor care with chiropractic adjustments.These include significant traumawhere you are bleeding into yourbrain, brain tumors, aneurysms, clusterheadaches, rebound headacheswhen discontinuing medications,headaches from hangovers, andheadaches without a clear origin.Chiropractors are specifically trainedto identify the source of yourheadache and recognize red flags thatmay signal something more serious.Your chiropractor will be able to tellyou if your headache can be helpedwith adjustments or whether youshould be referred for further evaluation.Ask your chiropractor if you area candidate for care.Dr. Pheng Kouch is a chiropractor with theD’Arcy Wellness Clinic in Natick, MA, tel.(508) 652-1795, www.darcynat.com/clinic.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 39

By Rosemary Gaddum GordonD.B.O., M.A.VI S I O N T I P SCROSSING YOUR EYESWhen I was little, I was standing in acrowd waiting for a parade and overhearda parent saying “Don’t crossyour eyes, Tommy, the wind maychange and they’ll get stuck thatway.” It sounded horrifying. It wasn’t until I was studyingat Moorfields Eye Hospital that I discovered howimportant it is to be able to cross or converge the eyeswhen looking at somethingup close.As our vision develops,our eyes need to learn towork together as a team sothat we can aim each eyeonto the same target. This isa learned skill called fusion.It develops naturally betweeneight to twelve months ofage, as we interact with whatis going on around us. Sincewe have two eyes the brainreceives two images. Overtime we learn to coordinateour eyes so that we can fusethese images and instead ofseeing two mommysapproaching us, we see one.If the anatomy or physiologyof the brain or eyes is notnormal, or if there is traumaduring this developmentalstage the ability to coordinatethe eyes may be compromised, resulting in strabismus.Different activities in our lives can strengthen orweaken our fusion. Playing sports like tennis, ping pongand baseball develop fusion, as do near activities likeembroidery and blocks. However, activities that requireus to use just one eye, like monocular microscopes, orcovering one eye with bangs, can disrupt our fusionalabilities.As we grow up our ability to fuse may becomeweakened through tiredness, bumps to the head or otherstressors. There are, however, simple ways to strengthenand maintain this ability. One of them is to practicecrossing our eyes—just the opposite of what many of usheard as children.If you’d like to explore your fusion in the near range,hold a pencil at arms length and look at the tip. Do youhave a single image? If you do, bring the pencil towardsyour nose as you blink and breathe. You are asking youreyes to cross. Stop if you seetwo pencils or if you experienceany discomfort. Nowbring the pencil away from youas you continue to blink andbreathe, noticing when itbecomes single again. Followit out to arms length and thenlook at something as far in thedistance as possible.If the pencil never wentdouble and looking at it onyour nose was perfectly comfortable,then you need notpractice. If you experienceddoubling or discomfort, practicethis little exercise a fewtimes a day for short periods.Be gentle with your eyes soyou don’t further weaken themby trying to go too fast. Overtime the muscles will strengthen,the eyes become bettercoordinated and you will havegreater stamina for reading, sewing and working at thecomputer.If you notice that as you look at the pencil you seedouble of the objects behind it, or when looking in thedistance you see two pencils, don’t worry, this is normal.We’ll discuss it next issue.Rosemary Gaddum-Gordon, D.B.O., M.A., Holistic VisionImprovement, Cambridge, MA: (617) 354-8360, and Eliot,ME: (207) 439-9821, www.visioneducators.com.40 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

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CONVERSATIONS WITH GODA Review by Will ArntzThe movie, Conversations with God is faithfully based on thelife of Neale Donald Walsch. It focuses intensely upon theperiod of time when Neale was descending into homeless status,and is a riveting portrayal of a man whose ego is slowly -and painfully - being eroded so that something finer can flowthrough him. Ultimately his journey is a healing one, eventuallyleading to the publishing of the enormously popularConversations with God books.The movie is an excellent telling of this epic story of spiritualrealization. And epic it is. As Cate Montana, our What theBLEEP newsletter editor, said: “It’s amazing what spirit has toput us through before we’re ready to listen.” All of the elementsof a great storytelling are here - Fine acting, photography,direction, all combine to maximize the impact of this veryhuman story. And because it is so effectively told, it’s a storythat I’ve gone back to in my mind for days afterwards.For me it’s great to watch a film about a true hero. Not some“hero” who miraculously dodges twenty thousand bullets toshoot everyone else, but someone who wrestles with the selfbullets,and comes out the other side to help millions (sevenmillion + books sold!).On a more personal note - there are really two people behindthis film. The one in front of the camera (as acted by HenryCzerny) is Neale. The one behind the camera isproducer/director Steven Simons. Steven has been on his ownjourney to get these films made for decades. Mark Vicente -one of the BLEEP filmmakers - even took a film class fifteenyears ago taught by Steven about making mystical movies.Steven has produced spiritual movies, written books and articlesabout it, created a new way of distributing films, via theSpiritual Cinema Circle, and finally made this film. For hisunrelenting passion to make this all happen, we fellow filmmakersare all most grateful.Will Arntz is the co-creator of the movies What the BLEEPDo We Know!? and Down the Rabbit Hole. For more informationplease go to www.whatthebleep.com .CONVERSATIONS WITH GODReveals the Spiritual Side of HomelessnessLast Fall I joined five hundredpeople at a specialscreeningofConversations with Godin New York City, notBy Jill V. Manginoknowing that the movie I was about tosee would forever change how I view thehomeless. Conversations with Goddepicts the true life story of New YorkTimes Best-Selling author Neale DonaldWalsch. The film portrays Neale’s soulfuland emotional journey into his “DarkNight of the Soul” as a homeless man andreveals the illuminating moment thatcalled him to become a modern-day spiritualmessenger.Neale found himself homeless, at fortynineyears old, after surviving a car accidentin which he broke his neck. He wasseparated and divorced from his wifeand supporting his children as best hecould. Out of work and forced to wear aPhiladelphia collar neck brace he wasunemployable.What little benefits the governmentgives a single man ran out very quicklyand before he knew it, he found himselfhomeless living in a tent in a makeshiftcampground. He lived outside for thebetter part of a year panhandling forquarters and dimes on the street and livingunder the stars.Neale’s plight, as depicted so poignantlyin the film, uncovers the stark reality ofthe homeless situation in this country. Itsheds light on the circumstances thatlead many of society’s outcasts to findthemselves without shelter and oftenwithout hope. I’m sure Neale neverenvisioned eating out of a garbage bin—one of the more uncomfortable and compellingscenes in the film. However, itcan unknowingly happen to any of us.As many as three-point-five million peopleexperience homelessness in a givenyear (one percent of the entire US populationor ten percent of its poor), andabout 842,000 people in any given week 142 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

While there is on-going legislation andinitiates to address the homeless situation,many critics of social policy assertthat a failure to live responsibly and lackof determination are what keep peoplehomeless. However, such thinking islargely accredited with fueling a stigmatizationof homelessness. It is not uncommonfor Americans to think of the homelessas lazy, apathetic, irresponsible orworthless. Such people typically believe itis by choice that people are homeless.Many Americans complain about thepresence of homeless people and feel thattheir requests for “hand outs” areunjustified. Likewise, many homelessfeel they are ignored, despised or evenhated.During a recent Spiritual CinemaCircle tele-class Neale recounted astory about how one person refused totell him the time, when he was homeless,and how incredibly painful andhumiliating that experience was forhim…to be literally not “worth the timeof day”.It is often thought that such experiencescan actually encourage substance abuseor exacerbate mental health issues,which in turn increase the difficulty offunctioning within mainstream society.Some believe these social views andlack of concern provide an obstacle tothe elimination of poverty.Neale had one “angel” in the film awoman named Sunny who helped himget “cleaned up” for a job interview. Ifshe had not seen his potential or had abiased view towards his homeless situation,he may have never been able tohave picked himself up. Just one personmade such a huge difference andchanged the course of his life forever.Neale and SunnyEventually, after finally finding work,another streak of bad luck compelledNeale to finally cry out in desperation,frustration and anger to God…and surprisingly…God answered. From his darkesthours he found the greatest light, Godrevealed himself in that moment andoffered answers, not only for Neale personally,but with a profound messagewhich has become an exceptional andgripping spiritual dialogue (with overseven million books sold and translatedinto thirty-four languages).While Conversations with God immersesyou in the reality of homelessness,Neale’s story offers hope for those whofind themselves down-and-out literallyand spiritually. As Neale’s life unfoldedon the big screen, it revealed a courageousman who rose like the phoenixfrom the ashes to touch all of ourlives. And one thing is certain thismovie will forever change the wayyou view the homeless.It’s encouraging when movies can notonly address social causes in an entertainingway but inspire us to take actionor behave more positively with compassion,ultimately trickling down andhopefully creating a paradigm shift.Neale’s personal triumph reminds us allthat God is listening and is our truehome, our our true shelter.NOTE1 National Coalition for the Homeless.Walsch was asked what he learned from being homeless.“Judge not and neither condemn,” he said, then added witha twinkle, “You never know who may become your next NewYork Times best selling author.” He offers some soundadvice for dealing with the homeless that you mayencounter:Don’t judge because we can never know what circumstancesled to the person’s situation.Be generous. Please, don’t ever pass any body on the street.We’ve all got a quarter or a dime or a dollar or a fiver thatwe can let go of. And you can make somebody’s whole daywith fifty cents or a dollar. So try never, ever, ever to passanybody in need. If you see somebody on the street that hashis or her hand out, dig deep & try to be generous.Look them in the eye and say hello. This simple, dignifiedhuman interaction could make their day. So many of themfeel as if they have disappeared from society. Sometimesthey just need someone to acknowledge their presence.Get a window into their life, it could be very telling. Spendtime, be present and listen to their story, if you feel safe andhave the time to reach out and connect.If you see a homeless person who looks like he or she coulduse immediate attention, please don’t ignore it. By callingthe police/paramedics, you are taking the first step in linkingpeople to much needed services and housingFor more information on homelessness and how you canhelp please contact the following organizations:National Coalition for the Homeless — a national networkof people who are currently experiencing or who have experiencedhomelessness, activists and advocates, communitybasedand faith-based service providers, and others committedto a single mission. That mission, our common bond, isto end homelessness. (202) 462-4822, www.nationalhomeless.org.The National Alliance to End Homelessness— a nonpartisan,mission-driven organization committed to preventingand ending homelessness in the United States.www.endhomlessness.org.Conversations with God is now available on DVD by Fox HomeEntertainment. For more information about the film please visit:www.cwgthemovie.com.FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 43

SEE AND HEAR“She healed my family for alcohol, smoking, and trauma. She is my family’s healing angel ...she can be yours too.” — Elaine Caskey, Georgetown, TexasLinda HodgesDenise HunterMary Day“No cravings, no desires. So, Rhonda Ihave not had anything to drink sinceFebruary 2002.”Heather Fougnier“I’m still amazed that after a few sessionsmy desire to drink was simply gone.”Norm McIver“I went to see Rhonda 6 years ago andhave never had a drink since. More so, Ihave never wanted a drink since.”Silvia Schoch“I want to express my gratitude to Rhondafor helping me overcome an eating disorder.”“It’s been 10 years since I’ve had a drink orcraving for alcohol. Immediately after firstseeing Rhonda, I was relieved of the cravingfrom alcohol and experienced noseizures or withdrawal illness.”“I feel very privileged and deeply gratefulto Rhonda for her willingness to share herexceptional ability with me.”Brett RosenAlty WeinrebLesia Stanchak“She made such a profound difference in mylife and my children’s lives; I’m incrediblygrateful to her. She’s a unique and incrediblygifted human being.”“The sessions I had with Rhonda wereextraordinary. I immediately felt thispowerful shift.”“Rhonda is amazingly accurate, trulyunique and she is a true healer. I loveRhonda.”44 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

OUR CLIENT TESTIMONIALSDr. Andrew McClennan — THEN BECOME ONEMichelle McClennanTara DalyDan McKeon“I no longer fall preyto procrastinating.”“I have not had onecraving or wasted anybrain energy thinkingabout alcohol.”Eileen Wladyka“I have no desire to drink or binge orpurge…. I am no longer in purgatory.”Joseph Taylor, M.D.“I couldn’t think of not drinking for 7days; it’s now coming up on 7 years.”Elaine Caskey“The whole process removed the roadblocksto where I wanted to go. Rhonda has beenan incredible blessing in my life.”Hyla Cass, M.D.“Rhonda Lenair provides a unique and veryimportant perspective in the treatment ofaddiction, particularly alcohol. Her abilitiesare truly a gift.”Brenda Tucker, Nutritional Consultant“She healed my family for alcohol,smoking, and trauma. She is my family’shealing angel ... she can be yours too.”Tree Borden, LICSW“Rhonda’s gift is that she can tune in,discover and resonate with whatever thetraumatic events are … you can startfresh, start clear. I highly recommendRhonda and her work.”“The pure and unlimited scope of thiswork is obvious to me. I feel as if we’vestruck gold!”“As a practitioner, I’ve referred approximately75% of my clients to Rhonda for treatment ofalcoholism, eating disorders, and/or post traumaticstress…each and every one themdescribed their addiction as ceased, leaving nocraving or desire to return.”THE LENAIR HEALING CENTERVisit our client testimonials section at www.lenair.com/meet.shtml.Call for our complimentary 48-page brochure.888-412-8392FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 45

CALENDARevents workshopsfestivals classesTop Photo2/17: CJ Chenier features at the15th AnnualCajun & Zydeco Mardi Gras Ball, Rhodes onthe Pawtuxet Ballroom, Cranston, RI. Fortickets & information call (401) 783-3926.FEBRUARY2/4: Super Yoga Sunday. Our yearly benefitfor Voices Against Violence. Yoga classes,info on domestic violence, great food, andcommunity. www.centerforyoga.us, (508)654-0443 to register and/or make a donation.2/10-2/11: Reiki I Certification with JohnHarvey Gray and Lourdes Gray, Ph.D.,Rindge,NH. Awaken your healing skillsstudying with the longest-practicing ReikiMaster in the West. Two days of learning,hands-on practice and no cut corners certifiesyou immediately to work on yourself,others and pets. 16.0 CEUs Visa/MC. (603)899-3288 www.reiki.mv.com.2/17: Mass Audubon's Merrimack RiverEagle Festival, Saturday, February 17th,featuring Bald Eagle Tours, starting in downtownNewburyport; Eagle SpottingLocations, along the Merrimack with on-siteinterpreters; Live Eagle Demonstrations, atNewburyport City Hall; Nature Fun for thewhole family at Joppa Flats EducationCenter and Parker River National WildlifeRefuge Headquarters. All free. Eagle tourswill be scheduled throughout the day. Spaceis limited and advance registration isrequired. Please call (978) 462-9998 to register.www.massaudubon.org/eaglefestival.2/17-2/18: Cymatron Sound Course -February 17 & 18, 2007, 10:00am-5:00pm.Faculty: Maureen Spencer, RN, M.Ed. Fee:$275.00. Location: Healing Tree Yoga,N.Quincy, MA. Cymatron sessions are highlyeffective for shifting and healing the subtlefrequencies causing deep-seated diseases.The session includes use of a color test andset of questions to assist in developing a statedintent for healing. 15 contact hoursawarded to nurses. For more information goto www.cymatronsoundhealing.com, or call(617)-754-5332.MARCH3/3-3/4: Reiki I Certification with JohnHarvey Gray and Lourdes Gray, Ph.D.,Rindge, NH. Awaken your healing skillsstudying with the longest-practicing ReikiMaster in the West. Two days of learning,hands-on practice and no cut corners certifiesyou immediately to work on yourself,others and pets. 16.0 CEUs Visa/MC. (603)899-3288 www.reiki.mv.com.3/9-3/11: Family Matters - Connectingwith the Family Soul. Weekend HellingerApproach Constellation seminar facilitatedby Jamy and Peter Faust. Held at KripaluYoga and Retreat Center, Lenox, MA. Cost:$200 - tuition only. CEUs available. Forinformation about the Hellinger Approach,please visit www.HellingerBoston.com Toregister, go to www.Kripalu.org or call (866)200-5203.3/10-3/11: EOL Emotional ReleaseAcupressure System Level I, Module 246 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

3/24: The National Instituteof Whole Health begins itsSpring Whole Health curriculumGuest Lecturer Series with MonaLisa Schultz, M.D., Ph.D. onSaturday, March 24. Reservationsrequired. For more informationabout the series and NIWH NutritionEducator Certification and WholeHealth Educator Certificationprograms, visit www.niwh.org orcall (888) 354-HEAL (4325).Laypersons and experienced practitionerswill learn highly-effective point sequences toIncrease Cellular Resonance, ReleaseGuilt/Shame/Regrets, Release GeneralEmotional patterns. Discover and practicehead, neck, arm and shoulder releases,explore dialoguing with the body to achievedeeper Emotional Release, and more!9:00am.-6:00pm. both days; 36 contacthours $350; EarlyPay discount available.Details at www.TheWayToBalance.com;(978) 834-0341.3/17: Experience your Past Lives withJohn Harvey Gray and Lourdes Gray,Ph.D., Rindge, NH. The same popular seminarJohn gave for years at the Maine HealingArts Festival and Interface. Two regressionsare provided. Your subconscious selects thedates and places and protects you frombringing back any uncomfortable emotions.$75.Visa/MC. (603) 899-3288www.reiki.mv.com.3/17: Reiki Certification, Wilton, NH.Libby Barnett, MSW. 26 years experience.Reiki Energy Medicine co-author. Notebook,pin, certificate awarded. Visa/MC accepted.CEU's. To register call 1-888-REIKI-4-U or(603) 654-2787 Reiki II: 3/18.3/18: Learn to See Auras with LourdesGray, Ph.D., CCHT, Rindge, NH. Aurascontain information about physical, mentaland emotional states. We will show you whatto look for, and how to develop your innervision to see auras around people, animalsand plants anytime you wish. The process issurprisingly easy! $125 tuition includespractice tape, manual and your Kirlian photograph.Visa/MC. (603) 899-3288www.reiki.mv.com.3/24: The National Institute of WholeHealth begins its Spring Whole Health curriculumGuest Lecturer Series with MonaLisa Schultz, M.D., Ph.D. on Saturday,March 24. A neuroscientist and medicalintuitive, Dr. Schultz is the author of TheNew Feminine Brain and AwakeningIntuition. Using her extensive background inhealth and brain research, she will teach howspecific emotional situations in one’s life areassociated with the increased risk of illnessin a specific organ and how one canacknowledge, trust and develop their intuition.Free to the public, this lecture serieswill be conducted March 24–June 2, at theNewton Wellesley Hospital, Newton Mass.Lecturers are from 2:00pm-5:00pm. Theseries will feature other well-known expertsand leaders in the health and nutrition, suchas Mark Hyman, M.D., former medicaldirector of Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA,Bernie Siegel, M.D., C. Norman ShealyM.D., Ph.D., and Anne Louise Gittleman,Ph.D, CNS. Reservations required. Formore information about the series andNIWH Nutrition Educator Certification andWhole Health Educator Certificationprograms, visit www.niwh.org or call(888) 354-HEAL (4325).UPCOMING4/7: Psychic Development, Past Lives, &Angel Workshop with Ross Miller, psychicmedium, regression therapist, healer. In thisunique, experiential workshop you’ll learnhow to identify your guardian angels andspirit guides by name and receive their guidanceand healing; discover your soul’s lifepurpose; experience two of your past lives;give psychic readings to others in class andmore. Saturday, 10:00am-5:00pm, Newton,MA. To register for the workshop or toschedule a psychic or past-life reading inperson or over the phone with Ross Miller,please call (617) 527-3583 or visitwww.TheMysticWay.com.4/7-4/8: Reiki I Certification with JohnHarvey Gray and Lourdes Gray, Ph.D.,Rindge, NH. Awaken your healing skillsEarth Star Calendarstudying with the longest-practicing ReikiMaster in the West. Two days of learning,hands-on practice and no cut corners certifiesyou immediately to work on yourself,others and pets. 16.0 CEUs Visa/MC.(603) 899-3288, www.reiki.mv.com.4/28: Reiki Certification, Concord, MA.Libby Barnett, MSW. 26 years experience.Reiki Energy Medicine co-author. Notebook,pin, certificate awarded. Visa/MC accepted.CEU's. Call 1-888-REIKI-4-U or (603) 654-2787 Reiki II: 4/29.5/5: Reiki Certification, Wilton, NH.Libby Barnett, MSW. 26 years experience.Reiki Energy Medicine co-author. Notebook,pin, certificate awarded. Visa/MC accepted.CEU's. To register call 1-888-REIKI-4-U or(603) 654-2787 Reiki II: 5/6.5/5-5/6: Reiki I Certification with JohnHarvey Gray and Lourdes Gray, Ph.D.,Cambridge, MA. Awaken your healingskills studying with the longest-practicingReiki Master in the West. Two days of learning,hands-on practice and no cut cornerscertifies you immediately to work on yourself,others and pets. 16.0 CEUs Visa/MC.(603) 899-3288 www.reiki.mv.com.February at the Museumof Fine Arts, Boston (MFA)Come in from the cold this February,and explore the array of exhibitionsand programs at the MFA. Enjoy twoconcerts featuring the songs ofGershwin, Ellington, and Porter toget you in the mood for Valentine’sDay; participate in the Cogan FamilyFoundation Vacation WeekAdventures with artmaking activitiesfocused on Italy, in conjunction withthe exhibition Donatello toGiambologna: Italian RenaissanceSculpture. For more information call(617) 369-3447.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 47

Earth Star Calendar5/18-5/20: Join us for a very specialWomen's Spiritual Retreat, May 18-20 onCape Cod, at the Craigviele ConferenceCenter. The retreat will include yoga andmeditation. Please call (508) 477-2967 or(941) 729-2594 for info.5/19: Reiki Certification, Boston area.Libby Barnett, MSW. 26 years experience.Reiki Energy Medicine co-author. Notebook,pin, certificate awarded. Visa/MC accepted.CEU's. To register call 1-888-REIKI-4-U or(603) 654-2787 Reiki II: 5/20.ONGOINGShamanic Drumming Circle, founded1993. Usually Second and Fourth Fridays ofevery month, 7:00pm. Quaker meetinghouse,Cambridge. Open to all, but please callfirst for full details and directions. Terrence(978)-952-2704 or Emily (781)-641-3980.Buddhist Meditation Group with PegTravers,Ordained Priest, Buddha Heart USA,Sunday evenings, Haverhill, MA, 5:00pm-6:00pm. Learn and practice the ancient arts ofmeditation, chanting, QiGong, Buddhist Yoga& Reiki. Call the Center for SpiritualDevelopment, Haverhill MA, (978)-372-5173or online @www.uuhaverhill.org/happenings.Workshops for Pain Management andImproved Wellness. Offerings forBodyworkers, athletes, Personal Trainers,Coaches and general pain-sufferers. Checkwebsite: web.maynard.ma.us/biz/bmassage,or call Barry Bailey at (978)-897-0110 forinformation and brochure of current offerings.The Labyrinth Ladies SpiritualEmpowerment Workshops, go towww.thelabyrinthladies.com for our latestprograms and walks or call (401)-847-6551for more information. Facilitator Trainings,site consultations, workshops for schools,hospitals and businesses.Christine McCullough, MA, offersEssential Healing; integrative, holisticcounseling, BodyTalk, Energy Medicine,shamanism. (401)-847-6551. New location:435 East Main Rd Middletown, RI. GrandOpening Special, receive 30% your first session.FibroMyalgia support group andWomen's Spirit group forming now! Call(401)-847-6551, or visit our website:www.essentialhealing.orgFireWalks with Richard Lanza. StepBeyond Fear - Step Beyond Belief. CallRichard at (781)-843-8224 for more information,www.opebdoors7.com.Ongoing Classes in ShamballaMultidimensional Healing and Healing Artoffered at the Natick Community OrganicFarm, by Joyce Cerutti. SMH may bethought of as an expansion of the energieswe know as Reiki. No prior attunements necessary.Healing Art classes offered for bothindividuals and families, combining energyhealing and art healing for greater benefit.Call for dates, times, and further information.Intuitive healing paintings also available.(508)-380-8273.Reiki 1, 2, & Master — TeacherCertification classes, offered by Healing,Reiki & Shamanism LLC, Saturdays,10:00am to 5:00pm, September 9, 2006 toApril 22, 2007, in Johnston, RI. Call(401)-447-3671, contact us by email at:shamanism@cox.net, or visit our website:http://members.cox.net/shamanism.With Shamanism... Anything is possible!Nationally Registered Power YogaTeacher Training, 200 & 500 HourPrograms Beginning in October, Day &Evening. Training held in Weymouth andNew Boston Location, Call Richard on(781)-335-3090 for more information.www.OpenDoors7.com.Drumming Circle with Kristine Malpica(of Imagine Studios) on third Friday of eachmonth. 7:00pm-8:30pm. Center for SpiritualDevelopment, 15 Kenoza Ave, Haverhill, MA.(978)-372-5173.Interested in Whole Health continuingeducation or Career Training? Attend afree introductory Whole Health educationclass at the New England School of WholeHealth Education. NESWHE offers CEUsand on-going continuing education certificateprograms for medical professionals aswell are our unique Whole Health focusedCareer Trainings in Medical Assisting, andLife-Work Coaching. Classes are conductedon Saturdays, in Boston, at the New EnglandMedical Center, Stearns Auditorium. Foraudit availability and further informationabout Whole Health career trainings, visit usat www.wholehealtheducation.org, or calltoll free 1-888-354-HEAL (4325).Stress Management, Imagery, and a rangeof Reiki programs, with CEUs for nurses,led by holistic nurse educators. Centered inAmesbury, MA with other locations inMaine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.Visit www.LymanCenter.com or call(888) TLC-8485.4/21: The National Instituteof Whole Health continues itsSpring Whole Health curriculumGuest Lecturer Series with BernieSiegel, M.D., one of the world’sforemost physicians, authors, motivationalspeakers and advocates, onSaturday, April 21. Reservationsrequired. For more informationabout the series and NIWH NutritionEducator Certification and WholeHealth Educator Certification programs,visit www.niwh.org or call(888) 354-HEAL (4325).Readings with Richard Lanza at OpenDoors, Braintree. Call (781) 843-8224 fortimes and to make your appointment.$60/Half Hour. For more information visit,www.opendoors7.com.The Hellinger Approach to FamilyConstellations - Monthly Saturday seminars(10:00am-5:30pm) facilitated by Jamy andPeter Faust. Held at Healing Arts ofBelmont, Belmont, MA. Cost: $100/day.CEUs available. Call (617) 484-HEAL(4325). Visit www.HellingerBoston.com forthis month's seminar date and to register.Christ Church Unity - Experience the healingpower of music, prayer and meditation,every Wednesday at 7:00pm. Daily WordDiscusion Sundays at 10:00am. SundayService, 11:00am. Corner of Colchester &Chapel Streets, Brookline, MA 02466. Call(617) 232-4548 for more information orvisit: www.unityboston.org.The Deadline for listings in theApril / May issueis March 20th48 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

OnenessBy Rev. Evrol OfficerMore than sixtyyears ago theworld stood silentwhile six millionJews went to theirdeaths in Nazi concentration camps.At that time, many in the worldvowed that the attempt toexterminate a people wouldnever happen again. Yettoday a similar situation ishappening in the Sudan.To date more than fourhundred thousandSudanese have been killed,with the worst of theslaughter taking place inthe region of Darfur. Twoand a half million people inthe region have alreadybeen displaced. This timewe are determined not toremain silent in the face ofwhat is the first genocide ofthe twenty-first century.At Christ Church UnityBrookline, we have askedthe question: What’s thebest way to help? Our firstresponse as a church communityis build awarenessand promote educationabout the situation byaffirming a basic principleof Unity—peace in Darfur,in the Sudan, in Africa, and in theworld is truly possible, and that itbegins with the peaceful actions ofeach one of us.Christ Church Unity, along withleaders from Temple Sinai, the LamRim Buddhist Center and TheAmerican Jewish Committee recentlycosponsored an event at ChristChurch to support the productionand distribution of the documentaryfilm A Glory From The God. Thefilm, currently in production by TVjournalist Liz Walker of CBS 4 inBoston, is the story of the work ofone woman, pastor and pediatricianthe Reverend Doctor Gloria White-Hammond, and her commitment toRev. Evrol Officerend the killing in the Sudan and helpsupport families at risk in that strifetornregion.We hear that the roots of conflictin Darfur and in other parts of theSudan are grounded in religion, race,culture, land and oil. In the end theimmediate causes of the conflict maynot be as important as what will stopit. Once we are able to understandthat we are all one, and that thedivine nature each of us name differentlyand worship separately is oneand the same, the need to demonizeand destroy those who do not adhereto our religious beliefs disappears.The fear that others present a threatto our way of believing goesaway.For if we embrace theunderstanding that everythingis part of God, then we mustadmit that we are all part ofGod, we are all one with Godand one with each other.There can be no quarrel, noconflict, and no war amongpeople who truly understandthat we are all one.Each Sunday at ChristChurch Unity, we acknowledgeand affirm that all theworld’s religions contain theseeds of truth. They mayinclude different beliefs,styles and approaches, allseeking the Source at thecenter of all life. We inviteyou to come and share in theunderstanding that we are allone in the unity of spirit, andthat peace begins with eachof us. Services are at 11:00AM at Christ’s ChurchLongwood, 70 ColchesterStreet, at the Longwood T Stop onthe Green Line. For more information,call Reverend Evrol Officer at(617) 232-4548 or email:r evevrol@unityboston.orgWebsite: www.unityboston.orgFEBRUARY/MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 49

Middlesex Conservation District SpringTree, Shrub And Perennial SaleThe Middlesex Conservation District will beholding its annual Spring Tree, Shrub andPerennial Sale on Friday April 27 from3:00pm-6:00pm and Saturday April 28 from8:00am–12 noon.The Sale will be held at the 4H Fairgrounds onSouth Chelmsford Road in Westford, MA. All itemscan be pre-ordered through March 30 and picked upon the sale days—they encourage early ordering as allitems are sold on a first come, first served basis. Toplace an order, you can download an order form fromtheir website at www.middlesexconservation.org, orcall (978) 692-9395 to request a brochure. (Ask abouttheir new customer discount!) Offerings will includetree and shrub seedlings, perennials, herbs, fruits,groundcovers, and hardgoods such as compost bins,deer repellent, kitchen scrap buckets, fertilizer andgarden gloves. We will also be selling excess firstquality stock on the days listed above.The Middlesex Conservation District is a not-forprofitenvironmental agency whose purpose is conservationof natural resources in Middlesex County.Proceeds from their biannual plant sales provide programsto improve water quality and quantity, forpreservation of open space and erosion control andprovide environmental education. For more informationabout their sale or programs please visitwww.middlesexconservation.org.Angelbare Permanent CosmeticsMany women wouldn’t want to wear the sameshade of lipstick every day, but for some, havingmakeup permanently applied, or tattooedonto the skin, is a lifesaver. Shahla Whitmore is a makeupartist, esthetician and an advanced cosmetic makeupinstructor. She teaches permanent makeup known asmicro pigmentation and has her own practice calledAngelbare Permanent Cosmetics. Here, she answersyour frequently asked questions:Who can benefit from Permanent makeup/micro pigmentation?“Permanent makeup is ideal for many people, who lostthere eyebrow do to natural cause or illness, surgery, orinjury and want the natural shape and color enhancethere look. Is for people who want to camouflage theirscars from breast reconstruction or face lifts, or injury. Itis ideal for some women who wear glasses, or have allergies,and use eyeliner. It is a perfect solution for thosewho want to have makeup done right that won’t comeoff, wash off, or smudge.How qualified to do permanent makeup?“Look at their certification. Ideally you want to find anexperienced advanced permanent cosmetic technician.The license for an advanced technician indicates she hashad extra training and more experience than the basictechnician. Even better—find an instructor. Look for atechnician who also has a background in skin and makeup.What happens at the consultation?“Ask to see the technician’s portfolio. Everyone has adifferent idea about what looks good. Do you like theeyebrow shapes she has created? Does her makeupappear natural-looking? The technician needs to takeyour skin, eye and hair colors into account when choosingmakeup shades.”How does it work?“The technician will apply a numbing cream to the areahaving work done and then apply pigment under the firstlayer of skin.”Is it comfortable?“In general, after I apply a numbing cream, most of myclients don’t feel any discomfort. But remember, painthreshold varies.”How long does it take?“It takes about one hour and some clients may need twosessions.“Remember, when choosing permanent cosmetics, optfor “daytime” makeup colors. “Evening” makeup shadesare dramatic. Select soft colors. You can always addcolor to change your look.”“Start with less; you can always add more. You maywant to start with lash enhancement. It looks very naturalwhen adding color between lashes.For more information please visit www.angelbare.com50 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

directoryNew England’s PremierProfessional Resource GuidecategoryAstrological Consulting ....................52Bookstores & Awareness Centers ...52Centers ...............................................53Classes ...............................................53Healing & Bodywork .........................54Herbs ..................................................56Medical Health Care Services ..........57Metaphysics .......................................57Psychics .............................................57Psychology & Transformation .........58Readings ............................................59Schools & Institutes ..........................59Shamanism.............. ..........................61Profiles of businesses,centers and individualsthat offer holistic servicesthat nurture and supportthe body, mind and soul.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 51

ASTROLOGICAL CONSULTINGAstrology and Esoteric Psychology — Monique PommierTwelvefold science of the twelvefold soul,Astrology illuminates the unique landscapeof a psyche – inner characters anddynamics, gifts and directions – and chartsthe course of a life, timing new developmentsand uncovering their purposes.As an esoteric astrologer and counselor, Ifocus on the evolutionary meaning of personal,relational and spiritual challenges, andoffer insights and methods that elicit transformativeperspectives and facilitate self-actualisation.By accessing the deeper order of yourlife you gain the freedom to appreciate itscomplexities and the power to participate inyour evolution.My background includes an MS andPhD in Esoteric Psychology and Philosophy.Jungian psychology, Eastern and Western traditionshave been key foundations in myeighteen years of consulting and teaching.To inquire about services, classes, orpublications, please call:(617) 524-7072Astrologer and Clairvoyant – Serena Wright-TaylorSerena gives readings that touch your soul.She blends the ancient wisdom of Vedic astrologywith her remarkable intuition to help youuse perfect timing to bring joy and fruition to allareas of your life.She is highly sought after by celebrities, businessexecutives, speakers, and authors. Shehas made numerous appearances on TV andradio and you may have recently heard hername on Coast to Coast AM.Serena has been gifted since childhoodwith the ability to see many dimensions oflife. She has spent many years in spiritualpractice and enjoys working on her ownhealing and evolvement so that her serviceto others is of the highest quality.“Serena’s work is extraordinary—astunning blend of mind, heart, and soul,”says Judith Orloff, M.D., author andclairvoyant psychiatrist.Serena gives readings by telephoneall over the country.Serena Wright-Taylor310.335.5617Website: www.vimana.orgBOOKSTORES & AWARENESS CENTERSEnchantments10 Boothbay House HillBoothbay Harbor, ME 04538207-633-4992Largest New Age Store in New England!We’ve knocked through a wall and doubledour space! New coffee, tea anddessert bar with eye-of-newt scones.enlarged clothing section featuringGeetah & Sacred Threads; Celtic &Renaissance-style clothing, includingreversible floor-length capes in velvetand satin; Dirks, knives & swords; Crystalballs and bowls; Scrying mirrors & wiccansupplies; Magic wands; Magic spells;Harry Potter; Candles, candles & morecandles. Eastern incense & NativeAmerican sage, cedar & juniper; Drums& rainsticks; Large variety of pipes &Grateful Dead memorabilia; ExtensiveNew Age/metaphysical book section;300+ tarot decks; runes; Egyptiancanopic jars & statuary; Eastern religiousitems & statuary–Buddha, Ganesh, QuanYin; Fabulous fountains & fantasy statuaryof all kinds; angels & fairies, puppets& dolls, dragons, frogs, & gargoyles;Meyda Tiffany lamps; Hundreds ofchimes; Cards & calendars; Crystals, jewelry,gems & minerals; Massage & essentialoils; Henna; Body jewelry; Tapes &CDs; Psychic readings. Don’t miss oursecond store “Enchantment Too” rightacross the street!!!Open daily . . . call for hours!Visit our website:www.enchantments.bz52 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

CENTERSInstitute For Personal Development, Inc.A Kriya Yoga Ashram652 Lafayette Rd. - Hampton, NH 03842-33481-603-929-0303 contact@ipdtransform.comIPD Web Site - http://www.ipdtransform.comCall toll free 1-888-545-8597 ask for:Kenneth Toy (Swami Jayananda)Kriya Yoga is a complete holistic health management systemClasses, Courses, and Personal TrainingPrivate Residential Retreat & Personalized ProgramsWeekends and longer plans available as low as $44 a nightCall for Prices on your personal programUniting Science with ReligionCLASSES©Libby Barnett, MSWReiki Master“Love is the healer andReiki is love.”“Reiki speaks to our heart and deepens our connection to self and others.”Libby is a gifted, knowledgeable ReikiMaster with 26 years experience. She iscoauthor of Reiki Energy Medicine,Bringing Healing Touch into Home,Hospital, and Hospice - over 55,000 copiessold in seven languages.Use Reiki to create more joy and ease inyour life. Let Libby’s warm, heart-centeredapproach help you to take your nextstep toward self-love and inner peace.Reiki brings balance and harmony, supportingyou doing the work you wereborn to do. Reiki facilitates transitions,promotes creativity and wisdom, andaccelerates spiritual growth, helping youmanifest your magnificance.Libby has taught medical and nursingstudents at Harvard, Brown, Tufts, andYale as well as staff at MassachusettsGeneral, Beth Israel, Mt Auburn,Emerson, Dartmouth-Hitchcock,Southern New Hampshire, New YorkFoundling, and New York ColumbiaPresbyterian. Libby was featured in a Reikisegment for the PBS nationally televisedseries, Body and Soul. For the past sevenyears, Libby has conducted Reiki classes atthe University of Maryland School ofSocial Work and at Kripalu Center forYoga and Health. One of Libby’s currentpassions is teaching hospice staff and volunteers.Fueled by Reiki energy, their healingtouch is enhanced, affording greatereffectiveness in calming agitation, soothingpain and providing comfort.In class, a powerful slide presentation capturesthe essence of Reiki. You hear theReiki story, receive attunements and practicegiving and receiving Reiki. You leaveclass with an illustrated notebook, certificate,and pin, fully trained and certified todo Reiki on yourself, family, friends, andpets.“My commitment to teach the Usui Systemof Reiki Healing in the authentic, traditionalmanner inspired me to visit Japanto retrace the roots of Reiki. I am dedicatedto teaching this sacred healing art topromote health and conscious living on theplanet. I invite you to give yourself the giftof Reiki. It is an easy, effective way to love,heal, and empower yourself. I look forwardto meeting you and sharing Reiki.”Boston Area ClassesApril 28 or May 19Wilton, NH ClassesMarch 17 or May 5To register, call the Reiki HealingConnection: 1-888-REIKI-4-U(1-888-734-5448) or (603) 654-2787.Visa/MC accepted. Social Work andNursing CEU’s available. Reiki MasterTraining information avaliable on request.Reiki Healing Connection • phone (603) 654-2787 • fax (603) 654-2771 • email reiki@reikienergy.com • www.reikienergy.comRolfingRolfing © is a deep bodywork methoddeveloped by Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D., in the1940's, which frees, releases andreshapes the body to bring it towardsgreater balance and verticality.Through Rolfing © , body structure isrestored and improved, stress isreduced, and movement becomes morefluid, efficient, and graceful. Freedomand range of movement are enhanced,and breathing becomes fuller and easier.As out of balance parts of the bodyare brought into alignment, chronicaches and pains often disappear. Gravitybecomes an ally, rather than an enemy; itis no longer an effort to hold oneself up.HEALING & BODYWORKIn addition to the physical results,clients often experience the release of oldemotional traumas, an enhanced selfimage, increased spontaneity of expressionand increased agility to be assertiveand nurturing in relationships.For information about Rolfing contactthese certified practitioners:Boston Area Rolfer Group:Aline Newton, Cambridge:(617) 661-6409William Redpath, Bedford, Cambridge:(781) 861-0184Dennis Bailey, Marshfield (South Shore):(617) 472-2699Garret Whitney, Brighton, Concord,(978) 371-2188Eric Jacobson, Arlington:(781) 643-6874Beate Gottschlich, Cambridge:(617) 661-9291Out of State:Kevin Frank, Holderness, Concord, NH;Norwich, VT: (603) 968-9585Bruce Dow, Concord, NH: (603) 225-3595Rosemary Gaddum Gordon,DBO, MAHolistic Vision ImprovementHow we see can be affected byour frame of mind, state ofhealth, and environment. Inresponse to Life we may begin to overfocusat one distance and lose clarity atanother, or exhaust our eyes so they can'tfocus comfortably anywhere, or even letone eye drift in and out. These adaptationsmay become chronic. We use muscles tofocus our eyes. You can learn techniquesto relax and coordinate them so that youcan see comfortably and clearly again.Your dependence on glasses or contactscan be prevented, eliminated, orreduced. Rosemary draws on her twentyyears experience and training inorthoptics, the Bates' Method, GestaltPsychotherapy, and Educational-Kinesthetics to form a comprehensiveapproach to vision improvement. Sheoffers individual and group sessions foradults and children.ROSEMARY GADDUM GORDON,D.B.O., M.A.CAMBRIDGE, MA(617) 354-8360andELIOT, MENEAR PORTSMOUTH, NH(207) 439-9821FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 53

HEALING & BODYWORK continuedBetty L. Solbjor, BFRPUsui Reiki MasterKaruna Reiki ® MasterInterfaith MinisterBetty Solbjor has been practicing andteaching Reiki since 1996, and in 2002became a Karuna Reiki ® Master, a BachFoundation Registered Practitioner, and wasordained as an interfaith minister. She hasextensive experience using Reiki on bothpeople and animals to gently treat manyillnesses and emotional problems. Reikibrings about a deep sense of relaxation andinner peace. Combined with MagnifiedHealing, crystal singing bowls, and guidedmeditation, a session can help to restorebalance and harmony to body, mind and soul.Services offered:• Reiki treatment sessions and trainingfor all levels of Reiki and Karuna Reiki• Bach Flower Essence ® consultationsand creation of custom formulas• Weddings and other ceremoniesCall or e-mail to schedule an appointmentor inquire about classes.(781) 258-7712 Waltham, MAemail: betty@reikiflowers.comweb: www.reikiflowers.comMember, International Association of ReikiProfessionals and Better Business Bureau ® ,Serving Eastern Masschusetts22 STRAND DNAACTIVATIONChange your life in ways you have always dreamed!Give yourself the gift of full empowerment and improved healthYour DNA holds the master plan foryour life purpose and divine potential.Through this sacred process your 22strands of DNA are activated andstrengthened, while unwanted debrisfrom the DNA structure is cleared.YOUR HIGHEST POTENTIALBECOMES YOUR REALITY!Further benefits include: gained energy,clarity and focus, a stronger immunesystem, the use of more of your brain.Benefits your nerves, blood, skin, musclesand respiratory system. This activationhelps you to discover new talentsand abilities, releases unconscious patterns,facilitates clearing of genetic andfamily karmic patterns and enables youto bring in and hold more LIGHT in yourphysical body. This activation is a hugeacceleration step on your personalpath. Also available: Energy Clearing,karmic Matrix, Life coaching and More.CLAIRE LUFT - HEART'S SINGINGHEALING CENTERWoburn, MA 781-281-2888www.heartssinging.comHealing with Sound and Sacred Geometry: The CymatronSound TableWHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?• Profound relief from stress• Decreased physical and emotional pain• Heightened sense of empowerment• Increased creativity, clarity and focus• Stronger connection to Self and Source• More lucid dreaming and higher senseperceptionsCymatron sessions are highlyeffective for shifting and healing thesubtle frequencies causing deepseateddiseases.The session includes use of a colortest and set of questions to assist indeveloping a stated intent for healing.Music is selected by applied kinesiology.Cymatron Sound CourseFebruary 17 & 18, 2007Faculty: Maureen Spencer, RN, M.Ed.10:00am-5:00pm Fee: $275.00Location: Healing Tree Yoga,N.Quincy, MA.15 contact hours awarded to nursesFor more information go towww.cymatronsoundhealing.comSpiritual MediationHigher LevelChannelingWhether one is in conflict withtheir higher self, spouse, or anotherindividual, spiritual mediationserves as a bridge to new levels ofbalance, peace, and harmony; and agreater spiritual understanding ofthe relationship.Laura Barry is a spiritual mediatorwith shamanic and clairvoyantabilities. She works in the unconsciousrealms to retrieve relationshipdynamics/patterns surrounding thenature of the conflict. This processassists the individuals involved to shiftperception in order to understand theunderlying patterns of conflict, andmove towards resolution.Laura communicates and connectswith the Archangels and SpiritGuides to provide guidance, insightand healing for your life path.Channeled information along withshamanic techniques works to healemotional wounds, and innerconflicts, retrieve lost aspects ofself and promote soul integration.Readings are available by telephoneor in person. To schedule anappointment or to arrange aspeaking engagement, call:Laura Barry978-263-8596Acton, MAwww.alternativehealing.comlaura@alternativehealing.comThe Natural PathAlternative, Inc.Services Offered:• Colon Hydrotherapy• I-ACT Certified Practitioners• FDA Registered Instruments• Slow and Continuous Fill (simulatesgravity flow) systems available• Over 20 years of colon hydrotherapyexperience• Iridology is the science and practice ofanalyzing the Iris, pupil and sclera of the eyeto determine inherited and accumulatedhealth patterns.• Herbal/Nutritional Consultation inwhich an herbalist/pharmacist with over 10years of experience creates individualizedcleansing, fasting, and wellness programsusing herbs specified for the client.• 3 and 7 day cleanses• Kidney cleanses• Liver & Gall Bladder cleanses• Weight Loss cleanses•Lymphatic Therapy is a therapy used tohelp move the lymphatic system, an integralpart of our immune system. High-Frequencyand Manual Therapy available.• 10-Day Cleanse Program• 30-Day Detox/Rejuvenation ProgramHolistic Lecture SeriesCheck out our website for future dates and topicsThe Natural Path Alternative, Inc.214 Market StreetBrighton, MA 02135617-787-5040colonics@earthlink.netwww.healthycleansing.com54 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007

John Harvey Gray& Lourdes Gray, Ph.D.HEALING & BODYWORK continuedAmerica’s Most Experienced Reiki TeachersJohn Harvey Gray has been a ReikiMaster instructor since 1976, activelyteaching and practicing Reiki longerthan any other living teacher in theWest.He took his entire Reiki training withHawayo Takata, who brought Reiki tothe West from Japan. John has conductedover 850 Reiki workshops, teachingmore than 15,000 students, and wasnamed the 1994 Interface Presenter ofthe Year.Lourdes Gray, Ph.D., his wife, is aReiki Master instructor certified by John.She brings years of extensive experienceusing Reiki to treat degenerative diseasessuch as arthritis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, aswell as emotional problems.Basic Classes (1 st Degree) (16.0 CEU credits available.)• Feb 10-11• Mar 3-4• Apr 7-8Rindge, NHRindge, NHRindge, NHAdvanced Classes (2 nd Degree)• Feb 17-18 Rindge, NH• Mar 10-11 Rindge, NH• Apr 21-22 Rindge, NHReiki 2 nd Degree Advance Workshops• Apr 28-29 Rindge, NHAdvanced Skills Practice Workshops• Feb 24 Rindge, NH• Mar 31 Rindge, NHRegressions into Past Lives• Feb 3 Rindge, NH• Mar 17 Rindge, NHLearn To See Auras• Feb 4 Rindge, NH• Mar 18 Rindge, NHQuestions? Call or write for informationabout workshops or private Reiki sessions.Third Degree/Master Instructortraining available.Read our new book!Hand To HandAvailable now at reiki.mv.com, local bookstoresand Amazon.comTHE JOHN HARVEY GRAYCENTER FOR REIKI HEALING15 Dolly Lane, Rindge, NH 03461603/899-3288Register online! www.reiki.mv.comVisa/MC accepted for all courses.Contact Hours availableTIBETAN SCIENCE OF HEALINGKeyzom Bhutti, Doctor of TibetanMedicine, corrects any imbalances of thebody and mind using finest qualityMedicinal Herbs—Mineral Supplementsand Moxabustion in some cases.For information or anappointment call(617) 666-8635Cleansing for the body, the mind, the spiritExperience colon hydrotherapyin a safe, relaxed environmentusing state-of-the-artFDA registered equipment.Stephanie Dumas,I-ACT certifiedColon Hydrotherapist, Ownerhealthyspirit@verizon.netLexington Medical Building16 Clarke StreetLexington, MA(781) 860-5116“Energyflows whereattentiongoes”Nancy Ames, a graduate of the BancroftSchool of Massage Therapy, has been amassage therapist for over 16 years. She isalso a member of the American MassageTherapy Association.Nancy offers many different styles ofmassage modalities including: relaxing Swedishmassage, therapeutic deep tissue, triggerpoint therapy, myofascial release and Reiki.Her treatments include luxurious hottowels placed on tight and sore musclesthat help to relieve tension and stress.Nancy tailors her massage sessionsto meet her clients’ needs.Visit her on the web at:www.nancyamesmt.comOr you can email her atnancyame@rcn.comNancy AmesMassage Therapy481 Great Rd. Suite 9Acton Ma.(978) 263-6886FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 55

HEALING & BODYWORK continuedThe Rising StarHealing SystemThis is an ancient & sacred modalityrecently reintroduced to humanity bySpiritual Master & World Teacher DerekO'Neill. As amazing as it sounds theMasters tell us the Rising Star actuallyencompasses all healing modalities thatare present on the planet at this time,plus a lot more...Through this healing system you will:• Remove misqualified or negative energies from the chakras and the 7 bodysystems, allowing your being to clearand heal on all levels and open toyour true self• Gain access to yor 5th dimensionallightbody• Activates as many strands of DNAthat you are ready for• Connect with yor highest consciousness• Begin to open your 4th eye — theMasters Eye• Rejuvinate your body on all levels• Rejuvinate all cells of your body withinone week• Begin and expand the ascensionprocess on all levels: soul, spiritand physical• Helps to create Unity ConsciousnessThis healing system has enormoussignificence to the planet, with thepotential to bring about Unity andprofound planetary shifts.Rev. CLAIRE LUFT - HEART'SSINGING HEALING CENTERWoburn, MA 781-281-2888www.heartssinging.comEric Jacobson, Ph.D.Rolfing ® * Craniosacral TherapyPsychotherapyRolfing ® produces lasting improvements inposture, breathing, movement, and overallrelaxation. The Rolfer uses manual pressureto help you feel into and let go of rigidities inthe connective tissue that wraps every muscleand bone. As you let go the tissuechanges state, becoming more elastic andconductive of energy. This enhances freedomof movement, sensation, and circulation.Rolfing is done in specific patternsthroughout the body to allow a more erectposture, easier breathing, improved balance,and more graceful movement. Thesechanges lead to a more positive self-imageand increased confidence. Once elasticityhas been restored it will remain unless thearea is re-injured subjected to emotionaltrauma or very long-term tension, so thebenefits are relatively permanent.Other Benefits:Increases ability to sense emotions andother energetic states.Releases negative emotional memories.Accelerates progress in psychotherapyor spiritual practice.Restores flexibility and circulation toscar tissue and joints, both post-injuryand post-surgical.Craniosacral Therapy gently increasesthe mobility of the bones in the head, spineand pelvis. This is especially effective inrelieving cranial compression from headinjuries. Patterns of distress and dysfunctiongoing back as far as birth and childhoodcan be treayed. Benefits include relieffrom chronic pain and tension in then head,neck, or lower back, and the release ofnegative emotional memories.My Background includes training inRolfing with Ida Rolf, and inCraniosacral Therapy with JohnUpledger. I am a graduate of theGestalt Training Center of San Diegoand the Cambridge Family Instituteand have a private practice in psychotherapy.I have worked in thesemodalities in the Boston area for thepast thirty years.For free literature or an appointment:781-643-687410 Ramsdell Court,Arlington, MA 02476www.eric-jacobson.comISIS Holistic ClinicintroducesThe Waters of ISISBody Purification SpaWe have moved into our newexpanded facility atOne Harvard Streetin Brookline Village617-734-4708www.isisboston.comSeven Days a Week.• Japanese Ofuro Soak Tub• Ozone Jacuzzi• Mud & Clay Bath Treatments• Swiss Lymphatic Drainage• Organic & Natural Skin Care• Ayurvedic Therapy & Treatment• Infrared Sauna• Comprehensive Treatment Plans &Detoxification Packages• Deep Tissue Massage Therapy• Acupuncture & Oriental Healing• On-Site Naturopathic Advice• European Spa Foot Reflexology• In-House Clinical Herbal Lab• Food-Based Treatment OptionsWe believe that nature is the veryessence of life on this planet. Wehave created programs of detoxificationand healing that use theresources of nature for our clients,families and friends. Based on theEuropean model, we not only offercomplete healing packages, but alsoprivate ritual bathing, cancer supportand natural fertility options. Weencourage you to change your lifeand your body… today.Please call us....Devoted to Helping You Feel BetterMark LevinEnergy HealerCertified HypnotherapistReiki MasterSpecializes in: Hypnotherapy, Reiki, PolarityTherapy, white light healing, remote healing.By combining traditional healing methodssuch as Reiki, hypnosis, polarity therapy withhis original white light healing therapy,Mark Levin was able to create very powerfulhealing processes for hundreds of satisfiedclients both within physical realm of his officeand remotely throughout entire world.There are many clinically documented cases ofspontaneous healing performed by him.121 B. Tremont Street, Suite #19Brighton, MAFor an office appointment or to placea remote healing request please call617-779-8765In urgent cases, please call617-233-3986Major credit cards accepted.HERBS56 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

MEDICAL HEALTH CARE SERVICESMain St. Animal Services of HopkintonEst. 1983At M.A.S.H. we feel that complementarymedicine is state of the art health care foryour pet. We offer homeopathy, acupuncture,nutrition, chiropractic care, bodywork, physical therapy, and Reiki as partof your pet’s whole health program. Ourcaring staff is dedicated to guiding youtoward total health for your pet.Now offerinig ozone therapy.We are truly a whole health center,also offering surgery, diagnostics,vaccination/titering, and x-Rays.Margo Roman D.V.M. is a 1978 graduate ofTuskegee Veterinary School. She interned atAngell Memorial and was on the teaching staffat Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine. Shestudied homeopathy with Luc DeShepper ofthe Renaissance Institute of ClassicalHomeopathy. Dr. Roman is a member of theAmerican Veterinary Medical Association andthe American Holistic Veterinary MedicalAssociation as well as International VeterinaryAcupuncture Society and MassachusettsVeterinary Medical Association. Dr. Roman hascompleted Tufts Veterinary advanced Herbaland Chiropractic courses.Please call for a holistic consultation today!Main Street AnimalServices of Hopkintonwww.mashvet.comHomeopathic, Holistic &Traditional Veterinary MedicineMargo Roman, D.V.M.(508) 435-4077 or (508) 435-MASH72W. Main St. - Hopkinton, MAHerbert S. Yolin, D.D.S.“I am committed to helping peoplekeep all their teeth all their lives.”Dentistry for the 21st Century — Today!Gum surgery is history, say goodbye tothe drill, the pain, the noise and the needle.Miracle Bite Tabs (MBT) &Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT),are used to treat Dental Distress Syndrome(DDS) as written about by Dr. Hans SelyeMD, Dr. Fonder, a dentist, & others.Holistic Dental Practice grows to Biologic and Physiologic DentistryYour teeth and jaws are an extensionof your brain and spinal cord. Any imbalancescaused by improper alignment ofthe jaw (commonly referred to as dentalproprioception) can play a major role inall disease and pain. Faulty dental proprioceptioncan cause improper neurologicalfeedback to the brain affectingmost, if not all body functions. Temporaryrelief is easy and inexpensive, and canenhance your present treatment whetherit is Chiropractic, Acupuncture,Massage, Physical or Neural Therapy,Pain Management, and TMD/TMJ.There are over 230 positive studies from81 universities in 37 countries involving24 different dental procedures with anastounding 94% success rate. Thisincluded procedures as sensitive teeth,pain control, speed of healing, periodontaldisease, and others.Carisolv a 5 yr. old gel from Sweden,approved by the FDA(2001) that softensdecay so it can be scraped out withoutdrilling, causing less pain and discomfort.Add this to Micro-dentistry and AirAbrasion and it becomes true needlefree, mercury free filling procedure.Dr. Yolin has offered an alternative totraditional periodontal surgery for morethen 15 years and now adds a SoftTissue Laser for enhancing the sterilizingof the diseased gum pockets. Heis a certified member of the Academy ofLaser Dentistry (exam based). Phasecontrast microscopy, bacterial culturesand anti-microbial natural oils are usedin the never ending commitment toavoiding unnecessary gum surgery.Mercury (Hg) in your saliva fromchewing? Take the chewing test andhave your saliva analyzed for Hg at avery reasonable cost. You may not needthem removed. Defective amalgams areremoved following IAOMT protocol.Dr. Yolin has been trained in thespecialty of Prosthetic Dentistry but doesnot limit his practice. He utilizes hypnotherapyfor dental phobic, cosmeticdentistry, oral devices for snoring andsleep apnea, 28 years experience intreating head/neck facial pain syndrome,metal free crowns wherever possible,and extensive training in dental implantology.His treatment philosophy isbased on the fact that at the end of everytooth is a human being and although hefixes teeth, he treats human beings. Andthat will never change.Call now for a consultationand share the excitement at:Northeast Dental AssociatesHerbert S. Yolin, D.D.S.1842 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02146(617) 730-8989DrYolin.com a mercury free officeMETAPHYSICSChrist Church Unityis affiliated with UnitySchool of Christianity ,publisher of the DailyWord and Silent UnityExperience The Healing Power ofMusic, Prayer & MeditationWednesdays 7:00 p.m.Christ Church UnityCnr. Colchester & Chapel Sts.Brookline, MA 02446Sunday Service11:00 AMDaily Word Discussion Sundays 10:00 AM (at the Longwood T on the Green LineD Train)Listen to Our Radio Program “Peace Be Still”Sundays 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m WBIX 1060 AM617-232-4548www.unityboston.orgPSYCHICSRoss MillerPsychic CounselorROSS MILLER has been giving psychicand past-life readings for over 23 yearsboth in New England and the WestCoast. During a reading, he communicatestelepathically with his numerousangels and spirit guides who read andinterpret the client’s aura (the spirituallight surrounding one’s physical body).Ross also communicates with theclient’s own angels and spirit guides(most people have several of each).These angels and spirit guides thenconvey the information that is mostneeded or desired by the client.All of Ross’s readings are positive and constructivein nature. In addition to answeringall of your personal questions pertainingto love, health, relationships, soulmates, business, career, relocation, dreaminterpretation, parents, children, and pets,he covers topics as diverse as: your life’spurpose, your undiscovered talents, aswell as your past incarnations and howthey relate to this life. Ross can also helpyou to identify and communicate with yourown guardian angels and spirit guides.Ross also offers workshops in psychicdevelopment and angel communication.Ross is available for individual readingsin person or over the phone.For more informationor to schedule an appointment,please call:Ross Miller1075 Washington St.Newton, MA 02465(617) 527-3583Email: ross@TheMysticWay.comWebsite: www.TheMysticWay.comFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 57

PSYCHIC READINGS AND INTUITIVE LIFE COACHINGNew Zealand Native, Shannar, has traveledextensively throughout the world sharing her giftsof the Sacred Language of Light. From a veryearly age Shannar was aware that the otherrealms were contacting and working with her,this began her own spiritual journey into the otherworlds through Clairvoyance/Clairaudience andMediumship for Grief Therapy. Her psychic abilityhas touched the hearts of all her clients both inthe USA and Overseas and her varied live experienceshave greatly assisted those that havesought her Life Coaching methods.PSYCHICS continuedThe Sacred Language of Light is a very specialtool for resolving our patterns by connecting with thecellular memory and healing the agreements that wemade in this and past lives. The Sacred Language ofLight comes through in the special pieces of symbolicart form known as the pictographs. Each pictographis a Star Gate Map into our cellular encodingsand contains Sacred Geometry, Symbols,Musical Harmonics, Ancient and Star Languages.Shannar is able to speak the Sacred Language,hears the stories in poetry form and performs thepictograph symbols with her hands.ReadingsLife CoachingGrief CounselingWorkshopsPerformancesProductsAvailableFor further information:1-888-394-9099www.sacredlifestyles.comRoss MillerRegression TherapistBecome the changeyou want to seein the world.—GandhiBecome who you are—NietzscheAstrologer and Clairvoyant – Serena Wright-TaylorSerena gives readings that touch yoursoul. She blends the ancient wisdom ofVedic astrology with her remarkable intuitionto help you use perfect timing to bringjoy and fruition to all areas of your life.She is highly sought after by celebrities,business executives, speakers, and authors.She has made numerous appearances onTV and radio and you may have recentlyheard her name on Coast to Coast AM.Serena has been gifted since childhoodwith the ability to see many dimensions oflife. She has spent many years in spiritualpractice and enjoys working on her ownhealing and evolvement so that her serviceto others is of the highest quality.“Serena’s work is extraordinary—a stunningblend of mind, heart, and soul.” Says JudithOrloff, M.D., author and clairvoyant psychiatristPSYCHOLOGY & TRANSFORMATIONTherapy Should Take Hours Not YearsRead What Former Clients Say About Ross MillerMigraines, a Thing of the Past...“I can’t believe you got rid of my migraines. Atfirst I didn’t believe you when you said it wasdue to a past life when I was a soldier and gotshot in the head. No wonder the doctors couldn’thelp me.” —Donna M., Hartford, CTDepression and Anxiety Attacks Gone...“Dear Ross, I’m going to name my first childafter you. You’ve succeeded where 8 years oftherapists and innumerable pain medicationshave failed. My depression and anxiety attacksare gone, gone, gone. Forever grateful.”—Roz S., Attleboro, MAFree of Drugs & Alcohol...“Dear Ross, Thank you for helping my daughterget over the breakup of her boyfriend andoff of drugs and alcohol. She’s a completelychanged person.”—Sharon K., Manchester, NHAnger, Grief & Guilt Transformed...“In the course of one (two-hour) sessionwith Ross, I was able to release and healthe deep, dark feelings of anger, grief, guiltand shame that had their origins in severalof my past lives." —Brian D., Cranston, RIFybromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Gone...“By the end of the third healing session(0ver the phone), my fybromyalgia,chronic fatigue, and depression werecompletely gone. Thank you, Ross."—Denise F., Hull, MAAgoraphobia Cured...“A long overdue thank you. My agoraphobia(fear of being in public places) is completelygone. In addition, I’ve started exercisingand eating better, and I’ve lost 30lbs.! I owe it all to you.”—Elizabeth S., Worcester, MAWHAT THE SOUL WOULD SAY IF THE SOUL COULD SPEAKLet me guide you in life-changing All life transitions can be addressed,Lacanian analytic sessions. Learn for example:more how to hear your soul speak • Relationship issuesrather than your ego so that you • Grief • Loneliness• Anxiety • Depressioncan place this deepest knowing • Divorce • Career Issuesat the center of your life.• Trauma • Spiritual Crises• Weight LossLife’s challenges are a natural part of thehuman experience. A loving approach buildsself-esteem and removes shame and stigmas,helping you heal and find effective solutions.Glenn offers great knowledge and compassion to hisclients who deal with life transitions, relationships,addictions, anger, self-esteem, trauma/abuse, selfharmfulbehavior, divorce, and mental health issues.Serena gives readings bytelephone all over the country.Serena Wright-Taylor310-335-5617Website: www.vimana.orgWhat is Regression Therapy? To go backin time (without the use of hypnosis) to theorigin or root cause of a problem and releaseor heal it. This might entail going back topast lives or earlier parts of your current life.For the past 25 years Ross Miller has beenoffering the benefits of regression therapy worldwide,helping his clients quickly and easily releasetheir fears, anxiety attacks, depression, anger,physical pain, grief, abuse trauma, addictions,blocked potential, fibromyalgia, stress, chronicfatigue, eating disorders, health problems andphobias. Ross is available for individual or couplesregression therapy sessions, psychic and pastlife readings and/or healing by telephone or inperson. (See Directory ad under "Psychics".)For more information or to schedule anappointment, please call:Ross Miller1075 Washington St., Newton, MA 02465(617) 527-3583Email: ross@TheMysticWay.comWebsite: www.TheMysticWay.comFor a consultation or moreinformation call:Meg Turner, Ph.D.Licensed PsychologistHarvard Square(617) 868-3727Stuck? Grieving? Feeling Powerless? Unsatisfied? Seeking a change?Glenn Bigonet, M.A.Mental Health CounselorCompassionate Acceptance(617) 462-6642Alternative relationships and lifestyles welcome.Initial consultation free. Sliding Scale Available.Office in NewtonGroup Availablewww.GlennBigonet.com58 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

PSYCHOLOGY & TRANSFORMATION continuedBarbara GangemiCompassionate Psychotherapy and EMDRWe are each endowed with an enormouscapacity for self-healing and often simplyneed a guide to show us the way. Barbara’sstyle of compassionate psychotherapycombined with the rapid and profoundhealing effects of Eye MovementDesensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)can lead to new levels of emotional andphysical health and well being.EMDR is a body focused therapy thatallows a person to reprocess disturbingmemories that have become “stuck” in thebrain through a disruption in normalinformation processing. Past events seem“frozen in time” and talking about themdoes not relieve the distress they contain.Barbara has been practicing psychotherapyfor fifteen years and EMDR for ten. Sheconsiders the opportunity to help clientsas a sacred trust, embarking on the pathto healing with the knowledge that we canface together what may be too frighteningto face alone.Barbara is a licensed mental healthcounselor who is certified in EMDR.Office hours by appointment(617) 553-0714 in Roslindaleand(508) 435-5580 in Hopkinton.email:Barbaragangemi@aol.comCall or email for further informationand to schedule a consultation.Angelica offers a wide variety of bothMetaphysical and New Age gifts. Browse around,enjoy the softness of the Angelic energy. Feel themagic that Angelica of the Angels brings toyou. We have a knowledgable staff to answer anyand all questions and direct you in anyway theycan to help guide you in life.READINGS ARE OUR SPECIALTYSpiritual Counseling MediumshipTrance Channelling Tarot ReadingsPsychic Readings Telephone ReadingsREADINGSAstrological Charts Books • Music (Metaphysical)Classes & Workshops Incense • Oils • AromatherapyParties & Weddings Crystals • Jewelry • CandlesAURA PHOTOS: face & chakra bodyA READER ON HAND AT ALL TIMESBY APPOINTMENT:Rev. Barbara E. SzafranskiClasses ongoing weekly. Meditation: Mon, Tue, &Wed, 7:00 to 9:00P.M.Focus on psychic development.Shambhalla’s Healing Ctr. offers Angelic Healing,Reiki, and Energy Work.By appointment only.With The Love of AngelsRev. Barbara E. SzafranskiGifts of the Spirit7 Central Street, Salem, MA 01970978-745-9355Open Monday thru SundaySCHOOLS & INSTITUTESCreate Your Career at Cortiva Institute - Muscular Therapy InstituteHonoring the power of body, mind, andspirit, CI-MTI’s professional training programprepares you to enter the massagetherapy profession with confidence.Our comprehensive curriculum, richin science, communications, business,and practical experience, provides asolid foundation in specialized techniqueto help you address clients’ most commonsymptoms.Our dedicated faculty teach with theinsight and passion that come from awell-developed expertise and love fortheir work.Our Career Services and PlacementOffice offers you the extensive Cortivanetwork of opportunities and careersupport with personalized attention.Our in-depth 900-hour program is availablein a variety of formats, includinga new one-year option, to accommodatethe busy lives of working people.Come to an Introductory Workshop toexplore a career in massage for yourself.Call Admissions at(617) 668-1000www.cortiva.com/mtiLicensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.Accredited by the Commission on MassageTherapy Accreditation. Financial aid available forthose who qualify.103 Morse St., Watertown, MA 02472Massage Institute of New EnglandThe Massage Institute of NewEngland (MINE) has, as our main objective,the education and training of the highestquality professional Massage Therapists.Our program focuses on the Integration ofBody, Mind, and Spirit; accomplished bybalancing the scientific study of anatomy andphysiology with holistic therapeutic massagetechnique. Each student's process ofgrowth during the course of our program isa mirror of the process of the change andevolution which they, as MassageTherapists, will facilitate in their clients.• 500 hour Massage Therapist Certification•750 hour Clinical Massage TherapistCertification• Deep Tissue & Allied Health Certification• Licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,Department of EducationClasses commence 5 times a yearDay & Evening classesFull or Part-time schedulesDoes working with your hands in a people-orientedindustry sound appealing? Call or write forour free brochure and schedule of introductoryevents.We offer advanced training for Massage andClinical professionals. Visit our website atwww.MINE-MassageInstitute.com.Or call for our Brochure and Newsletter.Massage Institute of New England22 McGrath Highway, Suite 11Somerville, MA 02143617-666-3700As above...GURDJIEFFSYSTEM OF HARMONIC DEVELOPMENTReading • Exercise • Prayer • MusicORDINARY KESDJAN MENTAL CAUSALSensation Attention Will Being DoingConscience Hope Reason Faith Trust LoveGroup reading of All & Everything on Sunday andweekday mornings in Davis Square, Somerville.(consult www.yogaguitar.com/A&E)So below...YOGAGUITAR“You are your instrument.”Flexibility • Meridians • Personality • HarmonyPHYSICAL VIBRATIONALINTELLECTUAL EMOTIONALPrivate stretching and classes. Free class Sundaynoon in Davis Square. Limited space. Call or email.617-666-4839 info@usschoolofmusic.comFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 59

FIND OUT MORE:info@ccmt.eduwww.ccmt.eduSCHOOLS & INSTITUTES continuedCONNECTICUT CENTER FOR MASSAGE THERAPYNewington, CT Main Campus:877-282-2268Westport, CT Branch Campus:877-292-2268Groton, CT Branch Campus:877-295-2268Since 1980, CCMT hasbeen providing comprehensive,holistic massagetherapy training.Our programs are 8-24months with flexible fulland part-time schedules.Classes start in January,May and September.CCMT is accredited by theCommission on MassageTherapy Accreditation(COMTA). Financial aid isavailable to those who qualify.Visit our store atwww.HandsOnSupply.com.Continuing educationyear-round.THE RISHI CENTER — NEWPORT RIStudy the ancient Indian science ofnatural living: Ayurveda, the world’soldest continuously practiced healing art.• Ayurvedic Consultant - 500 hours• Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist - 200 hours• Ayurvedic Massage - 200 hours• Monthly weekend intensivesApplications for the 2006-2007season will be accepted till15 January 2007.Applications for the 2007-2008season will be accepted till15 August 2007.For further details andinformation contactSwami Shivananda at:401-846-2436 oremail: swamib@cox.net(Formerly Charles River School of Shiatsu)Zen Shiatsu & Tuina Certification ProgramsWe offer Zen Shiatsu & Tuinatraining programs that willenable you to become nationallycertified and ultimately licensedto practice. The curriculum isintegrated with the Qi developmentaspect of internal martialarts. Train for a career.• 700 hrs Bodywork Certification• Community Classes in Qi Gong,Meditation, & YogaOpen HouseFeb. 9, 6-8pmStudent Clinic $30For a catalog & application contact:Charles River InstituteFor Healing and Inner Arts617-868-4585585 Massachusetts AvenueCentral Square, Cambridge MA 02139www.CharlesRiverShiatsu.comLicensed by the Commonwealth of MassachusettsDepartment of EducationFINDING INNER PEACE YOGA SCHOOLBasic Level Yoga TeacherCertification – 200 hrs6 months of weekly classesand five weekend intensives.October, 2006 - April, 2007Contact Maureen Spencer, RN for aregistration brochure.email: findinnn@aol.com or call tospeak with her directly (781) 878-0115Weekend dates, 2007:February 10-11 - Yoga PhilosophyMarch 10-11 - Snow Date/Makeup WeekendIf you miss a weekend you will be allowedto make it up in the spring, 2007 course.Spring semester begins May, 2007Enrollments accepted through the end of JuneFor more information:www.certificationinyoga.comLocations:Braintree, Charlestown, Cohasset, Hyannis,Millis, Plymouth, Quincy, Sharon**School is approved by the national Yoga Alliance.DoveStar InstituteSchool ofHolisticTechnologywww.dovestar.eduPersonally designedflexible programsBecause Dovestar believes integration to bean efficient way to facilitate growth, we offerthe Holistic Practitioner title. This allows apersonally designed study of many chosenmodalities to qualify for a title recognized asa viable profession. Certification requirescompletion of one certification from each ofthe following groups representing four forcesthat regulate our life at the cellular level.Alchemia Inner Cleanse (Centripetal)This program consists of many options toregain access to your personal powerthrough the release of toxic beliefs stored inthe energetic systems and affecting ourquality of life.Alchemia Teacher (Centrifugal) To beable to share who we are comes from ourinteractions with others. This program offersseveral ways of finding our personal knowledgeand sharing who we are as unique individuals.This can be applied by allowing forthe reality that within each of us, there is at alltimes the teacher and the student.Kriya Bodywork (Gravity) Our physicalbody is the vehicle that allows us to expressour spirit on the physical plane. Honoring andcaring for the body requires respecting itsneeds on all levels. This program offers manyhways of accomplishing that.Alchemical Synergy (Electomagnetic) Theintent of this program is to reclaim all fragmentsof consciousness in order to discoverthe whole person inside and release the creativitythat is an expression of our passion.Some of our CertificationsAlchemia-Reiki, Colon Hydrotherapist,Holistic Clinic Management, Shamballa & ReikiMaster Teacher, Alchemia Yoga Teacher, KriyaMassage Practitioner, Kriya Yoga Bodyworkand Massage, Synergy Mental Health,Birthing and Parenting, Doula.New Hampshire: 50 Whitehall Rd.,Hooksett, NH (603) 669-5104Massachusetts: 128 Main St.,Carver, MA (508) 830-0068Licensed by:NH Post-Secondary Education Comm.& Common. of MA Dept. of Education60 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

SCHOOLS & INSTITUTES continuedLive YourPassion...prepare forthe job you’vedreamed aboutAvailable to Qualified StudentsEvidence-based Certification as aNUTRITION EDUCATOR orWHOLE HEALTH EDUCATORYour certification from NIWH willqualify you as a Health CareProvider in the country’s largestintegrative and whole healthnetwork of credentialed healthcare providers, serving patients andclients of insurance programs forBlue Cross/Blue Shield, Humanaand more!Accredited by the AmericanDietetics Association &National Commission on HealthEducation Credentialing◆ In-Person classes or ◆DVD Distance Learning optionsApproved for ◆Veterans Benefits◆CERTIFICATION COURSESINCLUDE:Professionally produced DVDs,Whole Health and Whole Foodstexts and books, comprehensivecurriculum and optional in-personclasses with nationally recognizedhealth and nutrition experts andauthors, conducted at a Bostonarea Harvard affiliate hospital.Learn more:1-888-354-HEAL (4325)www.niwh.orgElizabeth DesrochersHealing, Reiki, ShamanismHEALING, REIKI & SHAMANISMElizabeth is a Shaman, Reiki Master/Teacher, Certified Hypnotherapist &Ordained Minister.Each healing session is designed especiallyfor your individual needs andmay incorporate any of the followingmodalities or a combination of each:Reiki, Shamanic Healing, Hypnotherapy,SHAMANISMNLP, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Lomi-Lomi,Crystals, Soul Retrieval, Past LifeRegression, Extraction, Vibrational, orHealing with Light-life rings. Animalhealing, Home or Business Clearingand/or Removal of Geopathic stress lines,& Long Distance Healings are also available.Shamanic Classes & Usui Reikiclasses from level 1 to Master/Teachercertification.HEALING, REIKI & SHAMANISM, LLC(401) 447-3671Johnston, RI, USAEmail: shamanism@cox.netWebsite:http://members.cox.net/shamanismWith Shamanism... ANYTHING is possible!Ad SizeHeight Word Count 3 x 6 xThere is a three-time minimum runfor Directory listings.Per issue Rate1 3/8" up to 100 words $120 $1101 3/4" up to 130 words 145 1352 1/4" up to 160 words 185 165Get your business or practice noticedwith an affordable Directory AdCall (617) 498-0265or download the Earth StarAdvertising Rate Sheets atwww.earthstarmag.comOrchestrate Your SpringAd Campaign Now!The Deadline for ourApril/May issue is March 20thCall now to reserve your Ad space617-498-0265www.earthstarmag.comEarthstar Directory Advertising is an affordable way to reach over 180,000 readers every issueFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 61

Heart & Mind, Continued from page 16in mood using a standardized ratingassessment was experienced only inthe group receiving fish oil. In anotherstudy, Andrew Stoll, MD, of Harvardexamined thirty patients sufferingfrom difficult-to-treat bipolar disorder(manic depression). Daily consumptionof 6.2 grams of EPA and 3.4grams of DHA resulted in objectiveimprovement in depression scores andlonger periods of remission betweenrelapses.Perhaps the most persuasive clinicalevidence documenting the moodbenefits of omega-3s was seen in peoplewho already take conventionalantidepressant medication. An Israelistudy of twenty patients with majordepression who were receiving maintenanceantidepressant pharmaceuticaltherapy showed that mood markedlyimproved after only three weeks ofEPA supplementation when comparedto placebo. Dr. Malcolm Peet, head ofthe Omega-3 Mental Health ResearchGroup at the University of Sheffield(England), reported a study of seventypatients on conventional antidepressanttherapy. In this trial, dramaticimprovement in measures of depressionwas seen when one gram of EPAper day was added to the treatmentregimen. Curiously, doses of 2 and 4grams did not show statistically significantbenefits.Likewise, solid data demonstratethe benefits of omega-3 fatty acids inreducing risk for cardiovascular disease.The Italian GISSI PrevenzioneTrial of more than eleven thousandparticipants neatly showed that 850-882 mg of EPA and DHA resulted in athirty percent reduction in death fromcardiovascular disease and a forty-fivepercent reduction in sudden cardiacdeath. These numbers equal or exceedthe magnitude of benefits claimed bythe cholesterol-reducing statin agents.The large number of participants in theGISSI study makes these observationsvirtually unassailable. Another studyof three hundred and sixty patientswith symptoms of heart attack showedthat patients given 1008 mg a day ofEPA and 720 mg a day of DHA sufferedforty-eight percent fewer cardiacdeaths and seventy-six percent fewersudden cardiac deaths, as well as afifty-four percent reduction in dangerousheart rhythms.Fish oil likely achieves these benefitsthrough a broad spectrum ofmechanisms, including increased cellmembrane fluidity (affecting signaltransduction), suppression of abnormalheart rhythm-generating activity,and marked reductions of triglyceridesand the very low-density fraction oflipoproteins that can lead to the formationof dangerous “small” LDL particlesand a drop in beneficial HDL.Fish oil also reduces the blood-clottingprotein fibrinogen and inhibits plateletaggregation, both of which can preventblood-clot formation on active,ruptured coronary plaque that can contributeto a heart attack.In the US, prevention of heart diseaseis an area of huge neglect.Treatment of major depression is likewisean imperfect practice, with lessthan-optimalresponses to antidepressantmedication being an everydayphenomenon. Omega-3 fatty acidsmay indeed be a missing link that providessubstantial benefits in both areaswith virtually no downside. While theconcomitant treatment of heart diseaseand depression with fish oil has neverbeen formally examined in a clinicaltrial, it remains a compelling topicworthy of further examination.Fish oil is the most concentratedsource of the omega-3 fatty acids EPAand DHA. A secondary source isalpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which isfound in flaxseed, walnuts, and canolaoil. However, only ten percent of ALAingested from food is converted intoactive EPA or DHA; much of it is simplyburned for calories. Fish oil thusremains the most potent source ofomega-3 fatty acids.Benefits of Folic Acidand SAMeDepressed, hostile, or angry peoplehave higher homocysteine levels. Ifhomocysteine leads to coronaryplaque growth and heart attack, willfolic acid and B vitamins that lowerhomocysteine improve mood andreduce heart attack?The data strongly suggest thatfolic acid supplementation elevatesmood, both in people already takingantidepressant medication and in thosewho are not. Indeed, five clinical trials,though all relatively small (eachwith fewer than 100 patients), haveconsistently demonstrated improvementsin depression measures whenpatients are given various doses offolic acid. For instance, in a 1993study of ninety-six patients at theUniversity of Parma, Italy, folic acidsupplementation yielded improvementsin mood similar to those of conventionalantidepressants. Anotherstudy by Drs. Alec Coppen and JohnBailey in Surrey, England, showed thatresponse to prescription fluoxetine(Prozac ® ) was substantially improvedby taking as little as 500 mcg of folicacid a day.Though few psychiatrists haveadded folic acid to their arsenal ofantidepressant therapeutics, the datasuggest that this simple, inexpensivetreatment should be a part of everydepressed person’s panel of therapies.Doses of only 1-5 mg would berequired, generally along with 25-50mg of vitamin B6. Vitamin B 12 shouldalways be taken with folic acid to helpguard against a hidden B 12 deficiency.The growing experience with folicacid treatment in people at risk for cardiovasculardisease includes threeclinical trials suggesting that folic acidreduces the growth of plaque in thecarotid arteries (a surrogate for coronaryplaque growth) and reduces thelikelihood of future heart attack. TheCanadian group at the StrokePrevention and AtherosclerosisResearch Centre in Ontario reportedan investigation in 101 patients showingthat a homocysteine level greaterthan 14 mmol/L identified a group thatshowed much more rapid growth ofcarotid plaque. Daily treatment with2.5 mg of folic acid, 25 mg of vitaminB 6 , and 250 mcg of vitamin B 12 eliminatedplaque growth. The Dutch groupat Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam hasreported extensively on treating high62 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

homocysteine levels using folic acidand vitamin B 6 in patients with peripheralarterial disease (usually of the legarteries), demonstrating reduction ofheart attack, slowed growth of carotidand leg artery plaque, and diminishedlikelihood of death.Folic acid supplementationincreases levels of the homocysteinemetabolite s-adenosyl-Lmethionine,or SAMe. Some have speculated thatthe mood-elevating properties of folicacid may be at least partly due to anincrease in endogenous SAMe, sinceSAMe has been shown in numerousstudies to be an effective antidepressantsupplement. Since 1973, overforty clinical trials have demonstratedthe effectiveness of SAMe in elevatingmood in the depressed, including atotal of 537 patients in thirteen randomized,double-blind studies. Ineighteen trials pitting SAMe head tohead against the conventional antidepressantsimipramine, chlorimipramine,and others, SAMe provedequally effective, and it is essentiallywithout side effects.SAMe has been available in theUS as an over-the-counter supplementsince 1997, though it has been availableover the counter or by prescriptionin Europe for over twenty years.SAMe at a dose of 400 mg per dayyields blood levels in the rangebelieved to induce antidepressant benefits,though some clinicians havenoted that doses up to 1600 mg dailyare required for some individuals. It isinteresting to speculate that the combinationof folic acid and SAMe mightyield even greater benefits and morepowerfully improve mood and manyof the downstream phenomena leadingto coronary disease risk. This remainsan area for further research.Folic acid supplementation,therefore, likely improves mood whilelowering homocysteine and thus therisk of heart attack. Along with fish oiland omega-3 fatty acids, folic acidrepresents another intriguing “missinglink” between two disparate diseaseswith an exciting potential for commontreatments.Depression and MetabolicSyndromeAs the US population gets heavier andheavier, metabolic syndrome becomesincreasingly more prevalent. One inevery four American adults suffersfrom this common condition, whichrepresents a combination of lifestyleand genetic factors. Because depressedpeople are more likely to developmetabolic syndrome, this disorder isanother important mediator of theinterplay between mood and heart disease.Most of us have seen someonewho, when struck with depression orimpaired by other chronic negativeemotions, burrows into a lifestyle ofphysical inactivity and overeating. Theresulting weight gain activates all thelatent characteristics of the tragicallycommon metabolic syndrome(increased abdominal fat, hypertension,low HDL, resistance to insulin—dubbed “the deadly quartet” by Dr.Norman Kaplan in 1989). This familiarsequence can greatly magnify riskfor heart disease.But can the reverse occur? Can aperson become overweight throughneglect or indulgence, develop metabolicsyndrome, then trigger depressionand the cascade of events leadingto heart disease? If this flip-flop in thesequence of events were true, thenefforts aiming squarely at managingweight and metabolic syndromeshould be among our principal healthconcerns.A fascinating study conducted byDrs. Katri Raikkonen of the Universityof Helsinki (Finland) and LewisKuller of the University of Pittsburghattempted to untangle this question.Psychological and metabolic measureswere obtained in 425 middle-agedfemales. Seven and a half years later,these same measures were repeated.Raikkonen and Kuller reported thatwomen with emotional characteristicsof anger, depression, and anxiety atinitial enrollment were more likely todevelop metabolic syndrome. Evenmore interestingly, women withoutthese psychological traits but withmetabolic syndrome at the start weremore likely to develop anger, anxiety,and depression by the end of the study.In other words, in this second group,abdominal fat, high blood pressure,low HDL, and insulin resistance—allthe features of metabolic syndrome—predicted a future of negative emotions.By either route, the result is aperson with the physiological stage setfor development of heart disease.How to Lose Weight FasterMetabolic syndrome is, in the greatmajority of cases, a disease of theoverweight and obese. If metabolicsyndrome leads to depression andother negative emotions that furtherescalate the risk of heart disease, thatis all the more reason to attack metabolicsyndrome. Not surprisingly, themost direct, effective way to do so is tolose weight. Weight loss might then bea useful path to reducing the risk ofboth depression and heart disease.Unfortunately, that is easier said thandone.Carbohydrate-restricted programs,popularized by the Atkins andSouth Beach diets, are helpful weightlosstools, though the high-saturatedfat,low-fiber approach of the Atkins’“induction phase” makes it unhealthyfor a period any longer than severalweeks. In the author’s experience,people with metabolic syndromeFEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 63

espond in an exaggerated manner tothese diets, losing weight rapidly.Losses of ten-twenty pounds in thefirst month are not uncommon.Along with diet, several nutritionalsupplements can superchargeweight-loss efforts and therebyimprove many features of metabolicsyndrome. They include:White bean extract. This supplementblocks intestinal carbohydrate absorptionby sixty-six percent. Taking 1500mg twice a day with meals can lead tothree-seven pounds of weight loss inthe first month of use. Like its prescriptioncounterpart (acarbose), it cancause excess gas, though usually modest.Do not succumb to the temptationto indulge in carbohydrates, since theblocking effect is only partial. You canovercome the effect quite easily, forinstance, with a 50-gram carbohydrateload of just two granola bars.Calcium pyruvate. Doses of 2500 mgtwice a day act as a weight-loss acceleratorthat is safe and ephedra-free.Calcium pyruvate also has the interestingproperty of “exercise enhancement,”making exercise easier and lesstaxing, and encouraging exercise thatis longer and harder with a smootherrecovery.Chromium. This trace mineral providesan insulin-sensitizing benefitalong with a modest effect of promotingweight loss. The dose ranges from600 to 1000 mcg per day and is bestused consistently over a period ofseveral months. Work with your doctorto monitor your blood sugar if youhave established diabetes or take medicationto lower your blood sugarbefore you begin taking chromium.Testosterone. Contrary to popularbelief, testosterone supplementation inmen is more useful in improving moodthan in stoking libido. Feelings of sadness,fatigue, anger, and even severedepression may be associated withdeclining blood levels of testosteronein men in their forties and beyond.Testosterone can often result in dramaticimprovement in these symptoms.Testosterone not only improvesthe psychological side of the equation,but also can improve many characteristicsof metabolic syndrome throughits weight-loss-promoting effects.Carnitine is a supplement that may beequal to testosterone in its ability toimprove sexual function, boost lowmoods, increase energy, and promoteweight loss through its effect on fatand glucose metabolism. A dose of2000 mg per day of acetyl-L-carnitinehas been found effective in most studies.DHEA is an adrenal hormone whosebeneficial effects include its considerableability to elevate mood, particularlyin men and women with lowerblood levels of DHEA-sulfate. Amongthe most persuasive reports is a 1999study conducted at the NationalInstitute of Mental Health in which 90mg per day of DHEA significantlyimproved symptoms such as anhedonia(loss of interest), loss of energy,lack of motivation, emotional “numbness,”sadness, inability to cope, andworry in men and women aged fortyfiveto sixty-three. DHEA alsoimproves some features of metabolicsyndrome by increasing sensitivity toinsulin, decreasing constriction of thebody’s arteries (endothelial function),and reducing plasminogen activatorinhibitor-1, a potent blood-clot-promotingprotein. The most commondose is 25 mg for women aged fortyfiveand older, and 25-50 mg for menaged forty and older.PGX is a highly viscous fiber blendof glucomannan, xanthan, and alginatethat limits sugar absorption and thesubsequent after-meal insulin spike.This sugar-limiting effect can occurwhen taking a relatively low dose of 1-3 grams before each meal. A relatedbenefit is a modest reduction in totalcholesterol and LDL.Exercise is another therapeutictool that simultaneously addressesboth metabolic syndrome and risk forheart disease. Exercise is an effectivestrategy to lose weight, improveinsulin sensitivity, and lower levels ofstress hormones. Aerobic exercise hasthe added capacity to improve mood.In fact, 16 weeks of exercise can be aseffective as prescription antidepressantmedication for depression.ConclusionDepression and other negative emotionsinteract with coronary heart diseaserisk through a complex web ofmetabolic pathways. The clinical dataare quite clear: depression, anxiety,anger, and other chronic, negativeemotions substantially increase therisk of heart disease. They also contributeto development of metabolicsyndrome, a potent risk factor for heartdisease and diabetes.Several nutritional supplementscan be powerful additions to a programfor improving mood and preventingheart disease. Fish oil standsout as the “missing link,” withresearch demonstrating impressiveevidence of its benefits in bothimproving mood and reducing the riskof heart disease. Homocysteine isanother potential link. Data suggestthat the use of B vitamins, particularlyfolic acid, to reduce homocysteinetranslates into impressive improvementin mood and reduction of cardiovascularevents.Metabolic syndrome is now rampantacross the US. This constellationof physiological disruptions triggeredby weight gain can generate negativeemotions as well as increased risk ofheart disease. Weight loss is the mostdirect way to address metabolic syndromeand thereby reduce or eliminateits ill effects on health.Reprinted with permission from LifeExtension magazine, www.lef.org.64 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Brain, Continued from page 25mind—without doing anything physicalother than thinking. It involvesmentally seeing and experiencing our“self’ demonstrating or practicing askill or habit or state of being of ourown choosing. Through mentalrehearsal, we can employ theadvanced faculties of our frontal lobeto make significant changes in our life.Several studies have shown thatthe brain does notknow the differencebetween whatit is thinking internallyand what it isexperiencing in itsexternal environment.In one experiment,two groupsof non-pianistswere asked to learnone-handed pianoexercises and topractice two hoursa day for fivedays—with oneimportant difference.One groupphysically practicedtheir exercises,while the othermentally rehearsedthe same exerciseswithout using theirfingers. At the endof the five days,brain scans showedthat both groupsgrew the sameamount of newbrain circuits. Howis that possible?We know thatwhen we think thesame thoughts orperform the same actions over andover, we repeatedly stimulate specificnetworks of neurons in particular areasof our brain. As a result, we buildstronger, more enriched connectionsbetween these groups of nerve cells.This concept in neuroscience is calledHebbian learning. The idea is simple:Nerve cells that fire together, wiretogether.According to functional brainscans in this particular experiment, thesubjects that mentally rehearsed wereso inwardly focused that their braindid not know the difference betweenthe internal and the external world.Thus, they were activating their brainin the same way as if they were actuallyplaying the piano. In fact, their braincircuits strengthened and developed inthe same area of the brain as the groupthat physically practiced.You say in the book that thinking isn’tenough to change our mind, and thatchange is a process of thinking,doing, and then being. Can youexplain how this works?The change we want to make has to gobeyond thinking and even doing—weneed to go all the way to being. If Iwant to truly he a pianist, I will start byacquiring knowledge, which involvesthinking. Then I can start to gain experiencethrough mental rehearsal, whichagain involves thinking. I also have toinvolve the body in the act of doing—physically demonstrating what I’veintellectually learned—by playing thepiano. But that isn’t going far enough.Imagine a concertpianist who doesher best work inpractice sessions,but struggles duringa concert. Or tobring this a littlecloser to home,imagine a spousewho is the model ofunderstanding onthe drive homefrom work, butdevolves into animpatient pouter assoon as he or shecomes through thedoor.If I want toattain the state ofbeing a pianist, myevolved understandingand myskills must becomeso hardwired andmapped into mybrain that I nolonger have to consciouslythinkabout playing,because my subconsciousmindnow handles thatskill. Now that I ambeing a pianist, anythought I have about playing, or desireto express my feelings through music,will automatically turn my body on tocarry out the task of playing the piano.We talk at length in Evolve Your Brainabout how we use different kinds ofmemory, activating different parts ofthe brain, to make conscious thoughts,subconscious thoughts. We also learnthat to master any particular abilityContinued on page 67FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 65

Mystical StonesExcerpted from The Book of Stones,by Robert Simmons and Naisha AhsianOCEAN JASPERKeyword: Enjoyment of life,release of negativity and stress,relaxation, positive self-expression,physical and emotional healingElement: EarthChakras: Solar Plexus (3rd),Heart (4th), Throat (5th)Ocean Jasper is an unusualJasper variety foundonly in Madagascar.Like other Jaspers, it isa member of the Quartzfamily, a silicon dioxide mineralwith a hardness of 6.5 to 7.Its crystal system is hexagonal(trigonal). Ocean Jasper’s colorsvary widely, including vividshades of white, green, pink,red and black. Its patterns arewild and indescribable, withhanding, polka dots, wavy lineswith scalloped edges and multicoloredflorets. The cavities inOcean Jasper are often filledwith sparkling druzy Quartz.Ocean Jasper is a stone ofjoy and high spirits. It opensone’s awareness to the benevolentaspects of life and liftsone’s mood through its positivevibrations. When one is underits influence, it is difficult totakes one’s problems and dissatisfactionsas seriously as one normally does.Ocean Jasper helps lift the veil of negativitywhich many people unconsciouslywear over their eyes, and when thisveil is lifted, it is much easier to see andappreciate the many blessings of life.Ocean Jasper stimulates the solarplexus,heart and throat chakras with itsbeneficial vibrations, conveying theurge to feel, speak and act more positively.It supports the expression of lovein one’s words and deeds, and it helpsone to realize what and whom one trulyloves. It banishes complacency and thehabit of taking one’s loved ones, health,prosperity or security for granted. Itbrings one’s consciousness to the presentmoment, relieving worry about thefuture or bitterness about the past. Itallows for the release of stress andescapism, helping one understand thevalue of the here and now.Ocean Jasper is helpful to thosewho suffer from depression. Its capacityto gently focus one’s awareness onthe positive, wholesome aspects of lifecan be a great boon to those who arelost in a cloud of darkness. It can helpindividuals give up self-destructiveaddictive behaviors by making themconscious of what they are doing andopening their eyes to a better reality.It is beneficial to wear or carryOcean Jasper in social situations, theworkplace, or anywhere that one willhe among groups of people. Its positivevibrations are amplified and spreadthrough one’s energy field to everyonenearby. Carrying Ocean Jasper into acommittee meeting can help create acooperative atmosphere. Bringing it toa party can relax oneself and others,making for a good time all around.Healing practitioners are advisedto put a piece of Ocean Jasper in thehealing space, in order to keep theatmosphere of the room pleasant andrelaxing. Placing one of these stones inthe client’s hand or on the body canmake the person more receptive to thework. Using Ocean Jasper in meditationwill help one let go of thoughts andbecome centered.Ocean Jasper harmonizes with allother types of Jasper and with theQuartz family. Amethyst, Sugiliteand/or Charoite add spiritual protectionand purification to Ocean Jasper’swholesome energies. Lepidolite andAmblygonite can increaseOcean Jasper’s relaxing influence.Strombolite can add levityand humor to OceanJasper’s high spirits.In spite of its name, OceanJasper is a powerful Earth elementstone with wonderfulphysical healing properties.Perhaps the ripple-like patternsthis stone inspired its name,but on closer examination youwill see that these ‘ripples’ alsoappear to be cells. The name‘Cellular Jasper’ might providea more accurate description ofthis stone’s properties.Ocean Jasper allows one toaccess cellular memory andother energetic patterns thatenter physicality and manifest in thebody on a cellular level. in CrystalResonance Therapy work, this stone isused to move down through the cellsand into the pre-physical consciousness,where the energetic filters thatcreate one’s reality are held. In shiftingthe frequencies of these filters, one canchange the patterns that manifest diseaseand our physical world.Additional information on stones and theirmetaphysical properties can also be foundat www.heavenandearthjewelry.com,www.thebookofstones.com, or by calling1-800-942-9423.66 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Brain, Continued from page 25also takes possessing a great deal ofknowledge about a subject, receivingexpert instruction in that area, andhaving plenty of experiences to provideus with feedback.We all go from thinking to doingto being, every time we learn a skillso well that we can do it automatically.Driving is a great example. Thebeauty of this process is that we canuse it to attain any state of being wechoose, from being more patient withour children to being healthy to beinga happy person.What is evolution and how can weevolve our brain?We evolve as a species and as individuals.In fact, our own personalevolution also advances the humanspecies. Most of us learned in schoolthat evolution is the slow, linearprocess by which species survivechanges in their environment throughadaptation over generations, developingspecialized anatomy and physiologythat help them to perpetuate theirspecies. Our human brain evolved ina linear fashion up to about 250,000years ago, when (for reasons thatremain a mystery) a sudden, explosiveperiod of growth gave us a neocortexmuch larger and denser thanthat of any other species. This socallednew brain is the seat of ourconscious awareness, it houses ourcapacity to learn and to reason, andour free will to create. Simply put,our neocortex, especially the frontallobe, affords us the potential to transcendthe gradual process of evolutionand move into rapid, nonlinearevolution. Because we can learn fromknowledge and our experiences—above all, from our mistakes—andsince we have several specializedforms of memory by which we canremember what we learn, we canimmediately modify our thoughts andbehavior. Unlike other species, then,we can create a completely new rangeof experiences in just one lifetime.We may then pass on what we learnedto our offspring and to other membersof our species.In terms of the brain, evolutionmeans learning, making new synapticconnections, maintaining them, andapplying what we learned so we havea new experience, which then isencoded in the brain. What EvolveYour Brain presents is a process thatcan cause the brain to make a quantumleap, by overcoming certain neuralcircuits that we’ve been givengenetically, and by encoding newexperiences and information. Whenwe evolve out of the primitive statesof survival hardwired in our brain,fire new thoughts (which make newchemicals), change our mind (whichalters the chemical message to ourbody), and modify our behavior (tocreate a whole new experience, thusbringing new chemistry that affectsour cells), now we are on the path ofevolution.We all have certain habits andpropensities that we’ve either inheritedgenetically, or that we’ve beenconditioned to by our environment.Personal evolution requires us tobreak the habit of being ourselves andto become greater than our environment.We break out of our routinesand habitual emotional reactions andbehaviors by learning new knowledgeand having novel experiences.In the early stages of learning, we arefaced with novelty. Next followmoments during which we reviewand internalize the new stimuli, as webegin to make it familiar or known.By the end of every learning process,the newly acquired information isknown and familiar; if we havelearned a behavior or a task, it maynow be routine, even automatic. Ourability to process unknown to known,unfamiliar to familiar, novel to routineis the route to our individual evolution.Are training programs or schools ofwisdom are necessary to evolvingour brain?In Evolve Your Brain, I outline a simpleprocess of acquiring knowledge,getting instruction, applying whatwe’ve learned, and receiving feedback—that’show we evolve ourbrain. We go from thinking to doingto being. That sequential processallows us to change. I do recommend,and have found it essential in my ownexperience, that if we want to evolvein the most effective way, we shouldseek out instruction from someonewho has mastered what we want tolearn.There are many excellent individuals,programs, and institutions—some of which are mentioned in thisbook—that can help us learn newinformation, apply what we havelearned, have novel experiences, andbegin to modify our behavior. Eachindividual must decide for themselveswhether starting with smallchanges, or taking huge leaps, is mostappropriate for them. I do mention anumber of times in the book that myown learning has included seventeenyears as a student at Ramtha’s Schoolof Enlightenment in the PacificNorthwest, and that I taught at thatschool for about seven years. Thosewho have spiritual or personal growthinterests that go beyond conventionmay wish to look into RSE’s trainingprograms, books, and other informationalmaterials; I have included contactinformation in my Bibliography.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 67

Winter ReadingThe Tao of DetoxThe Secrets of Yang-Sheng DaoBy Daniel ReidIn The Tao of Detox Daniel Reid combines traditionalEastern practices and the latest of modernWestern thinking to offer detoxification methodsthat can repair in as little as seven to ten daysmuch of the damage done by the long-term accumulationof toxins and acid waste in our bodies.This practical guide to preventing and treating thetoxic assault on our bodies shows how the practicesof periodic detox and “rational retox” can counteract the toxic natureof our modern lifestyles, diets, and environment. Reid provides breathingexercises, massage techniques, and soft exercises such as yoga and tai chithat help the body to heal itself. He explains that, just as we care for ourcars with regular tune-ups, by following these practices we can enjoy longand healthy lives and still be able to “eat, drink, and be merry.”Healing Arts Press. Paper, $18.95.Chinese Sexual AstrologyEastern Secrets to Mind-Blowing SexBy Shelly WuIn this well-organized reference book, author ShellyWu reveals how Chinese sexual astrology, the “quantumphysics of romance,” creates romance and passionthat flows smoothly from initial conversation toorgasmic euphoria. Readers will discover the uniquesexual signature of each Chinese astrological sign;their sexual style, preferred pleasurable sensationsand turn-ons. Explore Spirit Connections, MindConnections and Body Connections, then move ahead to the movements,positions and ecstasy found in Sexuality for Enlightened Lovers.New Page Books. Paper, $14.00.Practice Random Actsof KindnessBring More Peace, Love, andCompassion into the WorldBy the Editors of Random Acts of KindnessForeword by Rabbi Harold KushnerPractice Random Acts of Kindness is a compilationof inspiring meditations, affirmations, andtrue stories collected from the growing numberof “kindness experts” in the world. Contributorsinclude Cecil Williams, Billy Graham, RosalynCarter, the Dalai Lama, presidents GeorgeBush and Bill Clinton, and a once-homelessmillionaire in Los Angeles whose life was transformed by an anonymousact of generosity. Kindness is a revolution whose time has come and,while most people sincerely want to be more caring, Practice RandomActs of Kindness brings it all home with simple suggestions of how to bekinder and why. From the wake of Hurricane Katrina to the tragedy of thetsunami to troops in Iraq performing acts of daily compassion, we seemany glimpses of what a more benevolent world might look like. InPractice Random Acts of Kindness, readers learn how they can create thisfuture and effect real change through kindness.Conari Press. Paper, $14.95.The Return of King ArthurFinishing the Quest for Wholeness,Inner Strength, and Self-KnowledgeBy Diana DurhamCarolyn Myss did it with The Sacred Contract.Robert Bly did it with Iron John. Clarissa PinkolaEstes did it with Women Who Run With theWolves. In these books, Myss, Bly, and Estesexplored the powerful connection betweenmyths, symbols, and archetypes and our inner selves. Diana Durhammakes a bold new contribution to this rich tradition with The Returnof King Arthur, in which she offers a first-ever Jungian interpretationof the popular myth of King Arthur as it relates to our modern livesand our search for happiness. Durham focuses on two separate butintertwined strands of Arthurian myth: the King Arthur legend and theQuest for the Holy Grail. As intricate as a fairy tale, as deeply invitingas a dream, The Return of King Arthur takes us on a journey startedlong ago in childhood, when we first heard the incredible story ofKing Arthur. A handbook for living, a guide to inner transformation andouter achievement, The Return of King Arthur is a profound and powerfuladdition to the literature of myth, psychology, and spirituality.Love Will Find You9 Magnets to Bring You andYour Soulmate TogetherBy Kathryn AliceTarcher/Penguin. Paper, $14.95.Love Will Find You is a breakthrough approach to lovefrom well-known dating expert Kathryn Alice. Basedon Kathryn’s unique philosophy and wildly successfulseminars, this may be the first dating book to insist thatyou do not even need to leave the house to meet yoursoulmate. In direct contrast to the many books thatpreach that finding Mr./Ms. Right should be treated like a business venture,that you need to lower your standards, or that what you really needis a complete makeover. Kathryn’s Nine Love Magnets teach that everyonehas a soulmate—not just a potential spouse; that your soulmate willfind you, and that you are never too old, too fat, or too poor for love.The Voynich ManuscriptThe Mysterious Code that hasDefied Interpretation for CenturiesBy Gerry Kennedy & Rob ChurchillMarlowe & Co. Paper, $14.95.Since its discovery by Wilfrid Voynich in an Italianmonastery in 1912, the Voynich Manuscript hasbaffled scholars and cryptanalysts with its unidentifiablescript and bizarre illustrations. Written in anunknown language or an as-yet undecipherablecode, this medieval manuscript contains hundredsof illustrations of unknown plants, cosmologicalcharts, and inexplicable scenes. Kennedy and Churchill explore themystery surrounding the Voynich Manuscript, examining the manyexisting theories about possible authors of this work and the informationit may contain. With the possibility that it may be a lost alchemicaltext or other esoteric work, this manuscript remains one of the mostintriguing yet enigmatic documents ever to have come to light.Inner Traditions. Paper, $18.95.68 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Winter ReadingWinter ReadingDangerous AngelsBy Francesca Lia BlockFrancesca Lia Block is renowned for her groundbreakingnovels and stories—postmodern, magicrealistfairy tales for all ages. Dangerous Angels willtransport readers through the harsh landscapes ofcontemporary life to the magical realms of the senseswhere love is always the saving grace. InDangerous Angels, Block’s best-selling favorites,the Weetzie Bat books, are brought together in one volume, now repackagedwith a beautiful, bold new cover by Suza Scalora. These post-modernfairy tales chronicle the thin line between fear and desire, pain andpleasure, cutting loose and holding on in a world where everyone is vulnerableto the most beautiful and dangerous angel of all: love. Beautifullycrafted, Dangerous Angels, is a collection of multifaceted plots, dynamicand original characters, poetic writing, and unique points of view thatexpand on Francesca Lia Block’s beloved style.Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins. Paper, $11.99.Kinship with the WolfThe Amazing Story of the WomanWho Lives with WolvesBy Tanja AskaniIn Kinship with the Wolf, a heartfelt examination ofthe wolf as a spiritual and ecologi-cal role model,Tanja Askani reveals a new facet of relating towolves and to the world as a whole. Throughdetailed descriptions of her eight years living withwolves at the Luneburger Heide Wildlife Preserve inGermany, she reveals a new picture of the wolf as a highly intelligent,social, sensitive creature that brings inestimable value to healthy naturalsystems. Her ability to communi-cate with and relate to wolves is amodel of how we can respond to the intelligent complexity of life withcare, respect, and wisdom and how we can maintain an intensive connectionto the natural world without exercising human dominance.Park Street Press. Paper, $19.95.ChristianityThe Origins of A Pagan ReligionBy Philippe WalterIn Christianity: Origins of a Pagan Religion, Phillipe Waltershows that the Christian mythology that animatedmedieval Europe was actually primarily of pagan inspirationand that very little of it comes from the Bible. Inthis highly documented work Walter shows whichmajor calendar days of the Christian year are foundedon pagan rituals and myths. For example, the high holidaysof Easter and Christmas, were times when many pagans prepared forthe coming of spirits who would leave gifts for those who honored theircoming. Indeed, the identities of saints and pagan figures were so intermingledthat some saints were even transformed into pagan incarnations.Mary Magdalene, for instance, became one of the ladies of the lake of Celticlegend. The hagiographic accounts of the saints in the scriptures of theBible reveal that the origin of these symbolic figures is found in deities worshipedin pagan Europe for centuries.Inner Traditions. Paper, $16.95.Math for MysticsFrom the Fibonacci Sequence toLuna’sLabryrinth to the Golden Section andOther Secrets of Sacred GeometryBy Renna ShessoMath for Mystics unveils and demystifies someof the many concepts our distant ancestorsknew and used based on many generations ofobservation and record keeping, sky watching,folk wisdom, and ever-more-complex calculations.A large portion of math history comes tous directly from early astrologers who neededto be able to describe and record what they saw in the night sky.Notably, most math-history books refer to them as astronomers, butastronomers and astrologers were one and the same. Everyone neededmath, whether you were the king’s court astrologer or a farmer markingthe best time for planting, timekeeping and numbers really mattered.Through her search Shesso discovered their contemporary use as magicaltools and as vital components of esoteric heritage. Math for Mysticsis for readers who have an interest in numbers as a practical tool formagical, esoteric or spiritual purposes.Change Your Mind andYour Life Will Follow12 Simple PrinciplesBy Karen CaseyChange Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow offers adozen simple principles to live by, including StopFocusing On the Problem So the Solution CanEmerge, Give Up Your Judgments, and RememberThat You Are Not In Control. Each principle makes upa chapter. Each chapter includes meditation-styleessays to help readers access peaceful, life-changing responses to justabout any situation. It really is as simple as changing our minds. This littlebook will show you how.Conari Press. Hardcover, $14.95.Heart of Wisdom, Mind of CalmGuided Meditations to DeepenYour Spiritual PracticeChristina FeldmanWeiser Books. Paper, $16.95.Heart of Wisdom, Mind of Calm is ChristinaFeldman’s next-level, practical workbook forpractitioners who are ready to deepen andenrich their journey of spiritual growth. For lessthan half the price of a Zafu cushion, Feldman’snew book is filled with advanced exercises andinstruction from a renowned Insight MeditationSociety teacher. As Feldman says in her introduction,“meditation is much more than becoming proficient in a particulartechnique.” Heart of Wisdom, Mind of Calm is a guidebook to thesubtleties of knowing the heart and mind, working with difficult or insistentemotions, and leading a meditative life.Element Books. Paper, $16.95.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 69

Be the Change You Want toSee in the World365 Things You Can Do For Yourselfand Your PlanetBy Julie Fisher-McGarryForeword by John Robbins,In Be the Change You Want to See in the World,Julie Fisher-McGarry, once a personal fitnesstrainer to Saudi Arabian royalty, speaks to theburgeoning eco-conscious consumer market onhow to dwell well on a daily basis. She includestips on living green, how to make or purchase green gifts, where topurchase organic and fair trade products, how to unplug from the grid,supporting local economies, and nourishing the earth as well as takingnourishment from it, along with some delicious recipes. She has beenan activist and environmentalist for over two decades and shares her sageadvice in a warm and supportive tone. John Robbins, author of The FoodRevolution, comments in his Foreword, “Fisher-McGarry proves…thatindividual acts really do matter and that living green is living well.”Conari Press. Paper, $14.95.The Healing Power ofNeurofeedbackThe Revolutionary LENS Technique forRestoring Optimal Brain FunctionBy Stephen Larsen, Ph.D.Foreword by Thorn HartmannIn The Healing Power of Neurofeedback, StephenLarsen provides an in-depth introduction to theLow Energy Neurofeedback System (LENS), aninnovative therapy that restores optimal functioningof the brain after physical or emotional trauma. Developed by Dr.Len Ochs in 1992, LENS uses weak electromagnetic fields to stimulatebrain-wave activity. Its extraordinary results provide neuroscience withan effective alternative to the more invasive therapies of electroshockand drugs. This book explores a much less invasive but highly effectivetechnique of restoring brain function.Healing Arts Press. Paper, $19.95.Walking Your Blues AwayHow to Heal the Mind and CreateEmotional Well-BeingBy Thom HartmannIn Walking Your Blues Away, Thom Hartmannexplains that when we walk, which engagesboth sides of the body, we simultaneously activateboth the left and right sides of the brain.This allows the brain’s two hemispheres to joinforces to break up brain patterning and allowthe sufferer to release these distresses fromextreme but brief upsets to chronic conditionssuch as post-traumatic stress disorder anddepression. Hartmann shows how we must learn to walk consciously,holding an awareness of the distress (or desire we hope to attain) inmind as we move. Hartmann’s deceptively simple, yet potent exercisesallow us to cre-ate our own walking journeys to restore our mental, emotional,and spiritual well-being as well as rejuvenate our body’s health.Park Street Press. Paper, $12.95.Wanting EnlightenmentIs a Big MistakeTeachings of Zen Master Seung SahnCompiled and Edited by Hyon GakForeword by John Kabat-zinnWanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake is acollection of teachings by the celebrated andeccentric Zen Master Seung Sahn. ZenMaster Seung Sahn stands out as one of themost prominent Zen masters in the West, andthe founder of the Kwan Um School of Zen.He was also known for his powerful teachingstyle, which was direct, surprising, and often humorous. Zen MasterSeung Sahn taught that Zen is not about achieving a goal, but aboutdwelling in the realm “before thought”—and serving others. This collectionof the Zen master’s never-before-published teaching stories,dialogues, and talks gives us an instructive and compelling glimpse intothe mind of a unique teacher.Shambhala Publications. Paper, $15.95.Learning Tarot SpreadsBy Joan BunningLearning Tarot Spreads is designed for any studentof tarot who is ready to go beyond thebeginner level. Each tarot reader has a uniquestyle that they hone over time into the fine artof divining the future. In this essential guide toarranging cards into prophetic patterns, JoanBunning has compiled a veritable encyclopediaof tarot spreads with great appeal foraccomplished readers who want to explorefurther as well as novices with their very first deck. Sample spreads arecomprehensive, ranging from many-card “Gypsy” spreads to quick andeasy “Three Card Draws.” She also gives the reader reference charts,exercises and structured tarot lessons.Weiser Books. Paper, $16.95.The Intention ExperimentUsing Your Thoughts to ChangeYour Life and the WorldBy Lynne McTaggartIn The Intention Experiment, award-winningscience journalist and leading figure in thehuman consciousness community LynneMcTaggart intends to find the answers. Withthe aid of a team of highly experienced scientistsfrom around the world, including FritzPopp, Dr. Gary Schwartz, and Drs. MarilynSchlitz and Dean Radin, The IntentionExperiment is an ongoing experiment todetermine the effects of focused group intention on scientifically quantifiabletargets—animal, plant, and human. The Intention Experimentbuilds on the discoveries of McTaggart’s first book, The Field, whichdocumented discoveries that point to the existence of a quantum energyfield. The Intention Experiment shows that thought is a thing and canhave physical effects, and it shows us myriad ways that all this informationcan be used. An original piece of scientific investigation thatinvolves the reader in its quest.Free Press. Hardcover, $26.00.70 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

LOVEQuotes and Passages from the HeartBy B.C. AronsonFinding the right words to express oneselfcan be a challenge, especially with mattersof the heart. Now, for every tongue-tiedreader there is LOVE: Quotes and Passagesfrom the Heart, a collection of excerpts thatbrings to life the many manifestations oflove. LOVE is a treasury of over four hundredexpressions of love from famous spiritualleaders, writers, politicians, entertainers,and philosophers. This compilation goesbeyond romantic love with reflections on everything from family to faith.This beautiful collection of quotes asks, “What does it mean to love?”and the response echoes through every page. LOVE runs the gamut ofthis deepest emotion, spanning beginnings, companionship, passion,heartbreak, and true love, and explores the many ways in which peoplecare for one another, express their affections, and search for comfortin companionship.Random House Reference. Hardcover, $14.95.The Very LowlyA Meditation on Francis of AssisiBy Christian Bobin,Translated by Michael H. KohnWhy have we come to revere Francis of Assisi, a simplethirteenth-century Italian merchant’s son, as a saint?Why has his appeal endured over eight hundred yearsand even expanded beyond the world of Catholicism tomake him one of the most beloved religious figures of all time? Thispenetrating meditation on Francis’s life gently but sure-handedly cutsthrough every pious legend to uncover what is timeless and universallytrue about him. Christian Bobin’s unexpected and thoroughly originalwork presents a compelling image of a man whose power is found inhumility, whose radical casting aside of wealth, honor, and even personalidentity is inseparable from his overwhelming intimacy with God. Poetic,luminous, utterly hypnotic, The Very Lowly is a unique modern variation onthe saint’s life that will entrance everyone, whether “religious” or not.New Seeds. Paperback, $10.95.Walking Through WallsPractical Spirituality in anImpractical Worldby Lee L. Jampolsky, Ph.D.Walking Through Walls is a no-nonsense handbookfor the spiritual seeker with little time for alengthy philosophical treatise—and even less energyfor a “taking a lifetime for enlightenment” selfhelpbook. Psychologist and author Lee Jampolskyoffers an eight-week course that gets right downto the business of accelerating personal growth. Each week Jampolskyfocuses on one of eight traits that are compatible with every great spiritualtradition: honesty, tolerance, gentleness, joy, defenselessness, generosity,patience, and open-mindedness. Cutting through the fog of typicallylofty and unreachable self-help goals, Walking Through Walls presentsa realistic and attainable plan for personal development.Celestial Arts. Paperback, $17.95.Sacred Number and theOrigins Of CivilizationThe Unfolding of History throughthe Mystery of NumberBy Richard HeathThe ubiquitous use of certain sacred numbersand ratios can be found throughout history,influencing everything from art andarchitecture to the development of religionand secret societies. In Sacred Number andthe Origins of Civilization, Richard Heathreveals the origins, widespread influences,and deeper meaning of these synchronousnumerical occurrences, and how they were left within our planetaryenvironment during the creation of the earth, the moon, and our solarsystem. Exploring astronomy, harmony, geomancy, sacred centers,and myth—and featuring Solomon’s Key and the Templar design forWashington D.C. as New Jerusalem—Heath reveals the secret use ofsacred number knowledge in the building of Gothic cathedrals andthe important influence of sacred numbers in the founding of modernWestern culture. By examining prehistoric and monumental culturesthrough the Dark Ages and later recorded history, Sacred Numberand the Origins of Civilization provides a key to understanding thetrue role and meaning of number.Inner Traditions. Paper, $16.95.How To Practice Mayan AstrologyThe Tzolkin Calendar and Your Life PathBy Bruce Scofield and Barry C. OrrHow to Practice Mayan Astrology presents a contemporaryand practical guide to one of the most sophisticated astrologicalsystems ever developed. Mayan astrology is basedon twenty named days that are cycled thirteen times to createa 260-day calendar, the Tzolkin. The authors explain thesymbolism, logic, and meaning of the twenty day-signs; how these signsreflect 260 possible personality types; and how they can be used for divination.They also explain the important role of the Four Directions and the planetVenus in forming one’s personality matrix and its attendant life issues.Extensive, easy-to-use tables of Mayan astrological data allow readers todetermine their day-signs and cast their own horoscopes, and to see howthese signs are also influenced by the nine-day cycle of the Night Lords,which governs one’s deepest genetic impulse, and the thirteen-day trecena,which at birth is descriptive of instinctive behaviors.When Fear Falls AwayThe Story of a Sudden AwakeningBy Jan FrazierBear & Company. Paper, $20.00.In August 2003, virtually overnight, Jan Frazier experienced“a dramatic falling away of fear”—not just theimmediate fear of her annual medical test but, as shelearned as time went on, her fear of everything. Shewas “flooded with a causeless joy that has never leftme.” In this book the commonplace belief that enlightenmentis only for saints comes apart at the seams.Anyone can be enlightened, and all we need to do is ask. This rare andbeautiful account puts Jan Frazier solidly in the tradition of enlightenedteachers from J. Krishnamurti to Byron Katie.Weiser Books. Paper, $16.95.FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007 EARTH STAR 71

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GM Jumps Back IntoElectric Car RaceBy Paul ScottPlug In America.comPlug In America, known forits advocacy of electricvehicles and plug-inhybrids (PHEVs), applaudsthe announcement onJanuary 7th by General Motors to reenterthe raceto create nonpollutingvehicleswith itsnext-generationelectricvehicle, theChevrolet“ V o l t ” .Technically aserial PHEV,the Volt willhave a rangeof forty-milesper charge, buta total range of640 mileswhen supplementedby the small on-board generator.This combination provides the excitingperformance and environmental benefitsof an electric vehicle, better range thantoday’s hybrids, all while using a fractionof the gasoline.GM once led the industry in electricdrive technology and zeropollutionvehicles; their decisionto discontinue the EV1 programand crush the popular vehicles,and subsequent decision toignore hybrids in favor of developingfuel cell technology hascaused them to fall far behindtheir Japanese competitors. Inparticular, Toyota’s halo effectfrom the Prius has been helpingthem close the gap on the numberone automaker.“This is the most intriguing moveGeneral Motors has made in a decade,”according to Chelsea Sexton, ExecutiveDirector of PIA and a former GM EV1employee whose story is featured in theGM EV12006 documentary, “Who Killed theElectric Car?” “It’s a moonshot, butthat’s exactly what GM needs if they’reserious about reinvigorating that company—andit’s a very American value toembrace the underdog.”It should be noted that as recently as ayear ago, no major automaker wouldpublicly acknowledge the current viabilityof electric drive technology; today,GM is expected to be joined in its PHEVannouncementwhenToyota andFord unveiltheir ownPHEVs. “Tomove anindustry isthe ultimateexample ofwhat can beaccomplishedon a grassrootslevel”said Sexton.“This iswhat’s possiblewhenconsumers ask for what they want, andrefuse to settle for less.” GM’sannouncement did not confirm a datewhen we can see these vehicles in theshowroom, and in order to get the Voltfrom concept to showroom, consumersmust keep asking. As Sextonnoted from Detroit, “Ultimately,we’re going to judge all of theautomakers not on what they say,but what they do.”Plug In America advocates theuse of plug-in cars, trucks andSUVs powered by cleaner, cheaper,domestic electricity to reduceour nation’s dependence on petroleumand improve the globalenvironment.74 EARTH STAR FEBRUARY / MARCH 2007

Within every one of us, there isa voice that speaks the truth.Available In Retail Stores And Online Outlets NationwidePFor thematic elements,some language and a brief accident.F© 2006 CWG Films, LLC. All Rights Reserved.© 2007 Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC. All Rights Reserved.TM