MARCI Fall 09

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

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

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

A Community ofHolistic Professionals

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

-Sarah Collins, PhD candidate in Natural Health

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sub-CommitteeLinda MitchellJustin BufferErin Saxton BjornsonSarah M. CollinsJoanna DeGroot

StaffLinda Mitchell

Executive Director, Editor-in-Chief

Joanna DeGrootEditor & Layout Designer

Holistic Mentorship

Network7

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MARCI™ Fall 20095

Column

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Contact Information:

Holistic Mentorship Network23 Main Street, Sparta, NJ 07871

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

Email: [email protected]

MARCI™ Fall 20096

Inside This Issue cont’d:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Book Review

The Woman I Am:A Memoir by Helen Reddy

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

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

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

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Letters to Have something to say about the contents

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

[email protected]

I was taken aback to hear someone say to me that middle age to them was 50 & under! Wow, what a statement to hear when you are 57 and thinking you are at the prime of your life, with a few years left before arriving at the doorstep of those “Senior Years”. When our MARCI™ team came up with the theme for each seasonal edition for 2009, I could only imagine that this edition, like the others, would touch on this age range “the baby boomers”. Boy was I wrong in that assumption! Instead what I got was three very different perceptions of “Middle” and each article made me smile wider as I have embraced this time in my life to be a free soul. At this juncture it is in complete wonderment to watch MARCI™ continue to sprout and grow wings. She continues to demonstrate for me what it means to go through life’s experiences and see my glass half full rather than half empty (no matter the bumps in the road). Taking charge of your life can feel scary, but what would be scarier is to not be in charge of your life. MARCI™ has been my tool for taking control and “Responsibility” of my life and for the role I play in tending to the garden of MARCI™ and the Holistic Mentorship

blossom and mature naturally. In this newest edition, we are excited to have Lisa Nichols from the movie “the Secret” with us. She will be a regular writer, as will Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken soup for the Soul, who has been with us now for a year already! Both Lisa and Jack are mentors who speak to truth and gaining the most out of your life within. We have also added several columns that are aimed at representing the whole picture of being in the holistic arena. Included in the whole scheme of things are three special sections that have been designed for legislative issues, a Q & A segment, and a space for the future generation to speak out about the environment. We

Network. The “R” in MARCI™, “Responsibility”, signifies the responsibility I take for my own life’s experiences. Rather than looking outside myself, I have taken the plunge to go deeper within to know the truth of “who” I am and to know that my purpose here is the driving force that fuels the passion I have to be in this profession of holistic health and wellness. We are blessed to have a tremendous team that continues to watch over MARCI™ as she continues to

The Harvest: Middle Age

a message by Linda Mitchell, HMN Founder

cont’d on next page

MARCI™ Fall 20097

hope that you look forward to hearing from your favorite columnists and authors of this new sector and I know they will look forward to hearing from you! You can meet your columnists and authors by going to the “Contents” listed on the preceding page. A special thank you to all of our columnists and authors for taking the time to feed our souls with your knowledge and spirit! There are many people who have come into the life of MARCI™. One sweet soul

was Lauren Panzica who had been a student of mine at the Institute for Therapeutic Massage in Pompton Lakes, NJ and later became a member of the Holistic Mentorship Network. Lauren made her transition in July after a long fight for life with cancer. Lauren was an inspiration to me and to so many others who have had the opportunity to watch Lauren rise above cancer and live life fully. I had such a blast with Lauren at our Conference and Retreat last year at Koinonia in Highland Lake, NY. It was there that many of us got to really know Lauren. I know that weekend

meant so much to her and her friends who rallied for her, knowing that weekend would be healing in itself for Lauren. For someone so sick, Lauren could dance, and that is exactly how Lauren chose to live – in full expression of life. In a tribute to Lauren, Abby Nickerson one of Lauren’s closest friends shares her thoughts and memories of Lauren, “A Tribute to Lauren”. This special edition with all its new life is dedicated to Lauren our colleague, sister and friend.

Enjoy MARCI™-In love and peace, Linda

The Harvest: Middle Age cont’d

MARCI™ Fall 20098

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healthier the energy of caretakers, the better it is for the child. The objective is to create harmonious energetic flow between parents and between parent and child. The best way parents can help their children is by creating safety in the marriage, harmonizing their energies with each other, and engaging in their own healing process and self-nurturance. There are classes, CDs, books, therapies, workshops and retreats that can help parents center and tune in to their energy flow and learn to listen to their body’s rhythm, signals and intuitive voice. The objective is to calm the overactive mind to better sense the inner voice and body messages. When adults drop into their inner voice

Healing Children

by Dr. Robert Kandarjian

Parenting is a most heroic act and parents are always trying to do the best they can for their children. The healing process of the child is a family team effort because a child is constantly reacting to his energetic environment. The energy field of a child is vulnerable to its environment because a child’s energy field is open, receptive, and permeable. Since a child is a dependent entity, working energetically with the parents and caretakers is always an effective approach to promote the healing of a child. The

with their children that are fulfilling and joyous. It is ideal when the energetic flow between caretaker and child is harmonious and balanced. It is always advisable to assess, balance and correct the

energy field of parents and caretakers before we assess, balance and correct the child’s energy field. In most cases when the energy field of parents and caretakers are corrected, the child’s energy field corrects itself. It is important to note and remember that it is not possible to fully balance and correct the energy field and stillness and connect

to their body messages by quieting the mind, they better understand and sense their children’s energy needs and patterns. When parents connect to their intuitive knowing in a deeper way, it becomes easier for them to “read” their children, to be on the same page with their children, and make effective decisions. Parents, who are tuned in to their own energy flow and stillness, find it easier to address the energy flow and needs of their children. The healing of children is a partnership between the skills and compassion of practitioners, and the ability of parents to listen to their own inner messages. By engaging in self-nurturance, parents feel guided and supported; thus, creating relationships

MARCI™ Fall 20099cont’d on next page

of a child without initially balancing and correcting the energy field of the adults in the child’s life. The best approach in healing a child is to consider the child’s energetic world (parents, family, caretakers, relatives, school). A child is an expression of family and culture, and the harmonious energetic flow in the members of the family further supports and anchors the healing and nurturance of the child. Some of the major imbalances in a child’s energy field are underactive, overactive, depleted, or held flow patterns. A child who is withdrawn emotionally or recovering from a cold or illness will have an underactive energy flow and needs to be energized. An overaggressive

Members Club Offer:

10% Discount

Healing Childrencont’d

child will have an overactive flow pattern that needs to be slowed down. A depressed child will have depleted flow of energy in the legs and heart and needs grounding and anchoring of energy in the legs

in order to stand and deliver. A held flow pattern means the child is holding and needs to let go; perhaps holding tears, fear, or anger. As stated earlier, it is always wise to treat the parent before the child with in order to maximize the child’s healing process.Children respond very well

to healing processes because most of them feel the energy and are very receptive. Once the energy flow between parents and the flow between the parents and the child are balanced, disharmony of energies is lifted and the child returns to a healthy state.

SUGGESTED READINGSRobert Kandarjian, DC - Sacred IntentionsBarbara Ann Brennan - Hands of Light, Light EmergingHarville Hendrix, PhD - Giving The Love That Heals, A Guide For ParentsHarville Hendrix, PhD - Getting The Love You Want, A Guide For CouplesErich Fromm, MD - The Art of Loving Deepak Chopra, MD - The Seven Spiritual Laws of Parenting Ashely Montague - TouchingKeith Ablow, MD - Living the TruthAlice Miller - Drama of the Gifted Child

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

Contact info:973.993.5770 Ext. 2

[email protected]

photo courtesy of Jo-Ann Stafford

MARCI™ Fall 200910

Haiku is the ancient form of poetry that comes from Japan. These poems have only three lines in which to express their imagery. They form a pattern of 5 beats, followed by seven, and concluding again with five beats. They usually express something beautiful and profound, especially about nature. Haiku always implore you to stop and think for a moment or two. They are miniature meditations and an expression of my love for God and Nature. I hope you take the time to read each Haiku several times and perhaps spend some time with each one, as you listen to God’s words, through my pen speaking to your heart.

These are 3 Haiku I wroteas I was about to turn 60:

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

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

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

Jo-Ann Stafford,Nature Photographer

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

poetry and prose, often merging Haiku with her photographs.

www.lookinglassphotos.com



My story. I am naming mine the first art school generation. I was one of many who were fortunate to have experienced four years of complete immersion in artistic creation, discussion and community. Art school helped us work out a lot of inner shadows in the privacy of peers, and taught us how to hone our skills with patience and peace of mind. Of course the work wasn’t “finished” when we graduated, but we certainly were given a big head start. Art school was a great dream! We were taught by older artists who forged their ways through a bohemian living, when rent was low and bacteria hadn’t mutated yet. We were given the wings to fly and the eyes to view a world of higher possibility. No one dared to mention how we

would actually function in the world “out there”, so we were ill-prepared for a harsh reality check. We thought we could just make art, but we had to get jobs. To hold on to the light, we were forced into constant negotiations: how much space do I need to live and work, how many people do I want around me, how much time and energy can I spend making money in other ways, how much safety do I need in my neighborhood, what is the difference between need and desire? Concerns dulled the flames we had nurtured in school as we watched our friends and family gain the comfort of the path more traveled. But making art is a compulsion; we had to find a way... We clunked about awkwardly, learning our limits by pushing ourselves too hard or too little. I watched as a lot of my peers joined “the art scene” whole-heartedly – a religion of artist as idol, one who possesses gifts not available to all. I had hoped to find the camaraderie there that I missed from school, but found desperate competition instead. No one got the prestigious reception they were anticipating, so they clawed desperately for ground to stand on – ranking each other’s work with judgments of productivity and mastery, and amplifying their own darker traits.

I wanted no part of it. For years I stayed on the sidelines, showing work when I could and attending only to support my friends. I made work of recycled materials that were made to return to the earth, sometimes I merely moved branches around to form a temporary poetic statement. But I chose not to make pieces to be sold. I didn’t want to lose myself in the game of envy and pride that I saw around me. My heart was invested in the kind of work that was happening on the west coast. Some artists were using art to build community – starting group activities that empowered the individual into self-expression. Life demanded that I stay in New Jersey, where I couldn’t find a paycheck for this work. Instead, I tried to make it happen through non-profit day jobs, working with children, artists, college students, seniors. But the long hours spent on good causes for low pay left me exhausted. In order to achieve these great big gatherings, I really needed the freedom of my daytime hours. After over nine years, I realize that perhaps I could have chosen to make some art to sell, to gain more time, to make more art, until I was free to follow my heart. But I do recognize the solid lessons that this hard work has taught

Art SchoolGeneration

by Beth Ann Morrison


Mandala courtesy of Elizabeth Olney

me, and the wonderful friends I have made along the way. I worked up the traditional ladder to an alternative dream: finally I find myself with time to work, enough room to work in, lovely surroundings and health insurance! Now the fun can really begin. Looking back I see my mind was distracted by great ideas that were out of my reach. I scrambled for deadlines, and tried my best to accomplish grand projects that I saw in my head. My work never seemed “finished”, and it always fell short of what I envisioned for it – since I underestimated the time, materials and manpower it would take to accomplish it. I realize now, that my heroes, and every household enterprise, began within their means. Fully present, they were inspired by a moment, to create with what was on hand. They took their time, thought it through, until it was absolutely complete. The greatest works speak for themselves, because they were given breath and voice in partnership with their creators. Once the work is out there, I will be too, ready to live my dream of community!

Art School Generationcont’d


Middle-aged; hmm . . . where’s the middle? I’m a so-called baby-boomer so, does that mean I qualify? There’s a saying, “twice a child, once an adult”. One could ponder this in many ways. So be it, here we are, in the middle; adult. Supposedly, we are responsible and have it all together. Through our trials and tribulations, we learned what we need and desire in life. There have been times of course, when we’ve compromised in order to get along in the world and done things that we didn’t really want to do. Meanwhile, these situations showed us what we

care about and love in life even more. During this period of our lives, weexperience full awareness, as our senses are at their greatest height, we’re quite active. Busy with this and busy with that and trying to fit whatever in a day. How do we do it? We may even begin to doubt ourselves and question why we didn’t plan something differently. Oh, and oh yeah, forgot to...In addition to our business, we must deal with, what feels like, interruptions. There’s too much traffic with other busy people, we have to wait in line for others; not to mention missed messages from others. If we get too caught up in our busy day, we just become tense. A moment isn’t a moment anymore because it’s all jumbled

Being in the Middleby Elizabeth Olney, MA, CET

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



up with all of the other moments. Our comforts and values become overridden by our attempt to structure time. Sometimes, seemingly out of nowhere amidst these conflicting moments, is a flicker of a moment that gives us the awareness of uncertainty. We may even hear a little voice. We hear it yet, do we listen? Uncertainty… hmm, is that good or bad? Well, it isn’t really either; it just is. It means to question. Must we always have answers? No, of course not. Life is a wondrous experience inviting question and curiosity. Life itself is a quest; a quest to become the best that we can be, a quest to “be” as we “come” into our attributes. I suggest that we take advantage of uncertainty and question ourselves, ourgoings-on and our little voices. Whether we think that this is God speaking to us or simply our intuitive voice; either way this is our higher self. It comes from a spirit; a sort of knowing of not knowing. In order to acquire a sense of balance, be in touch with our center, so to speak, we need to ask questions. There are no right or wrong questions nor may we receive the answers we want, when we want. What’s important is that we be open and willing to re-establish our

values our sense of comfort. When we fail to trust our process; doubt ourselves and the unknown, we can easily refer to what is known. Comfort can be attained quite easily in awareness of the moments that question time and place. Rather than check a clock or watch, let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture; time of year and place that is home to us all.

As autumn falls upon us, the earth calms. This we know. We can welcome earth, the mother of our senses, to nurture us. A walk amongst trees or stroll through a meadow does wonders for the soul. Inevitably, we re-group physically, mentally and emotionally for the strength of the earth is powerful and enduring. Venturing out into nature is an opportunity to

Being in the Middlecont’d



witness moments of awe as they appear and voice themselves wordlessly. Cer-tainly, this is a way of being which is more gratifying than thoughts which flick like a view-finder or chatter. One’s thoughts can also easily slow into contemplative thought as we gently pick

off the leaves that our house-plants need to shed. You see, like our higher self, earth does not reside outside of us; she is an integral part of us, for she is also of spirit. All is one. We need to especially keep in close touch with her for this reason. Though matured and adult, we are in essence mammals; mammals with complex brains. Hence, our thoughts need to free-up

from time to time, so as to return back in sync with the physical and emotional aspects of our being; whole. Nature not only promotes wholeness, she teaches us the lessons of creating harmony from discord. She reminds us that the middle suggests a place of centeredness and offers us a sense of balance.

Being in the Middlecont’d

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

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

and HMN member,


During challenging times it is very easy to find yourself in a state of stress. Not in the modern sense of the word alone, but also as a set of characteristics that define your emotional climate, decision making tendencies and self dialog. When in stress, decisions tend to be reactionary and rapidly changing – “I’ll try anything, I don’t have any idea what to do, please tell me what to do and I’ll do it.” Beyond stress is a paralytic or catatonic state called apparent apathy. This is such an elevated state of stress that this person appears uninterested or unable to move. This elevated state of stress takes away hope and often renders you feeling powerless. In all cases of the stress state, the best course of action is to move down from stress before engaging in any decision making or taking any action. Finding evidence that you are not alone or the only person in this situation can begin to move you down from the stress state. Finding additional resources will bring you further down from high stress. This could include coaching, therapy or training and will help to bring back your perception of being in control of your situation. One useful tool I use to broaden someone’s perspective of the state they are in and help them

cope with it is the “False Emergency Exercise” adapted from Dr. Gerald Epstein’s The Phoenix Process CD Set sold by Nightingale-Conant. We’ll start by defining a “True” emergency as follows; this is a scene a friend and I came upon in nature and exemplifies the true emergency state. We found a toad alive in a snake’s mouth and in the process of being eaten. This is a true emergency – If you don’t do something now you will certainly be injured or die. Use this yardstick to determine if this is a true emergency for you. If you compare the current situation to that of the toad and cannot respond; “Yes, I am in the same situation” truthfully,

you have created a false emergency for yourself. Be careful to stay objective while making this evaluation. By this I mean really look at the facts of the situation. Sometimes emotionally we feel like we might die or feel paralyzed to take action if this happens, but when analyzed under an objective light, we find that not to be true. When it’s done and over we will still be alive, maybe worse for the wear but nonetheless still alive. The significance here is that in a false emergency your body creates all of the physiological and pharmacological responses that it would in a true emergency but has nowhere to direct them. For example if you are sitting at your kitchen table and open an IRS audit notice the odds are you will go into a false emergency. Wild scenarios might run through your thinking about losing your house, being put in jail, not having the money to pay the costs incurred and so forth. In this case your body will create all the chemicals and responses of a true emergency but have nowhere to direct them – you are sitting in your kitchen safe and sound not being pursued by a wild animal or under eminent threat of death. The result is your body working very hard to break down and eliminate the veritable pharmacy this state creates. This elimination

Stressful Timesby Tom Selkow



process causes our body to expend lots of energy and resources and places undue strain on many of our vital organs. By comparing your current perception to the yardstick of being a toad in a snake’s mouth you can accomplish two things quickly. 1) Move yourself down from the stress state and 2) interrupt the physiological process created by entry into fear response. Verbally say; “<First name>, you are creating a false emergency, and <first name>, the thoughts and responses

I am creating here are not useful.” Finish this process by taking a normal in breath and exhaling through your mouth evenly and moderately as if blowing out a candle. Repeat this process two more times for a total of three times. This will serve to calm you, eliminate excess CO₂ and various other compounds from your system. Remember to keep yourself well hydrated with water too. Favor even steady consumption throughout the day over consuming a large amount of water at one time as this allows for better integration into your body. Play with this tool and allow yourself to notice how many times you are gearing

up for an emergency that doesn’t measure up to the toad scenario. Notice your decision making process if the emergency state is not interrupted as well as if it is interrupted. Be aware of others around you and how often they create emergencies that don’t match this measure of and emergency and how it affects their decision making process. Have fun with this exercise and remember to be kind to yourself when you do notice yourself setting up to create an emergency state. Make light of it and use the verbal queue and breathing to interrupt the process.

Stressful Timescont’d

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

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

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

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



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

I personally don’t care to contemplate or discuss all of the many causes that interfere with our being the best we can be. And when I say the “best” that is whatever you need to be happy. The “best” is whoever you are that allows you to be at peace, be content, living each day with joy in your heart. The “best” is being able to march on in the face of adversity and sorrow, growing stronger with each challenge. Why aren’t you already there? As my friend Sandy always says, “It is what it is”! Stop over-analyzing and stop beating yourself up over not being in a place where you are your best. Start taking baby-steps to find your inner strength, to find that person who may be buried so deep you thought they were gone forever.

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

by Ellen Banks

For me, my journey stated by making a big leap of faith out of my successful career comfort zone into the world of being an entrepreneur. I built a company around 5 simple, yet powerful messages I needed to be reminded of to be my personal best. See if they can help you on your path to personal transformation!

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

3) I AM a Warrior! Get ready to take charge on your journey to personal transformation!Repeat after me: I AM strong, kind, balanced and fearless!!!! Life often feels like a battlefield. Gandhi saw the battlefield as a metaphor for our internal conflicts. What personal attributes will you summon to act with courage and unwavering focus? First have to believe you have what you need to make the journey. You have a vision

Where do you want to be in life? Who are you at the other side of the hurdle? As the proverb says, you cannot leap a chasm in two steps. Once you identify your goal, you have to envision it every day. You have to embrace your dreams and know that you have the strength and wisdom to make your leap. Then, just let go and believe!

2) What’s my personal transformation plan?Personal transformation is a constant journey. There is no magic to yearly resolutions, they are only a beginning. Where will your life plan take you? Do you even have a plan? How will you stay focused on your dreams? Life if a process of becoming. Always believe in your core power. Identify your plan, embrace your vision and above all, respect all challenges. Often the greatest challenges will turn out to be your best friend! Make sure that you put yourself in the daily planner and on your many “to-do” lists.


repeat them, keep us focused on our goal….expecting a particular outcome does something extraordinary in our brains.”

When I developed the designs for our company’s line, we created messages with reverse writing so that when you face yourself in the mirror throughout the day, you will be reminded of your intentions. The designs reinforce your intentions by visually providing strong affirmations.

5) Be Present. You have to start living in the moment!How do we achieve the state of “being present”? By being consciously aware of the present moment, we can control our own reality. Buddha said: “the mind is everything, what we think we become“. Ask yourself: do I create my own reality or am I a leaf in the wind? What is reality anyway? If you are beating yourself up over past behaviors, bad investments, poor career choices etc., you

are living in the past. There isn’t anything you can change about what has passed. You also can’t control the future. The only thing you can control is what you are thinking and doing in the present moment. We can help to create a positive future reality by what we do and think in the present moment. Of course, that doesn’t always guarantee things will turn out as we hope. As the saying goes, “Man plans and God laughs”. That’s when you lift yourself up, dust yourself off and try again. Adversity often leads us to a path where the real journey begins!

So my friends, try focusing on these 5 areas and I will bet they will help you on your journey to find your personal best!--------------To learn more about Ellen Banks and her company, Transformation Tees, go towww.reflectyourpower.com

and the strength to silence the internal voices of defeat. Trust and the results will absolutely follow!

4) “I Will…” Start each day with this positive affirmation and fill in whatever it is you WILL accomplish!My sister sent me an article that totally validates an individual’s power comes from within. We have the power to make core changes by internal focus, strength, wisdom and faith. When we access all of these amazing personal attributes, transformation follows. It is that simple! The problem is we are always so stressed and overwhelmed, running in a million different directions, unable to take 15 minutes to breathe. In addition to the stresses of daily life, we are now also completely stunned by the economic status of the world. Now more than ever we need to hang in and stay as positive as possible. What the article points out is that thinking positive phrases is not a waste of time.

“Strong affirmations put two powerful mental qualities into action: intention and expectation. Intention isn’t just wanting, wishing or hoping; it’s determination to act. Affirmations focus on our intention, and, because we

Personal Transformation

cont’d


they grow increasingly uninspired and out of touch with their authentic selves. This, of course, sets anyone up to living a life out of balance.

In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want. Most people really foul up at this crucial first step because they simply can’t see how it’s possible to get what they want, so they don’t even let themselves want it. Don’t sabotage yourself that way!

We know a lot more today about how the brain works, even when it comes to complex decision-making. If you don’t decide what you want and literally put that idea in your brain, how can

your brain help you to then navigate the path to reach that goal and problem-solve through its inevitable trials and errors? Don’t for a second think you have to figure out every step of the way when you’re standing at the starting gate to a certain goal. First lock in your desires and have faith that your mind and the universe will work in synch to guide you toward them. For those who need structure for actually doing this, I’ve developed 5 simple steps.

Step 1: Decide to Think Big and Dream Big DreamsDon’t let your inner devil’s advocate (or that incessant but unimportant To Do list) inhibit you from dreaming big. As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You’ll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, but they also compel others to want to play big, too.

Step 2: Set Goals that Will Stretch YouAnother value in giving yourself permission to go after the big dreams is that big dreams require you to grow in order to achieve them. In the long run, that is the greatest benefit you will receive from

5 Steps to Keeping Your (Busy) Life in

Harmonyby Jack Canfield

A “harmonized” life these days sounds like a tall order. Between housework, homework, workwork, and busywork, there are perpetually too many things to do, and not enough time to find that mythical balance. Nothing is more frustrating than feeling like you’re doing doing doing but getting nothing truly done that you really want. Working with people from all walks of life, from fulltime moms to CEOs at large companies, I’ve distilled many universal truths about success. There’s a secret I’ve learned that works quite well at helping you to achieve what you want: Decide what you want.

It sounds so simple, but here’s the problem: I see plenty of people who are overly-busy yet who feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled. They are physically tired, spiritually drained, and far from where they’d like to be—as if they’ve been running on a treadmill going nowhere fast. Why? Because they haven’t clearly mapped out what they want and then taken the steps to get there. Rather than identifying specific goals, milestones, and dreams (and I’m talking BIG dreams and goals here), they go through the motions day in and day out tackling unimportant tasks. They end up…you guessed it…going in circles and wasting lots of energy. In the meanwhile,



pursuing your dreams; not so much the outer trappings of fulfilling the dream (an expensive car, impressive house, loads of money and philanthropic opportunities), but who you become in the process.

As I’ve seen many times over, the outer symbols of success can all be easily lost. Houses burn down, companies go bankrupt, relationships end, cars get old, bodies age and fame wanes, but who you are, what you have learned, and the new skills you have developed never go away. These are the true prizes of success, and you’ll be able to share them with others. Motivational philosopher, Jim Rohn advises that “You should set a goal big enough that in the process of achieving it, you become someone worth becoming.”

Step 3: Consider Your Service to OthersAs you pinpoint what you

want to go after, think about how you can be of service to others. When your dreams include this element, you’ll find yourself speeding along the path to accomplishing that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.

Step 4: Define Your Goals and Objectives Based on Your DreamsOnce you are clear about what you want, you must turn each item into a measurable objective. By measurable, I mean measurable in space and time, how much and by when. Don’t just say that you want to lose weight, for instance. Be specific, push yourself to higher limits, and set dates. Say something like, “I want to lose 50 pounds by Thanksgiving and participate in my community’s 10K for charity by Christmas.”

Step 5: Make a RecordWrite your goals down in detail and read your list of goals every day. Some goals may entail a list of shorter goals. Losing a lot of weight, for example, should include

mini-goals, such as 10-pound milestones. This will keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want step by step. For an even more powerful approach, close your eyes and focus on each goal, even if it’s a little one, and ask yourself, “What is one thing I could do today to move toward the achievement of this goal?” Write down your answers and take those actions.

I recommend writing down a minimum of 3 goals in each of the following 7 areas:1. Financial Goals2. Career/Business Goals3. Free Time/Family Time4. Health/Appearance Goals5. Relationship Goals6. Personal Growth7. Making a Difference

And if you don’t know where to begin, just start writing! I have a handy worksheet for you that models this formula, including examples. Go towww.thesuccessprinciples.com/resources_index.phpto download this free resource and start creating all that you want from your life.

© 2009 Jack Canfield

5 Stepscont’d

Jack Canfield is America’s #1 Success Coach, co-founder of the billion-dollar Chicken Soup for the Soul brand, and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to be more accomplished and have more fun in all that you do,

get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at:

www.FreeSuccessPrinciples.com


Art is for Everyone!

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

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

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

Creative Artswith Beth Ann Morrison

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

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

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

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The Art of Arrangement

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

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

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

Feng Shuiwith Michelle Zanoni

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

thoughts easily…


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

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

Michelle ZanoniCertified Feng Shui Practitioner2 Ferndale AvenueMorristown, NJ 07960201.400.4669

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Just Breathe: Awaken Your Life with Aromatherapy

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

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

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

Aromatherapywith Christina Santiago


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

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

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

© Santiago 2009

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

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

www.SkyDivaOils.com www.RisingAboveLLC.com

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The Traditional Naturopathic View of Health

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

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

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

Natural Healthwith Sarah Collins


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

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

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

-Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

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

www.WellnessCareToday.com

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Food has been called the greatest biological modifier there is.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eat Right…Feel Right

with Judith Gisser


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.judithgisser.com


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What a Ride!

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

Conscious ParentingAge 13 & Under

with Tracey Mendel

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

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

Be well,Dr. Tracey S. MendelChiropractor

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

[email protected]

973.726.7000


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

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

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

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

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

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

Conscious ParentingAge 13 - 19

with Jordan Brown

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EVERYDAY SPIRITUALITY: INTEGRATING SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES INTO

EVERY DAY LIVING

BEING OPEN

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

BEGINNING THE DAY RIGHT: “I AM OPEN TODAY”

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

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

BEING OPEN TO LEARNING

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

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

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

www.justinbuffer.com

Everyday Spiritualitywith Justin Buffer


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

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

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

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

Contact info: [email protected] 908.319.3022

The Whole Pet with Susan Brody & Beth Lowell


Susan says:

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

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

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

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

Beth says:

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

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The 212 Degrees Attitude

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

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

That one extra degree makes all the difference.

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

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

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

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

Personal Development

Coachingwith Hueina Su


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Does My Business Need a Web Presence?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.compassroseconsulting.com [email protected]

973-948-7673

Business Coachingwith Donna Price


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

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

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

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

So what is Money Coaching?

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

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

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

Money Coachingwith Tom Selkow


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The Practice of Integrative Medicine

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

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

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

Q&AProfiles of Pioneers

with Cecelia Inwentarz


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Project Planet: “The Future

Generation” with Ana Marie Presti


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

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

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

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

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

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

-Skylar May

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

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

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

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

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

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


UPCOMING CONCERT

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

Phoenix, Arizona

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

www.myspace.com/skylarmaymusic

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

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

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

Legislative Issues with Maureen Drummond & Susannah Pitman


Vaccine Safety and Vaccination Choiceby Maureen Drummond

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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



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

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

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



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

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




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

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

E-mail questions and comments to [email protected]

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“You MUST be Heard NOW”

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

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

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

Legislative Issues with Maureen Drummond & Susannah Pitman


National Healthcareby Susannah Pitman

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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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


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

How to Get Involved

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

Resources

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


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


Susannah also recommends this website:www.hearthebill.org

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

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

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

National Healthcarecont’d

Motivating Your Teen’s Spirit!by Lisa Nichols

Teenagers live in a unique world of their own and to enter into that world you must be willing to change your rules a bit, stretch beyond your comfort zone and be willing to become emotionally naked!



Motivating the Teen Spirit (MTS) has been providing “Safe Space” Life Skills training programs for over 13 years. As of June 2008 we have impacted the lives of over 210 thousand teenagers internationally. Supporting over 98 thousand teens to create new integrity contracts, 105 thousand teens to begin pressing stop on their negative self talk and

each other’s sharing or challenges).2. No repercussions (don’t throw what’s shared in each other’s face later).3. Unconditional love (show love through the difficult moments).

Once every person in the room has agreed to each of the above agreements, the room is considered a “Safe Space” and now

pressing play on their powerful self–talk and preventing over 3,053 teen suicides. Our teen workshops are designed for teens ages 12 – 21 middle school age teens to college students. In this article I will share with you three coaching points we use to transform teen lives, build powerful parent teen relationships and uncover leadership diamonds in “ordinary” teens.

When you step into our world as a teen, parent or youth advocate, our intention is to take you places you’ve never been before, to have you do things you’ve never done before, stretch you in ways you’ve never been stretched before, all of this so that you can experience parts of yourself that you have never

experienced before.

No. 1: Create a Safe SpaceWhen you can create a safe space for both you and a teen, you both will chose to share freely both with others and with yourself. A safe space will encourage you, push you, support you, and love you through your own personal process of growing. In order for each of you to feel truly safe, and for each person to give your best to the process, I recommend that you set up three agreements: We purposely do not call them rules so that each teen has a chance to “choose” to play full out or not.

Each agreement is agreed upon by every teen and adult within the room before starting the

we are ready to begin. This safe space exercise is equally effective around a kitchen table or in your family room. The challenge of maintaining a safe space will lie morewith you as the adult than with the teen. You must honor each of the three agreements no matter how challenging.

No. 2: Keep Your Share Age AppropriateThis is the time where you are establishing your likeness and common bond with them, take full advantage of the opportunity to share your journey. Remember to keep your share age appropriate. Refrain from using statements like “back in my day” or “when I was your age”. These statements sound lame and are over used. Your statements

workshop. (Since 1996, we’ve had only three out of 210 thousand teens not agree and have to be dismissed.)

1. Reserve all judgment (no laughing or making fun of


Motivating the Teen Spirit hosted Safe Space training throughout the United States and in Canada. Please visit www.MotivatingtheTeenSpirit.com to view our video and sign up for our next Advanced Family Workshop on November 7th and 8th 2009. If you are interested in becoming a Certified Safe Space Facilitator, please email [email protected] or call 858.376.3701. We are not looking for a lot of soldiers; we are looking for a few good generals to transform teen lives.

-Lisa Nichols, Best selling Author of No Matter Whatwww.Lisa-Nichols.com

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

the conversation every time because they don’t know how to stop you, it lets them off the hook of having to show up in any way and the sooner they allow you to finish the sooner they can get back to their lives.

In this new way to dialogue you ask more open ended questions that do not require just a yes or no answer. Your questions are more geared toward:

• How does it feel to you when we are not getting along?• What can you do differently to make this feel better? What do you feel that I can do differently?• When are you happiest? When are you afraid?• What do you need support in?• What does the ideal relationship between you and I look like to you?

Remembering coaching point no. 3, you must first provide the answers to each of these questions as a way of opening up the safe space. Your answers must be a bit raw, even shocking. They deserve to hear your truth. When you leap in first you stand an 80% chance of getting a better answer then, “I don’t know” when you ask them. They will begin to see that something new and different is happening, and as you peel back the layer on your onion they will follow once they are convinced that it is safe to do so. Then a new relationship begins to emerge.

should include words like “although I was… I had challenges with…” or “I found myself many times struggling with…” As you share your initial connection story, you are allowing them to know that you understand what it feels like to work toward clarity, personal power and setting boundaries.

No 3: Peel Back Your Own OnionYou are guiding the experience, the depth, the authenticity, and the sharing. Teens want to know that you are human too and that you did not always make the right choices. They want to know that you had/have doubts, worries and dreams. Don’t jump right into your misery story and also don’t play “awesome”, like “it’s always been great”. Share your journey, both the highs and the lows.

No 4: Remember This is a Dialogue Not a Monologue You cannot believe how many times you “thought” you had a conversation with a teen but they in fact did very little talking. Adults often ask the question, provide the answer, give the coaching, and assess themselves. Then we even walk away saying something like, “I just had a really great talk with Ryan…” And your teen will allow you to dominate

Motivating Your Teen’s Spirit!

cont’d

My heart is pounding. I feel very anxious. As I look around the room, at all the smiling faces, my face feels hot and clammy at the same time. I’m clutching my MP3 speaker station, a song is on pause. I have no idea how they’re going to react to what I’m about to do. It’s my turn… I feel almost faint… I stand up and release the song from its paused state… the music starts… my body begins to move in long, fluid motions – arms, body, legs and feet move together in rhythm to the music… they are mesmerized.

A bad dream? No, just the first time I danced Nia in front of a roomful of people! I was at a networking event and wanted to introduce myself in a unique

way. Well, I stunned ‘em, for sure! Yet, now, if I don’t move as part of my introduction, people come up to me with concern in their faces, asking if I’m still doing… and they move their arms around in the air, mimicking my movement. So, now I’m KNOWN as the woman who does body movement. Now, after leading Nia classes for 10 months, I’m much more comfortable moving in front of groups – and get very different responses depending on where I am!

So, what IS “Nia”, you might ask? Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, says “Nia is a total mind, body, spirit celebration!” A fusion of dance, martial and healing arts, Nia is done barefoot because it’s non-impact and it allows us to move in the body’s natural way. Nia is a fitness form and also captures the emotions and spirituality of those experiencing it. Though

the music of independent artists serves as our movement foundation and rhythm, we each move in our own Natural Time, seeking pleasure in all that we do. With Nia, it is “No Pain, All Gain” which makes it perfect for everyBody.

After leading a class just this morning, my body asked me to tell the class that it loves Nia. So, I did: “Class,” I said, “My body wants you to know that it loves Nia.” They all joined in, exhaling and exclaiming the same thing! One student said “It grounds me so well. It’s been a month since I’ve been to class and I HAD to come to class today!” We ended class together, having started with a focus of gratitude and relieving stress, by stepping forward in a circle and clasping hands. Ah, the joys of community!

I tell people it’s hard to describe the Nia experience because every time you step into class, you’re presenting yourself in a unique state at that moment in time. As a result, you enjoy a different experience each time. In one class you may have high energy and the next you need a more Zen experience. You step into a Nia class not knowing what to expect and step out with a smile on your face and sweat on your brow. I’m still often amazed at how gentle, pleasurable movements, when you’re moving all at once, get the body’s systems going!

Not as rigorous as a traditional

Moving All At Once and Present

by Christine Clifton


or Latin-based aerobics classes, yet as mind-body-spirit-connected as many yoga and martial art forms, Nia enables the individual to bring their own intensity level to class. As a Nia teacher, I coach the student about different ‘levels’ from which they can choose while we are moving through class together. This approach enables someone who has arthritis to be in class next to a tri-athlete and they both are able to get out of class what they want.

The only perfection in a Nia class is that there is none! When I look out on a Nia class, I am often overcome with emotion:

I see them experiencing present time with themselves and their classmates and I feel grateful.

I see them trusting the teacher with their mind, body, emotion, and spirit and I feel in awe.

I see them all moving differently, honoring their body’s way and moving in natural time and I feel joyful.

All of this is “perfection” and just right. What could be more beautiful?

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

and light up the world.

Break Out of the Ordinary!www.BreakOutOfTheOrdinary.com

[email protected]


Moving All At Once and Present

cont’d

believe that life begins to decline at age 30. This is very dangerous thinking. And I mean that in all seriousness. This affects your overall health in ways we are only now beginning to understand. If I were to diagram this symbolically, I would draw a mountain. Take gravity out of the equation and just picture the outline of the mountain. Now apply that to the path of your life. The first half is the line from the ground up, second half moves back down to the ground, with the ground being the end of your life (symbolically, returning to the earth.) If you believe in middle age, odds are you think that

means somewhere between 30 and 50. So let’s look at that. If you think it’s 35, you believe you will only live to be 70. If you think it’s 50, then you expect, at least subconsciously, to survive to 100. Good for you. But here’s the catch... What that means is that you believe that the rest of your life is now going, well, downhill. So now your thoughts, which we know to be conscious energy, begin to program your body based on your beliefs, and from the point you assign as “middle age” you begin to decline and decay. Your body literally begins to move toward the ground. Your skin might sag, your muscles droop, your bones lose calcium so that you actually lose height. You shrink! That’s no fun. So if you believe that middle age is 30, then from 30 to 60, your body believes it is time to decline, and so it does. But your beliefs are just repetition of the same thoughts over and over. In other words, if you shift your point of belief about middle age, you can potentially change how your body ages. Just moving the number to 50 might add years to your life. I would go further than that. I would remove the concept from your

Is There Really Such A Thing As

Middle Age?by Jefferson Harman

No. Well, maybe. Here’s the thing, there is no such thing as reality. Let’s start there. What exists is really agreed upon perception and perspective. In other words, there are seven billion realities going on simultaneously. And that’s just the humans. No two people see the world the same way. And no two people age identically. In my workshops on symbology, I teach that “middle age” is nothing more than an agreed upon societal construct. It’s meaningless. If someone dies at 80, their middle age is 40. But if someone dies at 14, heaven forbid, their middle age is seven. We are taught, almost programmed, how to perceive aging from when we are very young. As Westerners, we have particularly distorted views on this subject. While other cultures may honor and revere the elderly, Western cultures tend to see them as a burden or on their way out. Imagine what that does to the psyche of an elder who chooses to believe it. Mick Jagger summed it up best in the 1967 Rolling Stones hit “Mother’s Little Helper” when he sang to the ‘younger generation’: “What a drag it is getting old”. Because of the counter-culture revolution of the 1960’s many people still



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

[email protected]

Is There Really Such A Thing As Middle Age?

cont’d

vocabulary altogether. If you don’t believe in middle age, then you won’t program your body to decline at all. It may do that on its own, but why would anyone consciously help that process along? What I’m really discussing here is quality of life and health. If we see ourselves as victims of time, we will be just that. If we see ourselves as empowered beings that choose the course of their own lives, we will be just that. So make a choice today to stop worrying about aging. Worrying itself can add lines to your face, but did you know that sheer joy can also take them away again? I know because I’ve experienced this myself. Take a walk outside today and live your life happily. You’ll age how you age, when you will age. Why rush into it?

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


Members Club Offer:

10% Discount

human—and instead become occupied with a moment. You might even call it bliss. I’ve seen pictures of saints and yogis who appear to be very serious but they have a twinkle in their eye, a little smile that says, “I get the joke.” The joke is that the universe isn’t “real”; it’s just playing with us. The saint is saying, “I am playing back, and I am having more fun than you are.” Do you think Jesus enjoyed playing with the universe? Do you think the universe liked playing with Jesus? The scriptural evidence suggests that the universe obeyed Jesus when he spoke to it. If that’s the case, then it doesn’t come from Jesus trying to control the universe in a left-brained way; it comes

from Jesus being so attuned to the energies of creation that whatever he spoke was a command. When I talk about play, I’m not talking about running around for 15 minutes because your doctor said you need more exercise. That’s not play; that’s therapy. I’m talking about losing yourself so fully in whatever you’re engaged in that your sense of time and even your sense of self begin to change. The people who are most successful in life actually make their work into play. They have the most fun doing what they do naturally; work and play are both a natural expression of who they are. Since play is an extension of who you are, it shows up differently for each person. When you play, you are in effect accessing the creative potential of your right brain, a part of you that is undernourished and overlooked and underutilized most of the time. The right brain is what geniuses like Einstein and Tesla used to solve problems in ways no one had ever thought of before. Play can become a meditative tool; it can be a work tool. It can be the paint you use to color your reality. Play can literally be anything that springs to the mind in what I call a sense of “innocent perception.” Jesus said that unless we become like little children we will not

Learning to Play with the Universe

by Richard BartlettAdapted from The Matrix

Energetics Experience, ©2009, Sounds True Publishing

During the 18 years of my medical practice, I’ve noticed that expectation can be both our worst nightmare and our greatest friend. Perhaps you have an expectation about coming to see me as a patient—that this weird doctor or shaman (as I have been described by some) is going to heal you. That expectation can provide the impetus for you to transcend the limits of your body conditions, your mindset, and your emotional circumstances, so that anything is possible in the next moment. If, on the other hand, you believe that transformation is impossible, then your expectations will create that reality. For example, if you have a cut and you’re invested in the belief that it will take the skin two weeks to fully heal, the cut isn’t going to vanish overnight. Learning to play can help break down our expectations, which are just the unconscious rules we apply to reality. They aren’t reality’s rules; they’re our own rules, based on our experiences, cultural conditioning, etc. When you enter into play, you’re no longer thinking about outcomes, because the play is its own reward. You’re totally engaged in the present moment, which means you’re also outside of time. Play happens when you completely forget yourself—forget time, forget space, forget that you are even cont’d on next page


welcoming response from the universe. This process actually sends your brain on a search for meaning. The left brain does not understand the context of the question, because it is open-ended and has no answer, so the right brain then takes over. The right brain has access to what scientists have called the Zero Point energy field. The Zero Point energy field is the point beyond time and space, beyond the rules, beyond the physical laws of the universe—where there is a pure reservoir of untapped potential as energy. If you can let go of your rules and expectations, you can reach into that field. In that moment you can pull some of that pure, universal, unlimited energy into your world, which can change your physical conditions right now. Miracles are possible in the next moment, and anyone can access that potential. Of course, the idea of imaginative play can be a problem for the left-brain conscious mind. Sometimes the way the conscious mind reacts is a benefit, and sometimes it’s a hindrance. Sometimes the conscious mind will simply not pay attention to the play you’re engaged in, so it goes away and you’re able to experience a different outcome. But the conscious mind may also discount the results of play and limit your outcome.

We need to learn to play in a way that has an observable and reproducible outcome—so that the conscious mind has to pay attention, even if it doesn’t know what’s going on. This is accomplished by transitioning from imaginative play to virtual play. In imaginative play, you essentially make things up. You might imagine a particular outcome without actually experiencing it; maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t. With virtual play, you tap into a greater foundational reality and allow for an outcome that’s actually different—not merely imagined to be different. When your play becomes your reality, your every breath becomes a foundational exercise for transforming everything that you believe, see, feel, and experience. When you go beyond just seeing or imagining to actually experiencing or feeling an outcome in your body, you have engaged in virtual play. The exercise that follows will help you develop the ability to experience virtual play for yourself. After each exercise, you’ll find a space in which to record your observations and experiences.

Imagine Your Front Door This is a great practice to start with, because almost everyone can do it successfully. Thus, it’s a great starting place for experiencing virtual


cont’d

enter into the kingdom of heaven. It’s this childlike sense of wonder and possibility that we want to cultivate. If we cultivate strong beliefs and ideas, we will not be open to possibility and instantaneous change. Let’s say, for example, that I had painfully sprained my ankle. If I were to look at my ankle and see a wound that would take six to eight weeks to heal I would be creating an inflexible reality that would not allow for healing to happen in the next moment. If, on the other hand, I were to cultivate the state of innocent perception, I might look at my ankle and see something unexpected—feathers or a frog or a bouncing tennis ball or whatever shows up, unbidden by my conscious mind. I would literally escape the trap of my left brain’s rational awareness, and in that next moment my ankle could be transformed and the sprain could be healed. That is the value of play. One of the best ways to cultivate healing in a given situation is to ask a simple childlike question: What would it be like if things were different right now? The cultivation of asking useful, open-ended questions for which you don’t necessarily have an answer creates a



cool to the touch? Are there dents or scuffs around the frame? Write down your observations, capturing as much detail as you can. You may wish to compare your notes to the actual door, but remember there are no right or wrong answers. You may also try this exercise several days in a row, noticing what changes each time.--------------Richard Bartlett, DC, ND, holds a degree in chiropractic and a degree in naturopathy from Bastyr University. After discovering his own

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

PUBLICITY CONTACT:Lisa Braun Dubbels, Catalyst Publicity & Promotion Group

[email protected]


cont’d

imagination, as it allows you to experience an imagined object that feels “real” instead of simply “made up.” Close your eyes and imagine your front door in as much detail as possible. Reach out and run your fingers over the surface. Is it rough or smooth? Is the paint peeling? Can you picture any unique characteristics of the hardware, such as spots of tarnish on the lock or handle? What colors do you see? Is the surface of the door warm or


What’s on Your Pet’s Play List?

The Healing Power of Music

by Beth Lowell

Working as a pet sitter, I get to see how a lot of dogs and cats live while their humans are away or at work. Some people like to leave on the radio to keep their pets comfortable by maintaining a feeling of consistency. Others



leave the TV on – often tuned to the Animal Planet Channel. (Have you ever watched Animal Planet? I’ve seen snippets while on duty, and let me tell you, some of those shows featuring animal disasters or animals gone wild are actually pretty stressful.) I’m a fan of music for my dogs. I used to leave on the classical station for

them when I went to work; having heard that classical music can have soothing, therapeutic effects. Then my radio died. Around the same time, however, I started listening to a series of guided meditation CDs before I left for work. I watched with interest each morning as my dogs joined me on the floor as soon as they heard the opening gong. They lay down quietly to enjoy the soothing voice of the narrator and the sound of the background music. I could see that they responded to the CD in a way I had not observed when the classical station was on.

They appeared to be actually listening to it. I could see I was onto something big. The first CD I bought for my dogs was Spiritus, by Patrick Bernard. I read about it in Sharon Callahan’s book, Healing Animals Naturally with Flower Essences and Intuitive Listening when I first started learning about flower essences. Composed with the intention of “clearing past disharmony, opening new channels to the inflow of grace, restoring balance, and facilitating deep

communion between all species”, it incorporates the healing vibrations that come from universal spirituality by combining the Vedic, Buddhist, and Christian – Gregorian traditions. My dogs settle in quickly when they hear this

collection (I often also use the Spiritus spray – a blend of flower essences made especially to be used in conjunction with listening to the CD.) I read in Sharon’s book that animals are also quite partial to Brian Eno’s Ambient Music for Airports. Based on how much my dogs enjoyed Spiritus, I quickly added Eno’s album to my

dogs’ play list. Researching it, I learned that Eno had composed the music inspired by the concept of airports – “places of departure where people spend time, sometimes anxious, sometimes bored” – to be both unobtrusive and able to be listened to, and to be calming to listeners. I took special note of the words “anxious and bored” states which pets are often in when left home alone. My next find came when writing a review of Celeste’s Reiki Meditations CD. Celeste did a wonderful job with the guided meditation but what struck me most about her

One of Beth’s favorite clients, Ozzy the Boxer

What’s on Your Pet’s Play List?

cont’d


CD was the music, which consists of many overlays of her voice, along with birdsong from her garden, and the sound of water. Listening to the melodic portions was a healing experience in itself. The love and intention that Celeste brings to her work is palpable. And of course, seeing its calming effects on my dogs, I included her CD called Celestial Sounds, which is music only, in the queue on the CD player. Although my dogs don’t seem to tire of these selections, I’m always looking for something new. I learned about my latest acquisition just recently via a Humane Society of the United States Facebook update. Musician Moby teamed up with HSUS to alleviate the suffering of animals by donating the proceeds of all CDs purchased through the HSUS Humane Domain online shop to go toward improving the lives of animals raised for food. About his latest collaboration with HSUS, Moby said, “Not to be too dramatic, but decreasing the suffering of animals is my life’s work.” So next time you leave home, consider playing something for your animals that is more than just

background noise. Music’s healing effect is due to its vibrations that resonate deeply, literally striking a chord within us at the cellular level, but equally important is the intention with which it is created – something that all of these CDs have in common.

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

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


Elusive Musingsby Sarah Collins

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

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

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

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itman

that develops as your friends, neighbors and family move away, leave jobs, or pass on. So assess where you are. Do you need more insurance or do you need more good friends, hugs, conversation and support? You may have more time to re-connect with hopes and dreams that have long been put aside. Take time to explore the new options. Take a prescription or join a walking club? Eat whatever’s available or eat with discernment? Have an extra drink or have a glass of refreshing water? Health is often the result of very small choices along the way. So choose wisely for the best you can be! So, the seven hugs a day… reduce blood pressure, help you breathe more deeply and help to balance the body’s energy. Try giving seven hugs a day and be open to receive as well. It’ll change your whole outlook on life and insurances. In this time of great change, we become empowered to change our own lives. Choose to live more consciously; each small decision makes your life better. Call a friend, join a walking group, invite someone to lunch. Health care becomes whatever you expect it to be. Chopra says our bodies age because we think they should.

Health is much the same. We follow the old patterns unless we wake up and decide to live a simpler, more authentic life. We can follow the medical model all the way through long term care or we can create a new model of friends and community and useful purpose. Search your heart and become involved in re-connecting with the nurturing you need to be healthy and strong.--------------Since the age of four, Shirley Scranta has had a rare condition requiring her to drink huge amounts of water. To keep herself healthy, she’s studied many nutritional and bodywork alternatives. She’s tried medicines, foods, relaxation and bodywork. Today, she drinks much less water and has lots of experiences to share!

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

Health Care in Middle Age

by Shirley Scranta

Ok, who believes health care can be as simple as giving and receiving seven hugs a day? Children? Adults? Grandparents? Take a few seconds to consider how your concept of health care has evolved. Once, we believed that a bandage and a kiss from Mom would make everything better. Remember how re-assuring it felt to be told “all will be better before you get married!” Or “Just wash it off, it’s all gone!” or “Let Mommy kiss it”. Life was quite simple then. We received a hug, a kiss and some nurturing (maybe a popsicle or cookie) and went on our way to the next adventure. We felt loved and safe. As we set off to conquer the world, we had few cares about health care. We were invincible! Ah, a few car accidents, a few illnesses-but overall we didn’t much care or listen to much detail. That all changed as soon as we became the parent. Now, we wanted to protect those we loved. We sought the best of insurances that we could afford. Only insurance isn’t enough to make it all better. We watched our parents struggle with health concerns. We learned fear of illness or accident and therefore bought more insurances to cover all possibilities. While insurance is there for the emergency surgery or catastrophic event, there is no insurance for the extreme loneliness and emptiness


connected instantly! From that point on, our friendship grew. She is someone who always beamed with love and light! She had such a good sense of humor and witty sarcasm – she could always make you laugh! She was always such a giver and caretaker – even in her last days, she was worrying about everyone else! She never ceased to amaze me in her levels of strength! I can only imagine how difficult it must be to continue to stay strong and positive, and pick yourself up when battling the fight of cancer... but Lauren always did. She was so strong that she had to be reminded to break down and cry to release all of those intense emotions!! The one time I really saw her let go, was during the retreat to Lake Koinonia with the Holistic Mentorship Network. She invited me on this retreat, and I am so incredibly grateful we

went together! We had such a fabulous time, connected with so many terrific people, and both became members! :> That weekend was the first weekend I saw her let go, and I am so grateful I was there to hold her in my arms! After that release of emotions... she boogied her buns off that night at the fire drumming circle!! :> I was so proud of her, and it will always be a memory that brings a huge smile to my face! I admire her on so many levels! She was a terrific friend and the rock of her family! She will forever be in my heart... and she is so missed! I pray for the emotional healing of her family and loved ones... and I am grateful she is now an angel watching over all of us.

A Tribute to HMN colleague and friend,

Lauren Panzica June 30, 2009

by Abby Nickerson

I first met Lauren as a student in one of the Foot Reflexology classes I teach. I believe it was about four or five years ago now. Shortly after the class, she began working at the Center for Optimum Living in Kinnelon, where I was working as a massage therapist. Although she felt so familiar, I did not recognize her at that time, until she reminded me that she was in one of my classes. She told me she knew that weekend that we were going to work together and be friends. Well... she was so right, and I am so grateful! We


Book Review

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

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

The Woman I Am: A Memoir by Helen Reddy

reviewed by Jefferson Harman


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

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

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

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

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

The Soloistby Steve Lopez

reviewed by Cindy De Pue


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

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

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

Book Review


Announcements

HMN member and Natural

Health columnist Sarah

Collins announces that

her first book, The Little

Guide to Big Changes:

6 Steps to Creating

Lasting, Positive Change

in Your Life has just been

published by New Pathways

Press. It is available at

Amazon.com as well as

the publisher’s website,

NewPathwaysPress.com.

Please see the ad on the

inside back cover of this

issue of MARCI™!

Cecelia H. Inwentarz, MBA,

Wave-Maker Energy Therapist,

is joining the Gibbons Holistic

Chiropractic & Wellness Centre

at 601 Jefferson Road,

Parsippany. A FREE, 1/2 hour

Introductory Consultation is

being offered for September, on

a limited basis. CeCe will focus

on your pain to identify your

“Healthiest Belief” and show

you a quick & easy method to

“Energize and Attract” Self-

Healing into your life.

Call 973.887.0860 to set up

your FREE consultation.

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

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

Who is MARCI™? What does she look like?

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

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

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

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

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

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

or call the office: 973.300.1184.

Documents

MARCI Fall 09