Natural Awakenings Houston March 2019

E R F

E

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

Dance: 3-D Therapy

body, mind, emotions, and spirit

Yoga and Transformation yoga is self-acceptance

NUTRITION UPGRADES

Five Strategies for Better Eating

Expanded Digital Edition

March 2019 | Houston Edition | NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

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mission

statement

To empower individuals to live a healthier lifestyle on a healthier planet.

To educate communities on the latest in natural health and sustainability.

To connect readers with local wellness resources and events, inspiring them to lead more balanced lives.

Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 70 healthy living magazines celebrating 25 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

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Contents 15 Yoga and Transformation Yoga is self-acceptance

16 Nutrition Upgrades Five Strategies for Better Eating

20 Dance: 3-D Therapy

body, mind, emotions & spirit ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 713-927-6540 or email: mike@naturalawakenings-houston.com.

Deadline for ads: the 5th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: mike@naturalawakenings-houston.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Calendar@NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 5th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

3

Houston

21 The Path to Wealth How to make a dream come true

DEPARTMENTS 5 13 15 24 28

affirming naturally conscious eating yoga naturally calendar resource guide

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

20

letter from publisher

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

Greetings.

HOUSTON EDITION

It’s almost springtime here at The Cabin.

Days and nights are warmer. The wildflowers we planted in the fall have begun to bloom and the vegetable garden will soon show promise of delicious produce. The winter has been challenging but it is past and the promise of spring is upon us.

Cindy & Mike Hart

EDITOR

Mike Hart

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Helene Leininger Stephanie Herriman Tammy Leal

This month’s themes of Nutrition Upgrades and Managing Allergies is especially appropriate. If you aren’t planning to grow your own veggies, take a tour of some of our local farmer’s markets. You will be surprised how good fresh local food tastes and how much better you feel when you are eating more of it. While springtime flowers are beautiful, there is all that pollen. This month we feature an article about how exercise, done the right way, can help with your allergy problems. Be sure to check it out.

If these articles peak your interest, check out the other extra articles in our newly expanded digital edition. You can receive it free via email by texting NAHTX to 66866. All articles in the print and digital flipbook editions are also available as Mobile Stories especially formatted for viewing on your Smartphone or Android. Just download the free ISSUU app.

Until next month, remember that the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Doyle Ward Michael Gott

Linda Sechrist SALES & MARKETING

Barbara Silberg WEBSITE

Mike Hart

NATIONAL TEAM CEO/FOUNDER Sharon Bruckman COO/FRANCHISE SALES Joe Dunne NATIONAL EDITOR Jan Hollingsworth MANAGING EDITOR Linda Sechrist NATIONAL ART DIRECTOR Stephen Blancett ART DIRECTOR Josh Pope FINANCIAL MANAGER Yolanda Shebert FRANCHISE SUPPORT MGR. Heather Gibbs WEBSITE COORDINATOR Rachael Oppy NATIONAL ADVERTISING Kara Cave © 2019 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers.

Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are weresponsible for the products and services advertised.

Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

bright blessings,

Mike & Cindy Hart

Dealing with PAIN after Cancer Treatment?

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Text NAHTX to 66866 © 2019 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

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We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

First Session

Mention Natural Awakenings Call: 832-378-0906 4151 Southwest, FWY Suite 610 - Houston, TX 77027

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4

affirming naturally

Change

by Doyle Ward

You have more than 55,000 thoughts each day. Many are the same

thoughts over and over again. Every single one is an affirmation; this also includes everything that you say. By reducing your negative thoughts and words and increasing the positive ones, you can reshape your life. Expecting a better day helps to create a better life. The only place we have to take action or make changes is the present Spring is fast approaching. The change of seasons is a good time to start working on the changes that you want to bring in to your life.

Choose something that you would like to change, remove or bring into your life. Start by choosing one and decide on a few simple actions to start you on the way. Now, create some affirmations, positive statements to create a powerful mind-set for creating and achieving what you desire. Work with your affirmations as often as you can by thinking them, saying them and writing them.

It is easy for me to make the changes that I desire.

The only thing that you are guaranteed in life is this moment. Working with positive affirmations can radically change your mindset. Say them and write them repeatedly with the feeling that they are your truth. You have the power to make great changes in yourself and the world. I know this is true because I have made huge changes in my life by changing my thoughts.

Doyle Ward, Blissful Quests ÂŽ Doyle Ward is a successful life coach, workshop leader and lecturer in the field of personal development. Listen to him live on inflowradio.com each Wednesday at 1 p.m. CT. see ad on page 9

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Houston

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

Yoga for Mind, Body and Spirit with Lin Weis Yoga for Mind, Body and Spirit with Lin Weiss has moved to a new location at The Good Space, 5757 Woodway, Suite 150. Lin will be teaching Integrative Hatha Yoga for mind, body and spirit at 9:00am on Saturdays and Yin with Lin for deep tissue release at 9:30am on Wednesdays.

For more information, contact Lin at: 713.858.8595 conscioushealingnow.com See ad on page 11

Local Pain Remedy Uses Time-Tested Ingredients Correction: It has come to our attention that in last month’s Natural Awakenings we incorrectly stated that Aunt Alberta’s Remedy has been used for “respiratory conditions such as chronic mucus discharge”. The corrected article follows below.

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C.E. Smith, a local entrepreneur, has introduced Aunt Alberta’s Remedy to the market. Her Aunt Alberta mixed natural herbs to develop remedies that “cured everything that ailed you.” Her Remedy is a homeopathic pain relief cream that penetrates deep into the skin and muscle tissues. Several time-tested ingredients, oil of wintergreen, iodine, and castor oil are combined to bring effective pain relief results.

Oil of wintergreen is extracted from leaves of a small evergreen herb. The plant has been used for rheumatoid arthritis but is mainly employed for joint and muscular pain relief from conditions such as lumbago, sciatica, neuralgia, gout, and fibroblast.

Wintergreen is often added to liniments and ointments to help ease muscle and joint pains.

Wintergreen should not be used by people who are allergic to aspirin and should never be ingested only used topically. lt is a fine addition for supporting joint and muscular aches and pains.

The Remedy combines oil of wintergreen with Atomidine iodine, a natural product that influences physical and mental growth and nerve and muscle tissue function. lt is easy to absorb into the skin and is an essential nutrient. The active ingredients are combined with castor oil to penetrate deep into tissues, to soften and enrich the skin cells for renewed pliable skin.

Aunt Alberta’s Remedy auntalbertaspainrelief.com see ad on page 30

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book spotlight

UNLOCK THE HEALING POWER WITHIN A Guide to Unlocking the Power Within New Book Combines Ancient Practices With Latest Science

Grow a New Body offers shamanic practices alongside cutting-edge science, detox strategies, and power-plant foods that can switch-on every cell’s ability to regenerate and repair.

Grow A New Body: How SPIRIT and Power Plant NUTRIENTS Can Transform Your Health, by Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D., provides advice on how shamanic practices, cutting-edge science, detox strategies and power-plant foods can activate our cells’ ability to regenerate and repair.

The book, available beginning March 12, includes a foreword by Christiane Northrup, M.D. “We all started out from an egg and a sperm that met and fused in an environment conducive to development,” says Villoldo of the foundation for his program. “As cells quickly divided, multiplied, and differentiated into specific types of cells, they followed careful biological instructions that are stored deep within our DNA. Our fully developed bodies can access and switch on those same coded instructions—but first, we need to prepare the environment.”

Villoldo, who formerly directed the Biological Self-Regulation Lab as a clinical professor at San Francisco State University, has studied the healing practices of Amazon and Andean shamans for 25 years. He previously co-authored A Shaman’s Miraculous Tools for Healing with Anne E. O’Neill, and has also written several other books.

For more information including pre-ordering the book, visit GrowANewBody.com or AlbertoVilloldoPhD.com. Also available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound.org and others

JOE DISPENZA, DC “Alberto Villoldo, PhD does a brilliant job in carefully demystifying age-old wisdom with practical cutting edge science.”

See ad to the Right.

Learn more at

GrowaNewBody.com Available March 12

7

Houston

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

Victoria’s Natural Market & Farm

Would You Like To Detoxify Your Body, Increase Blood Circulation, & Potentially Lower Your Blood Pressure?

Experience Our 60-Minute Thai Combination Massage With Hot Stones & Hot Towels

Victoria’s Natural Market is a farmer’s market style storefront set on 15 acres of rural property conveniently located just inside 99 Grand Parkway between Hwy 290 and Hwy 249. They seek out the highest quality local meat, milk, eggs, produce, cheese, and honey. They also host a local artisan baker. Everything they carry comes from within a two hour drive, and they personally visit and maintain direct relationships with all of our farmers, ranchers, and partners to ensure that what comes to your table is exactly what the label says it is.

CallTo Schedule Your Massage 346-980-5901 The Healing Path Massage

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All of their animal products are from pastured animals eating what nature intended, and they are humanely processed. They are hormone and antibiotic free and grazed on rotationally maintained pasture.

Their vegetables are organic and free from pesticides, insecticides, and synthetic fertilizers. Some of the vegetables are even grown right here on the property. The artisan bread they sell is made from organic ingredients with no additives or dough conditioners, and the sourdough is properly slowly fermented.

Their vision also includes embarking on a journey of permaculture and habitat restoration on the property. Come and meet the small friendly, knowledgeable, helpful staff that is ready to support you in eating for health. They are open 9 – 5 Saturdays and Sundays and are excited to be building healthy communities among people, the earth, and food!

Victoria’s Natural Market and Farm 20158 Bauer Hockley Rd., Tomball, TX 77377 www.victoriasnaturalmarket.com info@victoriasnaturalmarket.com

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Local Reiki Training Events

GREEN IS SEEN when you advertise with us 713-927-6540

R

eiki is a subtle vibration healing therapy that gently promotes balance in body, mind, and spirit. Reiki restores synergy and helps a wide range of ailments and stresses. Many people need the beauty of silence; a Reiki session will calm the mind, expand inner awareness, enhance transformation, and promote positive growth. It harmonizes and optimizes the body/mind processes by unlocking creativity, accelerating spiritual growth, and it encourages positive change in life.

If you have heard about Reiki or experienced Reiki and wondered with it would be like to become a Reiki practitioner or even a Reiki Master, you have two opportunities in March to find out.

The Reiki Tummo Houston event is on March 18-18. They include Reiki I, II & III, Open-Heart Meditation, and Kundalini Workshop. There are prerequisites for some of the offerings. For more information or to register: /houston-tx. reikitummo-usa.com. 832-316-6355 openhearthouston@gmail.com The second offering is by A Life of Peace Wellness Education Institute is offering a FREE Naturopathic Wellness Reiki Level 1 Certification on March 30th here in Houston. For more information or to register, go to their website at www.a-life-of-peace.org/reiki-certification

Coming Next Month APRIL

Sustainable Living plus: Creative Arts Therapy

life coach - : a partner/champion for your full potential helping with clarity, setting and reaching goals or overcoming challenges.

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NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

health briefs

Meditation and Music M

editating or listening to classical music altered biomarkers associated with cellular aging and Alzheimer’s disease in adults experiencing memory loss, according to a recent West Virginia University study. The 60 participants had subjective cognitive decline, including forgetting familiar names and losing objects, a condition that may be a preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s. For 12 minutes a day, they either listened to instrumental classical music or did a kirtan kriya meditation involving chanting, visualization and finger poses. After three months, all subjects had increases in a key beta amyloid peptide protective from Alzheimer’s, as well as better memory, mood, sleep and quality of life, while the meditation group experienced significantly better improvements. Activity in two chromosomal markers of cellular aging—telomere length and telomerase activity—increased for both groups, especially among those that practiced more frequently or started with lower cognitive scores. The improved biomarkers were maintained or even strengthened three months after the study ended.

Lemon Balm Lowers Blood Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a soothing herb fromthe mint family,

can significantly improve the condition of patients with chronic stable angina, reports a recent study in the Journal of Herbal Medicine. Researchers at Iran’s Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences tested 80 patients with the condition, which involves chest pain linked to a lack of blood flow to the heart. The patients were given three one-gram doses a day of lemon balm powder or a placebo.

After two months, the patients given the lemon balm had significant reductions of “bad” low-density cholesterol (LDL), both systolic and diastolic blood pressure,and increased workout capacity, a measure of heart function.

Light Pollution Disturbs Sleep Being exposed to high levels of artificial

outdoor light at night contributes to insomnia and greater use of sleeping pills, reports a new study from South Korea’s Seoul National University College of Medicine.

The researchers studied the records of 52,027 people without diagnosed sleep disorders—60 percent of them women—and correlated their sleeping pill use with their residential location relative to artificial outdoor light intensity. The brighter the outdoor lighting, the more likely were sleep issues and the greater and more frequent use of sleeping pills. The study joins other research that has shown that artificial nighttime lighting—outdoors and indoors—disrupts circadian rhythms, potentially leading to such metabolic and chronic diseases and conditions as cancer, diabetes, obesity and depression.

Pine Bark Soothes Prostate Benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH), a condition that affects

half of men older than 60, is related to increased prostate gland size and a reduced flow of urine from the bladder. To test the effectiveness of the pine bark extract Pycnogenol on BPH, researchers from Italy’s D’Annuncio University divided 75 men with the condition into three groups: One was given 150 milligrams a day of Pycnogenol, another received standard non-drug management and the third was given conventional drug treatment. The researchers found that urination frequency, urgency, intermittency and nighttime occurrences significantly improved after 60 days of treatment among the pine bark extract group.

Rose Hip Reduces Cold Symptoms During the six months of Denmark’s

frigid winter, 107 study volunteers took either two grams of liquid rose hip (marketed as Hyben Vital) or a placebo daily.

University of Copenhagen researchers found that the rose hip group experienced 18 percent fewer colds, as well as significantly fewer symptoms such as coughing, headache, muscle stiffness and fatigue when they did get a cold.

NA Fun Fact: Natural Awakenings is published in more than 70 U.S. markets.

To advertise with us, call 713-927-6540.

10

global brief

Fake Foliage

Bionic Leaf Tops Plants in Photosynthesis

Poles Apart

Earth’s Extremities on the Edge

T

he North Pole and South Pole each hav unique, pristine environments, virtually untouched by civilization, but a pair of federal studies cast doubt upon their future status. The National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA), in a study based on satellite data, warned that ancient glaciers in West Antarctica, thought to be more stable than those to the east, are “waking up” and beginning to dump ice into the sea, which could further

contribute to rising sea levels. A second NOAA study reported that glaciers at the top of the world are also thawing, melting and breaking down. According to that document, the Arctic is undergoing a period of “record and near-record warmth, unlike any period on record.” Lead Arctic NOAA researcher Emily Osborne announced at amajor geoscience conference, “The Arctic is experiencing the most unprecedented transition in human history.”

Yoga for Body, Mind and Spirit with Lin Weiss Integrative Hatha Therapeutic Asana Practice for All Levels 9:00am Saturdays

Yin With Lin for Deep Tissue Release 9:30am Wednesdays

B

ionic Leaf 2.0, a new, artificial photosynthesis system developed by a team headed by Harvard University scientists, takes in carbon dioxide, water and sunshine to create a sugary fuel. Solar energy splits up a water molecule, and bacteria turn hydrogen and carbon dioxide into liquid fuel, mainly isopropanol, which could be used someday to power a car.

An improvement on their prior effort a year earlier, the new system has a catalyst made of cobalt and phosphorus, increasing the efficiency of the reaction to 10 percent. Normal photosynthesis in plants is just 1 percent efficient at converting solar energy to biomass. This technology has the potential to bring another type of solar energy to th eplanet, especially in the developing world.

Don’t think, just do. ~Horace

Choose Your Pathway to Success...

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Sleep Apnea Relief

Natural solutions FOR ALL YOUR HEALTH NEEDS • Sleep Apnea • Bruises, Strains, tissue damage • Sinus Infection • Skin Rash Designed for my family, Shared with yours.

Order online at MyNaturesRite.com or call 800-991-7088

Helps ensure deep, steady breathing throughout the night, improving the efficiency of the lungs and relaxing muscles to address sleep apnea.

Injury Repair Ankle sprains, bruises, painful elbows and shoulders all need help during repair. Bruise, Strain & Tear Repair clears the bruising and keeps the healing process going for as long as you apply it. Get a complete repair naturally.

Sinus Infection Sinus Relief offers a nasal spray that is both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial in a convenient spray bottle. Super Neti Juice offers the same antimicrobial power with soothing, subtle peppermint. Powerful tools to combat germs.

Rash Relief This powerful herbal lotion is designed to relieve the pain and itch of eczema. while correcting the cause and repairing the skin. A healthy and natural approach to correcting skin rash without dangerous drugs.

Are you creative, driven and passionate about healthy living?

Inspire others to make choices that benefit themselves and the world around them by owning a Natural Awakenings franchise.

Learn more today: NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/Franchise

239-530-1377 Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 70 healthy living magazines celebrating 25 years. This is a meaningful homebased business opportunity that provides training and ongoing support. No previous publishing experience is required.

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Houston

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

conscious eating

Delicious Discards

Making Meals From Mainly Scraps

by April Thompson

Food scraps are no

longer relegated to just making soup, stock and sauces that hide their true nature.

Creative chefs are reawakening to the possibilities of skins, cores, rinds and other parts we’ve needlessly been throwing away, with startling results.

“Cooking with scraps is good for the planet and good for the pocketbook.

Forty percent of food produced goes uneaten, unnecessarily filling the landfill with hundreds of billions of dollars of food,” says Lindsay-Jean Hard, a chef in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the author of Cooking With Scraps: Turn Your Peels, Cores, Rinds, and Stems into Delicious Meals.

Yet the real driving force behind Hard’s unusual, scrap-based recipes is the joy of creativity and innovation. “It’s fun to challenge yourself to create something delicious out of something no one would think edible, like my banana peel cake,” says Hard.

Mads Refslund, a Danish chef living in New York City, seeks nature in food by cooking and serving it on the plate. “In nature, there is no ugly, no trash, just cycles of change. Using all the parts is a way of respecting the plant, the fish, the animal and its life,” says the co-author

of Scraps, Wilt & Weeds: Turning Wasted Food into Plenty.

Tama Matsuoka Wong, forager and co-author of Scraps, Wilt & Weeds, points to the cultural relativism of cooking, noting that our ancestors or other cultures may think that modern Americans are throwing away the best parts of our food. “Some of the best flavor and nutrients can be found in vegetable, fruit and fish skins that often get discarded,” says Matsuoka Wong.

Both Scraps, Wilt & Weeds and Cooking with Scraps are intended as reference guide to provide inspiration to home chefs, rather than rigid cookbooks to be followed with precision. Matsuoka Wong suggests trying to work with the ingredients at hand, using substitutions as needed, instead of buying an ingredient just to follow a recipe.

Cooking from scraps requires a shift in mindset about our food and a new mindfulness about our habits in the kitchen, says Matsuoka Wong. “Before automatically throwing something away or composting, pause and think, what might I do with this?” she says.

Hard suggests choosing one new ingredient at a time to work with, old bread being an easy one to start with. “Stale bread can easily be transformed into breadcrumbs and croutons that can add nice texture to a lot of dishes,” says Hard.

“Nail a couple things you can make out of anything, like fried rice or frittatas, which are both very accepting of most any ingredient you add,” says Matsuoka Wong. Hard agrees that simple, hearty dishes like layered casseroles or tasty tempura can be great ways to clean out the odds and ends in the crisper.

Sometimes the toughest ingredients can yield the tastiest meal. Hard admits to having been stumped by what to do with the non-fleshy part of artichoke leaves, which can be tough and bitter, until she developed a recipe for artichoke leaf nachos.

Edible weeds, leaves, stalks and stems of all kinds, including celery, asparagus ends and carrot tops, make for great pesto, which is itself a versatile ingredient—great for sandwiches, dips, pastas and more—and it freezes well, Hard says. Fish scales can be fried and eaten like potato chips; they are a crunchy bar snack in Japan, notes Matsuoka Wong. Fish carcasses or shrimp shells can also be boiled down into stock for risotto or seafood chowder, suggests Hard.

Fruit cores can be boiled into sweet syrup for cocktails or non-alcoholic refreshments, or distilled down into vinegars.

Fruit peels can be crisped up into a healthy snack or boiled into a tea. Hard likes to infuse tequila with beet peels for a dramatic look and a little extra flavor. Fruit or vegetable tops such as pineapples, strawberries, cucumbers and leftover herbs can be used to infuse water or vinegar. Water from canned beans, known as aquafaba, is a great stand-in for egg whites to make everything from homemade vegan mayo to fudgy brownies.

“Cooking with scraps shouldn’t be intimidating or overwhelming or feel like a chore: They’re just ingredients,” says Hard. “The more you cook using these recipes, the more familiar the concepts will become, and you’ll realize how easy it is to adapt them to make them your own.”

April Thompson is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C. Connect at AprilWrites.com.

It is not how old you are, but how you are old. ~Jules Renard

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Banana Peel Cake With Brown Sugar Frosting For one, two-layer cake: Peels from 2 very ripe bananas, stem and very bottom discarded (see note) ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for buttering the pans 1½ cups granulated sugar 2 large eggs, separated ½ cup buttermilk 1⅔ cups cake flour, (gluten-free if needed), plus more flour for flouring the pans 1 tsp baking soda ¼ tsp baking powder ½ tsp fine-grain sea salt For the frosting: ½ cup unsalted butter 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar ¼ cup milk, 2 percent or higher 1¾ to 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut the banana peels into 1-inch pieces and place them in a small saucepan with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly, then drain the banana peels, reserving a cup of the cooking water.

Butter and flour the sides of two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter and flour the pans again to coat the paper.

Transfer the peels and the cup of cooking water to a tall, narrow container and purée with an immersion blender or a mini food processor until completely smooth.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until incorporated, and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix in the banana peel mixture, then stir in the buttermilk until well combined.

whisk in one cup of the powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

Add the remainder of it if the frosting is too loose. Use the frosting immediately as it will begin to thicken and stiffen as it sits.

To remove the cake from the pans, invert one cake pan on a serving plate, lift off the pan and peel off the parchment. Repeat for the second cake pan. Put one layer of the cake on a serving platter and spread about one third of the frosting evenly over the top. Set the other layer on top, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides.

Note: Banana peels contain some of the same proteins found in latex and could cause an allergic reaction. Those same proteins might also make your immersion blender feel slightly gummy to the touch. Rub the surface down with cooking oil before washing it.

Excerpted from Cooking With Scraps: Turn Your Peels, Cores, Rinds, and Stems into Delicious Meals by Lindsay-Jean Hard.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients with the butter mixture and stir gently, just until combined.

Put the egg whites in another bowl (make sure it’s dry) and whisk until soft peaks form, either by hand or with the whisk attachment on an electric mixer. If using an electric mixer, start slowly and gradually increase speed to medium-high.

You’re done when you pull out the whisk or beater and a soft peak is formed, but immediately collapses. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter and divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.

Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake pulls out with dry crumbs rather than wet batter, about 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans.

When the cakes are cool, make the frosting. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Remove from the heat and let cool until lukewarm. Gradually

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Houston

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

Yoga & Transformation

by Lin Weiss

Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.

B.K.S. Iyengar There is a divine blueprint for revelation dwelling deep within each individual soul for his or her own discovery, in his own time, and in her own way. We have the opportunity to grow in adversity, or perceived discomfort. The valleys in our lives seem to be the place where we finally realize the call for change and begin our transformation process. This is the proverbial “rock bottom” or muse that can facilitate growth, awareness and metamorphosis.

For the yogi, a regular practitioner, the sacred space of one’s mat is where we can resolve the demons of our resistance, struggle, fear, grief, attachment and the illusion of control. It is yoga practice, not yoga perfect and there is something innately healing in the confrontation of these demons through our asana practice. It’s impossible to define, but once one has experienced the mysteries of revelation on the mat we return again and again. Some of the common experiences that emerge quite naturally from a dedicated practice are more compassion for self and other; an increased sense of wellbeing and vitality; clarity; more patience and calm; a release of grief and/or spontaneous joy. Ask any yogi and they will confirm: “When I make time for yoga I have more time.”

Yoga is not about self-improvement, it’s about self-acceptance.

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa Classical Yoga has been practiced for well over 4000 years as a path to self-awareness and liberation. In contrast to its modern Western transplanted forms, traditional Yoga practice

essentially consists of ancient postures and meditative practices culminating in a state of consciousness free from all modes of active or discursive thought. Eventually attaining a state where consciousness is unaware of any object external to itself, that is, being only aware of its own nature as consciousness unmixed with any other object. This state is not only desirable in its own right, but its attainment guarantees the practitioner freedom from material pain or suffering, and, indeed, is the primary classical means of attaining liberation from the limited cycle of birth and death in the yogic traditions.

While the yoga asanas (postures) are beneficial to the body in so many ways, the actual practice is a means of clearing the mind and cultivating freedom from the thousands of extraneous thoughts that cross the mind each day.

A consistent practice begins to free the body from the mind, creating spaciousness between the vertebrae and disks, bringing fresh oxygen into the body, opening areas of tightness, chronic tension and relieving pain in mind and body. Those who make a commitment to the practice discover bliss in their bodies and a feeling of being at home in their own souls. There is often a newfound feeling of hope and purpose that is restored as mental perceptions, physical holding patterns and inertia are released through the gentle albeit powerful practice of traditional Hatha Yoga Hatha Yoga is the foundational discipline on which nearly all other styles of yoga are based. Classical Hatha addresses the musculoskeletal, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular & endocrine systems of the human body, placing emphasis on correct posture development and healthy anatomy.

Yin Yoga is becoming wildly popular for it’s dynamic ability to heal connective tissue, joints, tendons, ligaments and fascia. Postures are held longer, 3-5 minutes allowing for deep tissue release while untying the physical and emotional knots that bind us. It is an inherently contemplative practice and like meditation can actually rewire neural pathways in the brain healing trauma, anxiety and balancing neurochemistry.

Consistent practice provides an excellent foundation for a lifetime of self-discovery, building strength and vitality. Yoga is for everybody and therapeutic for beginner, intermediate and advanced students of all ages. Just begin.

Namaste’ Lin As a certified Yoga Therapist, Lin Weiss is trained in the physiological benefits of Asana (yoga postures) and pranayama breathing technique; steeped in the study of the human anatomy & the psycho-spiritual and health benefits of a consistent yoga practice.

Integrative Hatha Yoga Classes: 9:00am Saturdays.

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NUTRITION UPGRADES Five Strategies for Better Health

by Melinda Hemmelgarn

Springtime brings a desire to clean up

our diets and refresh our plates. Here are five worthy strategies for upgrading nutrition and greeting the season with a renewed sense of well-being.

Ditch dieting.

According to the Boston Medical Center, an estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet each year and spendmore than $30 billion annually on weightloss products. Despite this hefty investment, restrictive diets don’t work, says Sandra Aamodt, a neuroscientist based in northern California. Aamodt co-presented the Neurobiology of Dieting: Evidence for Improving Mental Health With a Self-Care Approach session at the Academyof Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) annual meeting last October in Washington, D.C. “Diets are not harmless,” Aamodt explains. “They create stress, persistent hunger trigger eating disorders such as binge eating and even make people fatter over time.

”It’s better to take a kinder approach, says Rebecca Scritchfield, a Washington, D.C.-based registered dietitian and Aamodt’s co-presenter. Scritchfield is the author of Body Kindness: Transform Your HealthFrom the Inside Out – and Never Say Diet Again. She teaches her clients to value their self-worth regardless of body size, practice mindful eating and focus on overall self-care: Think enjoyable physical activity, adequate sleep and positive self-talk.

Mindful eating includes paying attention to thoughts and feelings that trigger eating such as hunger, but also stress, boredom and loneliness, says Californiabasedregistered dietitian Andrea Lieberstein,who wrote Well Nourished: Mindful Practices to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Feed Your Whole Self, and End Overeating. She encourages clients toidentify voids in their lives and fill themwith healthy relationships and pleasurable activities, rather than food The “health at any size” philosophy is accepted by a growing number of health and nutrition experts, including Annie Kay,a registered dietitian and

registered yoga therapist at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. She’s the author of Every Bite is Divine: The Balanced Approach to Enjoying Eating, Feeling Healthy and Happy, and Getting to a Weight That’s Natural for You. Kay injects compassion into her work, promoting stress reduction, conscious eating and finding peace for individuals to reach their natural weight.

Learn how to cook and garden. The best

dietary upgrade starts in our own kitchens, where the cook controls the ingredients. Home cooking with fresh, whole foods is at the heart of feeding ourselves well.

Processed food manufacturers would like us to equate cooking with drudgery or think that cooking takes too much time, yet this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Tanmeet Sethi, an integrative physician at the Swedish Cherry Hill Family Medicine Residency, in Seattle, established a culinary medicine program that includes both cooking and gardening classes. Sethi says, “Eating is sacred; it’s our connection to the earth.” She also believes there is wisdom in the way food has been traditionally cooked. Sethi recommends a Mediterranean eating pattern for its power to reduce depression and ward off chronic diseases. She also promotes the “herb and spice pharmacy” to reduce inflammation and treat and prevent disease. For example, she says, “Ginger and turmeric both act on the same biochemical pathways as antiin-

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flammatory medicines.”

Cooking and eating together as a s power family has multiple benefits, too, imo reduce proving children’s nutrition, self-esteem epressionand school performance. Best of all, says nd ward Sethi, “Family meals allow us to connect ff chronicwith the people we love.” Put away phones, turn off screens and truly tune in iseases. to each other. he also Connecting to the earth through romotes gardening also improves our health, ache “herb cording to both Wendy Demark-Wahnend spice fried, a registered dietitian and associate harmacy”director of the University of Alabama at o reduce Birmingham’s Comprehensive Cannflamma- cer Center, and Diana Dyer, a Michion and gan-based organic farmer, registered eat and dietitian and author of A Dietitian’s revent Cancer Story: Information & Inspiration for Recovery & Healing. They promote isease. gardening as a way to interact with naor ture, reduce stress and improve quality of xample, life. With just a small patch of soil, home he says, and community gardens provide a ready Ginger source of affordable, fresh and nutritious nd tur- vegetables and herbs. meric both ct on the Eat to protect our ame bioplanet. According to hemical the American Public Health Association, cliathwayas anti-inmate change is a major threat to our ammatopopulation. Droughts, y medifires, storms and flooding nes.” create obvious challenges to growing crops, but new research also shows how ooking increasing levels of carbon dioxide in nd eating the atmosphere decreases the nutritional ogether quality of food, leading to lower levels of s a familyprotein and minerals. One solution is to as mul- change the way we farm and eat. ple benFor example, Jennifer Jay, Ph.D., a its, too, professor of environmental engineering mproving in the Civil and Environmental Engihildren’s neering Department at the University of utrition, California Los Angeles, calculated the elf-es- carbon footprints and climate impacts of a variety of food choices. In general, she em and says, the fewer animal products in our dichool ets, the lower the greenhouse gas impact. erforBut meat and other animal proucts need mance. not be totally off the table. Simply est of all,choose smaller portions and whenays Sethi, possible,purchase local pasture-raised Family products produced without antibiotics and hormones. Organic food production meals low us introduces less fertilizers, pesticides, o con- antibiotic-resistant bacteria and green-

ect with

house gases into our environment. So, what’s best for the planet is best for us.

Jay provides easy, plant-based and planet-friendly recipes at Meals4Planet. org.

Support gut health. Around 400

B.C., Hippocrates said, “Bad digestion is the root of all evil.”

Fast forward through the centuries to today, and one of the hottest areas of research in health, medicine and nutrition revolves around the microbiome; more specifically, the community of microorganisms living in the gut.

“Seventy percent of our immune system is in the lining of the gut,” explains Sethi, which is why she advises,“Feed the bacteria in your gut real food.” Similarly, Teresa Martin, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator based in Bend, Oregon, emphasizes the value of unprocessed, high-fiber, organic plant foods to nourish gut bacteria and maintain microbial balance.

Speaking at the same recent meeting, Martin described multiple ways gut bacteria influence our physical and mental health, including nutrient absorption, body weight and blood sugar control, bone density, inflammation and mood. Microbes in the colon digest and ferment plant fibers into short-chain fatty acids, which help ensure a thick, healthy, intestinal mucus lining. Martin notes, “When we don’t eat enough plants, we can’t make enough short-chain fatty acids,” which are key to gut-brain crosstalk and control of appetite and mood.

Martin recommends eating 35 to 50 grams of fiber per day from food, not supplements. She also warns against “microbial assassins” such as antibiotics, processed meats, high-fat diets, refined carbohydrates, added sugars and artificial sweeteners, plus the emulsifiers polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose, which are commonly added to foods like ice cream and baked goods to improve texture and extend shelf life.

All contribute to microbial imbalance, the loss of microbial diversity and leaky gut—the inability to keep offending food compounds like gluten and intact milk protein out of the bloodstream—leading to food intolerance, inflammation and

autoimmune disorders.

Registered dietitian Brenda Davis, of British Columbia, also recommends whole-food, plant-based diets to reverse Type 2 diabetes. She developed a “whole-grain hierarchy” to identify the most gut-friendly, least-processed grains, including cracked oats, brown rice, barley, buckwheat, sprouted grain, wheat berries and kamut. Along with beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, Davis says these foods nourish beneficial gut microbes and reduce inflammation.

Try intermittent fasting and smart meal timing. Al-

lowing the body at least 12 hours without food intake benefits gut microbial diversity, says Martin. Intermittent fasting, or eating patterns in which no or few calories are consumed between 12 to 16 hours, can protect against a variety of metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, perhaps in part due to the effect on gut microbes.

Dorothy Sears, associate professor of medicine and associate director of the Center for Circadian Biology at the University of California, San Diego, studied the effect of intermittent fasting, or “time-restricted feeding”, on the risk of breast cancer recurrence. In a study of more than 2,300 breast cancer survivors, Sears discovered the women that fasted for at least 13 hours a day reduced breast cancer recurrence by 36 percent, regardless of other dietary factors. Putting this into practice, if the last meal of the day ends at 6 p.m., the first meal of the next day would not begin before 7 a.m.

In addition to this “prolonged nightly fasting,” Sears says that when we eat affects the way our bodies handle calories. She recommends eating during the first half of the day, when the sun is up and our enzyme and hormone systems are best able to handle calories, control blood sugar and body weight.

Spring forward with these five tips and enjoy better health.

Melinda Hemmelgarn, the “food sleuth”, is an award-winning registered dietitian, writer and nationally syndicated radio host based in Columbia, MO. Reach her at FoodSleuth@gmail. com. Tune into Food Sleuth Radio through iTunes, Stitcher and KOPN.org.

17

APRIL

Coming Next

Creative Arts Therapy Plus: Sustainable Living

Exercise vs. Allergies All the Right Moves

by Marlaina Donato

Seasonal allergies plague more than 26 mil-

lion Americans, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, with numbers on the rise in recent years. This is due in part to a dramatic increase in the amount of airborne pollen, a possible byproduct of climate change. Environmental and lifestyle stress, inadequate nutrition and weakened immune systems are also factors, leaving many feeling too miserable to engage in physical activities.

Yet, research shows that exercise can help ease allergy symptoms and lessen severity. A survey of 2,000 allergy sufferers sponsored by the UK National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit showed those that exercised the most had the mildest symptoms.

More Exercise, Less Discomfort

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713-927-6540

Boosting heart rate through aerobic activities such as running, walking, jumping rope, treadmill routines, tennis and team sports like volleyball or basketball seems to offer antiallergy benefits. Vitamin C can also help. Researchers from the Faculty of Sports Science at Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok, Thailand, found that 70 percent of participants that took a vitamin C supplement and ran for half an hour experienced decreased nasal congestion and sneezing.

“Exercising regularly creates a cumulative effect in the body, helps speed up metabolism and improves immunity, so you could find even less allergies occurring over time,” says Stephanie Mansour, fitness expert and former allergy sufferer from Chicago. “I used to get allergy shots for a runny nose and headaches during certain times of the year, but personally transformed my allergies through expanding my lungs and chest and

balancing out my nervous system.” The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy recommends gentler forms of exercise, and cautions against vigorous workouts such as Crossfit or long runs that can be counterproductive and exacerbate allergy flare-ups. Mansour recommends yoga, Pilates, walking or weight training—especially when congestion is a factor.

Try Some Yoga

Mansour, a certified yoga instructor, attests to the benefits of the practice. To ease the symptoms of allergies, she recommends yoga both for its physical effects and its breath benefits.

“Yoga can also help bring equilibrium to the nervous system and help the body relax.

When the body is in a healthy balance and relaxed, it’s more effective at warding off things like infection or allergies.”

Registered nurse and yoga instructor Kristin Brien, of New York City, concurs. “A yoga practice trains and strengthens the vagal nerve, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system—rest and digest mode—and turns off the inflammatory response,” Brien says. “When we are under chronic stress, our nervous systems react as though our bodies are under constant threat, thus making some of us more susceptible to hypesensitive reactions to offending seasonal antigens like pollen and ragweed.”

Yoga practitioners across the board recommend inverted poses such as the plow, shoulder stand anddownward facing dog to relieve allergy-related congestion. While yoga can be beneficial, inverted poses should be avoided by anyone with high blood pressure, glaucoma or retinal issues due to increased pressure in the blood vessels of the head, and some experts emphasize that allergy sufferers and

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asthmatics should avoid hot yogaand other demanding forms during flare-ups. A gentle approach goes a long way. Ideally, Brien recommends asanas that anyone can do, including legs up the wall, supported bridge pose, supported reclined goddess pose and child’s pose.

Warm-Up

No matter the type of exercise, warming up can play a key factor. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, stretching before activity and boosting heart rate helps to maximize exercise and its symptom-reducing effects.

Create a Healthy Space

Lessening the body’s burden by making small changes in living or workout space can also optimize the benefits of exercise. Brien, an allergy sufferer and asthmatic, recommends using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to reduce circulating allergens and also wiping down all surfaces, including yoga mats, floors, window sills and vents. During drier, colder times of the year, Mansour recommends using a humidifier to add moisture to the air and improve breathing.

Exercise may not cure seasonal allergies, but it can lessen related symptoms, along with effecting a more balanced nervous system and better overall health.

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmberMusic.com.

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Houston

eco tip

Spring Decluttering Many Benefits of Reorganizing

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pring is the season of renewal, and on the home front, that means cleaning, organizing and reducing clutter. While we apply natural, eco-friendly cleaning agents, the act of moving items around offers the opportunity to rearrange or eliminate some ofthem, providing a fresh look and a sense of comfort, order and control.

To clear clutter, Christa O’Leary (ChristaOleary.com), founder and CEO of Home in Harmony Lifestyle, based in Boston, and author of Home in Harmony: Designing an Inspired Life, suggests that decluttering is best accomplished in small chunks every day to allay feeling overwhelmed, with the help of someone “who knows you have made the commitment and will hold you accountable.”

She says stacks of paper and folders “zap your energy and mojo” and take away from productivity and efficiency, along with testing the patience of family members.

O’Leary’s website offers tips that provide simple solutions for tackling such areas as magazine stacks and cluttered closets. She relates that a mom recently emailed her to say that her 7-year-old daughter did it as well, and

“made a cute, adorable space.”

MotherEarthLiving.com suggests first compiling a to-do list and enlisting someone to help with the physical and psychological aspects of the task at hand: letting go of items that can be donated to charitable organizations and thrift shops, where they can benefit someone else; and being creative in storing seasonal clothing, extra towels or decorations in old militarystyle trunks, stacks of vintage suitcases or under beds.

Along with making the bedroom more visually appealing, removing items and materials can also create a tranquil setting for a more restful night’s sleep. RealSimple.com suggests getting rid of old pillows that may be filling up with dust, germs and bacteria; spare bedsheets that we never use; knickknacks that clutter the bedside table and all traces of food and beverages.

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

fit naturally

Dance: 3D Therapy

by Jody T. Morse

“Embodying something assures that what you receive is understood in your body, mind, emotions, and spirit.” - Debbie Rosas, Co-Creator of The Nia Technique

S

eated on the couch, I ran my fingers gently over the cool, maroon leather and inhaled the calming scents of lavender and vanilla.

Tears spilled over lower lids as I gushed to my therapist, “I feel so lost.

Like I can’t connect. Something’s missing, Dawn. Something’s missing in my life.”

Her initial response was comforting, like a soft blanket. “Okay.

Good realization, Jody.” Then she probed on, with a hint of challenge.

“What else can you tell me?”

“I don’t know. I can’t figure it out. I’m stuck.” More tears flowed and my shoulders sank.

Her subsequent response came with a bit more force as she more pointedly probed. “What have you given up over the past few years? Is it a person, place, or thing?”

As I closed my eyes and relaxed into the moment, the answer became perfectly and instantly clear. What I had lost, what I had given up, what I was missing—was dance.

Three years prior to this particular crisis-intervention, my husband and I had bought an incredible 18-acre ranch in the heart of the Sam Houston National Forest, about an hour and a half northeast of downtown Houston. In doing so, much was gained—privacy, communing with nature, space to have horses and expand our dog rescue efforts. But, as well, I had retired from my 25-year careers in dance and fitness. While I’d replaced the lost creative outlet by launching a career in freelance writing and publishing, this new venture only served my mind and heart; my body had been forgotten, no longer being adequately attending to and connected.

In the session with my beloved therapist, I realized that dance is a 3D therapy—serving and accessing mind, heart, and body; writing—while often cathartic—was only collaborating with two of these three crucial entities. Writing, as much as I loved it, couldn’t replace dance. I needed to find a way back to dancing for therapy.

The American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) defines dance or movement therapy as the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual. Whether taking a dance class at a studio, going to a club on the weekend with the girls, busting into a waltz while vacuuming, or seeing a professional Dance Movement Therapist (DMT), dance can be a powerful form of therapy. In fact, one that is often overlook in our modern society.

Shamans, medicine women, and healers across time and across the world have prescribed movement, physical rituals, and dance as a form of healing and therapy. Sufi Whirling is a form of meditative dance still

20

Houston

performed in Islamic communities and countries. In Guinea, women who have endured great adversities in the Malinke tribe engage in a dance to support one another as they shed their worn and tattered clothes and bury them. Chakpop is a form of Korean Buddhist dancing that helps connect them to heavenly beings and serves to offer energizing comfort to its dancers. Closer to home, the Native Americans have had many ritual and communal dances throughout their history including horseback dances—equine therapy meets dance therapy.

Returning to modern times and the conclusion of my return to dance story—four days after that fateful therapy session last Fall, I found myself in my favorite Houston coffee shop chatting with the current owner of a dance and fitness studio where I’d previously been an instructor. Angela and I chinwagged for almost three hours and I expressed my realization that I needed dance in my life. With open arms and warm enthusiasm, she welcomed me back into the Studio NiaMoves family. I finally had a plan and a path toward finding my way back to my dance-fitness roots and much needed 3D therapy.

Today, I lead a couple of lunchtime classes a week called Move & Mingle—in which we dance, stretch, and commune with one another, building community. Perfect 3D therapy for me and my students. As well, there are a handful of other Nia and Buti Yoga classes that I attend regularly to get me dancing. While I am shedding some of the physical weight gained over my three-year hiatus and feeling stronger every day, the most significant change has been in my overall connection to self and others. Days are brighter and better when I have dance—and dance-fitness classes—in my life.

There’s an old adage about not knowing what’s missing in your life until it’s gone. I’m so grateful to have figured out what was missing and committed to never letting it go again. Thank goodness for doors that can be reopened, hearts that can be mended, and dances still left to be danced. If interested, Studio NiaMoves is located at 508 Pecore Street in the Houston Heights area. For more information about dance-fitness classes offered for all ages and experience levels, visit www.niamoves.com.

Jody T. Morse is a dance-fitness instructor at Studio NiaMoves in Houston. In addition, she is a freelance writer and book publisher. Jody has been a student and teacher of Nia and dance-fitness classes for over two decades. Visit Niamoves.com or Facebook (@ StudioNiaMoves) for more about the classes she teaches.

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

inspiration

The Path to Wealth How to Make a Dream Come True

by May McCarthy

GROW YOUR BUSINESS Secure this ad spot!

Contact us for special ad rates.

S

uccessful professional athletes, musicians and business men and women that have achieved their goals can often point to repetition as a key to their prosperity and success. Undergoing both physical and mental training on a daily basis are keys for them to perform at their highest levels. Keeping their goals at the forefront of their thoughts, talking about the outcomes that they want to achieve and mentally seeing themselves achieving their goals are essential components of a repetitive practice that reaps great rewards.

Everyone can implement a similar success practice. Revisit goals daily to enable subconscious and spiritual intuition to illuminate possibilities in taking steps necessary to create the life that we love.

This repetitive practice will shift our beliefs so that goals will be achieved sooner. Motivational speaker and author Earl Nightingale writes, “Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.” To realize goals sooner, set aside 20 minutes and follow hree simple steps each morning:

Write down your goals and be specific in describing the desired outcome.

For example, instead of saying, “I want to lose 10 pounds,” say, “I’m so grateful that I am physically fit in a pain-free body that easily moves through life.” By spending time each day describing completed goals with gratitude, your beliefs will change and your subconscious can work with you to make those statements true.

Speak your goal statements aloud with emotion.

The practice of uttering your goal statements out loud anchors the meaning more fully internally. This practice helps to convince your subconscious that achieving your goals is possible. Ideas and thoughts that are in alignment with them will then become more noticeable.

Imagine yourself achieving your desired outcomes.

With eyes closed, create a clear picture of your realized goals in your mind each day. As you begin to feel yourself completing goals, spiritual intuition that emerges as gut instincts, strong thoughts and ideas, and messages that are external to you will become obvious. Take action as led by your intuition to manifest your dreams.

Repeat these steps every day to create new beliefs and achieve all that you desire sooner. Now is the time to enjoy increased prosperity and success in all of your endeavors.

May McCarthy is the author of The Path to Wealth: Seven Spiritual Steps for Financial Abundance and The Gratitude Formula: A 7-Step Success System to Create a Life that You Love. Visit her at MayMcCarthy.com.

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mission

statement

To empower individuals to live a healthier lifestyle on a healthier planet.

To educate communities on the latest in natural health and sustainability.

To connect readers with local wellness resources and events, inspiring them to lead more balanced lives.

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Copper in new device prevents cold and flu last holidays,” she said. “The kids had colds going around, but not me.”

Some users say it also helps with sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day sinus headache. When her CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”

Some say copper stops nighttime stuffiness if used just before bed. One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

Copper may even stop flu if used earNew research: Copper stops colds if used early. ly and for several days. Lab technicians ew research shows you can went away completely.” It worked again placed 25 million live flu viruses on a stop a cold in its tracks if you CopperZap. No viruses were found alive every time he felt a cold coming on and take one simple step with a soon after. he hasn’t had a cold since. new device when you feel a cold about People have used it on cold sores He asked relatives and friends to try to start. and say it can completely prevent ugly it. They said it worked for them, too, so Colds start when cold viruses get in outbreaks. You can also rub it gently he patented CopperZap™ and put it on your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you on wounds, cuts, or lesions to combat the market. don’t stop them early, they spread in infections.

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The handle is curved and finely texand given feedback. Nearly 100% said But scientists have found a quick tured to improve the copper stops way to kill a virus. Touch it with copper. colds if used withcontact. It kills in 3 hours after the Researchers at labs and universities germs picked up first sign. Even up agree, copper is “antimicrobial.” It kills on fingers and to 2 days, if they microbes, such as viruses and bacteria, hands to protect still get the cold it just by touch. you and your That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyp- is milder and they family. tians used copper to purify water and feel better.

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Tests by the Environmental Protecpresents ever. This little jewel really The EPA says copper still works tion Agency (EPA) show germs die fast works.” Now thousands of users have even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of on copper. Some hospitals tried copper stopped getting colds. different disease germs so it can prevent for surfaces like faucets and doorknobs.

People often use CopperZap preserious or even fatal illness. ventively. Frequent flier Karen Gauci This cut the spread of MRSA and other CopperZap is made in the U.S. of illnesses by over half, and saved lives. used to get colds after crowded flights. pure copper. It has a 90-day full money The strong scientific evidence gave Though skeptical, she tried it several back guarantee when used as directed inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When times a day on travel days for 2 months. to stop a cold. It is $69.95. Get $10 off “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” he felt a cold coming on he fashioned each CopperZap with code NATA9. a smooth copper probe and rubbed it Businesswoman Rosaleen says when Go to www.CopperZap.com or call gently in his nose for 60 seconds. people are sick around her she uses Cop- toll-free 1-888-411-6114.

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23

ADVERTORIAL

Houston

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

SATURDAY MARCH 2ND

Marva’s Holistic Fair. 10:00am-5:00pm. Psychics, tarot readers, palmists, healers, vendors of all sorts. Admission Free. LaQuinta Inn-Galleria on 610 West Loop North between San Felipe and Post Oak, 77027. psychicfairs.com 713-444-3581

calendar of events

NOTE: All Calendar events must be received via email by the 5th of the month prior to publication and adhere to our guidelnes.

Email calendar@naturalawakenings for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please.

SATURDAY MARCH 16TH

Bayou Bikers. 8:00am. Meet at Market Square Park for 25-40 mile bike rides exploring the bayous of Houston. Rides are open to all. Mountain bikes or bikes with fat tires are necessary. This is an informal group whose purpose is to show Houstonians and visitors the beauty of Houston’s waterways. Market Square, 301 Milam, 77002. 713-845-1000 marketsquarepark.com

Pollination, Pollinators & Gardening for Pollinators by Ed Erwin. 11am. Ed Erwin will explain how pollination takes place, the various types of pollinators, and the role the key pollinators – Honey Bees, Solitary Bees, Butterflies and Moths, play in the pollination of plants. Free. Wabash Feed and Garden, 4537 N. Shepherd, 77018. 713-863-8322. https://bit. ly/2WRSERE

Blessing Ceremony. 9:00am-12:00pm. Free.

CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF HOUSTON, 12129 Bellaire Blvd., 77072 zen@cthouston. org www.cthouston.org 281-568-1568

60th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

12:00pm-4:00pm. Celebrate the luck of the Irish at the 60th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade (noon-1:30 pm), now with a new route in Historic Market Square. Continue the fun at

WEDNESDAY MARCH 6TH

SUNDAY MARCH 17TH

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3RD

Mean Girls at Market Square Park. 7:00pm.

Join us for a special outdoor screening of Mean Girls (PG-13). Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and grab a spot. Free. Market Square Park, 301 Milam, 77002. marketsquarepark.com

SATURDAY MARCH 9THTHURSDAY MARCH 14TH

Nia Retreat for Blue Belt Teachers. Enjoy a week with select blue belts, review all white and blue belt principles, teach in daily JAM class and receive daily coaching with Helen.

Soma Ranch, 10176 Pooles Rd, Montgomery, TX, 77356 832-567-4550 somaranch.com/ events/nia-retreat-blue-belt-coaching

SATURDAY MARCH 16THMONDAY MARCH 18TH

Reiki Tummo Classes; CEUs available; west Houston near BW8 & I-10. Sat. 3/16, 9-6 Level I $110. Sun. 3/17, 9-6 Level II $210. Fri. 3/15, 9-6 Level 3A $250. Mon. 3/18, 9-1 Open-Heart Meditation $160. Mon. 3/18, 2-6 Kundalini Workshop (very gentle) $145. Some classes have prerequisites. Discounts for seniors 62+, students, children, reviewers. Info/Register: houston-tx.reikitummo-usa.com. 832-3166355 openhearthouston@gmail.com

Half-day Retreat. 9:00am-12:00pm. Chan/Zen Meditation Classes guided by Ordained Zen Masters of Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Free.

CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF HOUSTON, 12129 Bellaire Blvd., 77072 zen@cthouston. org www.cthouston.org 281-568-1568

TUESDAY MARCH 19TH SUNDAY MARCH 24TH

Writers NEST retreat. Come, awaken and explore your creative writing muse through natural space and time sessions of: quiet writing solitude, daily Nia dance, yoga, and meditations. Soma Ranch, 10176 Pooles Rd, Montgomery, TX, 77356 832-567-4550. somaranch.com/events/writers-nest-retreat

SATURDAY MARCH 23RD

Italian Food Tour of Houston. 1:45pm6:30pm. If you love Italian food and want to discover some secret places where you’ll find some of the best Italian food Houston has to offer, then this is definitely the tour for you. Meet at Nundini Chef’s Table and Restaurant, 500 North Shepherd. Seating is limited –call to sign up, 281-513-1833 or visit Foodtoursofhouston. net. Cost: $85 per person.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28SUNDAY, MARCH 31

Upledger Institute-CranialSacral Therapy 1 This course will introduce you to the anatomy and physiology of the CranioSacral System through our practical hands-on “learning by discovery” method. You will learn advanced palpatory skills, fascial and soft tissue release techniques, and a concise 10-step protocol for evaluation and treatment of the entire body via the CranioSacral System. To supplement class instruction you will receive a fully-illustrated,

FRIDAY MARCH 29TH

2019 Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park.

10am-6pm. The Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA) will celebrate 48 years of fine art and giving back to local nonprofits as it spotlights 300 artists at Bayou City Art Festival in Memorial Park, Friday-Sunday, March 29-31, 2019. Prices: $12 online/ $15 gate - adults; $5 – children ages 5-12, under age 5 free. Memorial Park , S. Picnic Lane, 77007. Visit www.bayoucityartfestival.com or email info@bayoucityartfestival. com for more info.

Critical Mass-Houston. Assemble at 6:30 pm.

Roll at 7:15pm. A casual bike ride starting from downtown Houston and going wherever. Cars rule the road every day, but one day a month we get together to celebrate our love for bicycles and have fun riding. Free. Guadalupe Plaza Park, 2311 Runnels St., 77003. criticalmasshouston.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 30

Free Community Reiki Class! Naturopathic Reiki is a source of love and care for you, your family and community! Join us for the Naturopathic Reiki I Certification. This event is free and open to the public. Sponsored by A Life Of Peace Wellness Education Institute. Preregistration required at www.a-life-of-peace.org/ reiki-certification

SUNDAY, MARCH 30

Blessing Ceremony. 9:00am-12:00pm. Free.

CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF HOUSTON, 12129 Bellaire Blvd., 77072 zen@cthouston. org www.cthouston.org 281-568-1568

Coming Next Month Without wearing any mask we are conscious of, we have a special face for each friend. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

APRIL

Creative Arts Therapy plus: Sustainable Living

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24

plan ahead

on going events

THURSDAY APRIL 4TH

State Of The Air. Join Air Alliance Houston for an evening of dinner and conversation. Chaired

by Ginny Goldman, featuring Keynote Speaker - Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, 3816 Caroline Street, 77004. For sponsorship information contact jennifer@cateproctor.com

THURSDAY APRIL 4TH - SATURDAY APRIL 6TH

Latino Art Now! Conference: Sight Lines & Time Frames. LAN! Houston will explore and celebrate the activities and practices of local and national Latino and Latin American visual artists throughout Houston while advancing awareness, education, scholarship and knowledge. Mari Carmen Ramírez, Wortham Curator of Latin American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, will deliver the keynote address.

University of Houston Student Center South, 4400 University Drive, 77204. lan@central. uh.edu (713) 743-3136 For more info:www. iuplr.org/lan-houston and for tickets: uh.edu/ lan-conference/

FRIDAY APRIL 19TH, 20th & 21st

Three One-day Retreat. 9:00am-4:30pm.

Chan/Zen Meditation Classes guided by Ordained Zen Masters of Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Free. CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF HOUSTON 12129 Bellaire Blvd., 77072 zen@

daily Houston Arboretum. 7am-Dusk. Walk in nature. Learn about native plants and wildlife.

Free. Houston Arboretum 4501 Woodway Dr., 77024. houstonarboretum.org Rothko Chapel. 10am-6pm (except during special events) The Rothko Chapel is an independent institution, a sacred place open to all people, every day. Free. Rothko Chapel 3900 Yupon, 77006. 713-524-9839 rothkochapel. org Waugh Bridge Bat Colony. Every evening at sunset, more than 250,000 Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from crevices found in the Waugh Drive Bridge. These creatures are non-migratory and call the bayou home year-round. Free.

Waugh Street at Allen Parkway 77019. https:// bit.ly/1nPoGbg Yoga Class. Mon. - Sat. visit site for daily times. Every teacher at The Hines Center provides the best class for the practitioners who arrive — helping students grow their practice regardless of experience, strength or flexibility. Sign-up at hinescenter.org/class-schedule/ or drop-in before class. $15 per session, 10% discount for registering online, or unlimited movement classes $50 per month. The Hines Center, 500 Fannin St., Ste. 100, 77002.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18SUNDAY APRIL 21

Texas Yoga Conference: Yoga for Health Training. 8am-4pm. Texas Yoga Association is happy to announce another year of this special training conference in cancer, heart/ cardiovascular, skeletal and nervous system care, sponsored by UT’s MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Texas Yoga Association. The conference will educate yoga instructors and mind-body practitioners on safe and effective techniques to use with patients who suffer from various diseases such as cardiovascular and heart disease, cancer and other health-related issues. Life HTX 2515 Morse Street Houston, TX 77019. texasyogaconference.com

monday Hatha Yoga. 6:00pm. All levels welcomed.

Bring Yoga mat, meditation pillow, water. Classes by appointment only - space is limited. Private sessions available upon request. Please visit yogamixstudio.com or call 713-269-5165 to register. YogaMix, 2601-G Cartwright Rd, Missouri City, 77459.

Beginners Yoga. 7-8:30 pm. Discover your strengths and balances through a therapeutic approach to yoga alignment and mind/body integration. First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, 5200 Fannin 77004. stanpolins@ hal-pc.org. www.firstuu.org Food Not Bombs. 8pm. Help provide free vegan meals for Houston’s homeless. Volunteer, donate or just come see what we do.

Free. Downtown Library Courtyard 521 Lamar, 77002. houstonfoodnotbombs.org

It’s better to be a lion for a day than a sheep all your life.

Beginners Yoga. 7-8:30 pm. Discover your strengths and balances through a therapeutic approach to yoga alignment and mind/body integration. First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, 5200 Fannin 77004. stanpolins@ hal-pc.org. www.firstuu.org Food Not Bombs. 8pm. Help provide free vegan meals for Houston’s homeless. Volunteer, donate or just come see what we do.

Free. Downtown Library Courtyard 521 Lamar, 77002. houstonfoodnotbombs.org

tuesday Grace2Go. 7:00-8:00am. On the go? Want a boost to the start of your day? Drive thru for free coffee, a breakfast bite, and prayer if desired.

All are welcome. Grace Episcopal Church, 4040 W. Bellfort, 77025. www.graceinhouston. org.

Yoga at India House. 11:00-12:00am. Enjoy relaxing cardio work out at India House. Free.

India House, 8888 West Bellfort, 77031. Go to the website, print out the form and email it to the address given. http://bit.ly/2kbWEst T’ai Chi Ch’uan. 5:45pm-7:00pm. This class concentrates on creating and moving Chi/Qi through meditation while moving. Jon Naylor teaches the traditional Yang Style short form with martial arts references. Beginners please arrive early. Free. First Unitarian Universalist Church, 5200 Fannin Street, 77004. firstuu.org Sahaja Yoga-Meditation. 6:30-7:30pm. Come and try our free weekly yoga-meditation classes. Each session includes the basics and a practical guided meditation so you can start meditating at home straight away. Free. South Community Center. 2235 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, 77380. 832-433-2415. info@ Houston-Meditation.org Yoga at Resurrection MCC. 7:00-8:00 pm.

Get in touch with your mind, body, and spirit through Yoga! All body types and skill levels welcome, please bring a mat and towel. Free, donations accepted. Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church, 2015 West 11th Street, 77008. Yoga@ResurrectionMCC.org Intro Session at Universal Door Meditation Center. 7:00pm-8:00pm. Everyone is welcome to join us to find out what is Awake, about our teacher Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien, and have a chance to touch with the Awake already within. Free, donations welcome. 15202 Dora Lane,

Beginners Yoga. 7-8:30 pm. Discover your strengths and balances through a therapeutic approach to yoga alignment and mind/body integration. First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, 5200 Fannin 77004. stanpolins@ hal-pc.org. www.firstuu.org

~Elizabeth Kenny

25

Houston

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

wednesday

Diamond Way Meditation. 7-7:45 pm. Free.

Diamond Way Buddhist Center, 2217 W 34th Street, Suite D. 281. 77018. 281-436-6081. diamondway.org/houston

Children’s Museum of Houston. 5-8pm. Enjoy all the interactive exhibits at the museum with your children. Free. Children’s Museum, 1500 Binz, 77004. 713-522-1138

Yin With Lin for Deep Tissue Release.

9:30am. A perfect complement to the dynamic and muscular (yang) styles of yoga that emphasize internal heat, and the lengthening and contracting of our muscles. Yin Yoga targets the connective tissues of the hips, pelvis, and lower spine. Longer holds allow for deeper release. $20 drop-in. Houston Ayurveda Center, 3222 Mercer, 77027. Facilitator: Lin Weiss, Certified Yoga Therapist - 713-858-8595, linweiss@conscioushealingnow.com

Hellina Bucket Band 8:00 -10:00pm. Free dinner music. Last Concert Café, 1403 Nance St. 77002. 713-226-8563 lastconcert.com

Shorin Ryu Karate. 6:00pm. Join us for Traditional Okinawan Karate. All classes by appointment only - space limited. Private sessions available upon request. Please visit yogamixstudio.com or call 713-269-5165 to register.

YogaMix, 2601-G Cartwright Rd, Missouri City, 77459.

Hatha Yoga. 9:30am & 6:00pm. All levels welcomed. Bring Yoga mat, meditation pillow, water. Classes by appointment only - space is limited. Private sessions available upon request. Please visit yogamixstudio.com or call 713-269-5165 to register. YogaMix, 2601-G Cartwright Rd, Missouri City, 77459.

Veterans Helping Veterans. 12pm–1:30pm.

All military veterans are invited to participate with this weekly group meeting. Veterans also exchange resources with each other and request support. Lunch is provided. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 5501 Main St., 77004. www.stpaulshouston.org/veterans Urban Ride. 6:30pm. Route is 20 miles. Riders should be comfortable keeping a pace of 1820 mph. Helmet, front/back light, spare tube, CO2 cartridges are required. Earphones not allowed. Speed may vary. Safety comes first.

Free. Urban Bicycle Gallery, 4814 Nett St., 77007. judy@urbanbicyclegallery.com Sahaja Yoga-Meditation. 6:30-8:00pm. Come and try our free weekly yoga-meditation classes. Each session includes the basics and a practical guided meditation so you can start meditating at home straight away. Free. University Branch Library, 14010 University Blvd., Sugar Land, 77479. 832-433-2415. info@Houston-Meditation.org Blue Line Bike Ride. 7pm. Multiple rides leave from the Heights location on Wednesday evenings. Each ride has its own route and pace, so come out and decide which works best for you! Free. Blue Line Bike Lab, 3302 White Oak Drive, 77007. 713-802-1707 https://bit.ly/2CP6zSI People of Earth. 7:00 pm. Hosted by Jacquelyn Battise. A program created to provide Native American and non-Native people with timely news and information about culture, news and realities. KPFC: Community Radio 90.1 FM. kpft.org eginning Zen Meditation. 7:30-9:30pm. Feeling stressed? Want something to help you feel better? Try meditation with us. Free, registration required. Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston. 12129 Bellaire Blvd., 77072. 281-5681568. cthouston.org

Food Not Bombs. 8pm. Help provide free vegan meals for Houston’s homeless. Volunteer, donate or just come see what we do.

Free. Downtown Library Courtyard 521 Lamar, 77002. houstonfoodnotbombs.org Pot Roast. 10:00pm-2am. Late night music outside under the stars. Cover charge. Last Concert Cafe 1403 Nance St. 77002. 713-2268563 lastconcert.com Drum Circle at Midnight 12mn-2am $6.00 Last Concert Cafe 1403 Nance St. 77002. 713226-8563 lastconcert.com

thursday Grace2Go. 7:00-8:00am. On the go? Want a boost to the start of your day? Drive thru for free coffee, a breakfast bite, and prayer if desired.

All are welcome. Grace Episcopal Church, 4040 W. Bellfort, 77025. graceinhouston.org.

Museum of Fine Arts-Houston. 10am-9pm. If you have not spent time enjoying the art exhibits at MFAH, what are you waiting for? Free.

MFAH, 1001 Bissonnet, 77005. 713-639-7300 mfah.org Yoga at India House. 11:00-12:00am. Enjoy relaxing cardio work out at India House. Free.

India House, 8888 West Bellfort, 77031. Go to the website, print out the form and email it to the address given. http://bit.ly/2kbWEst Buffalo Soldiers Museum. 1-5pm. Buffalo Soldiers Museum is the only museum dedicated to preserving the legacy and honor of African American soldiers in the United States.

Free. Buffalo Soldiers Museum, 3816 Caroline Street, 77004. Buffalosoldiersmuseum.com 713-942-8920.

Houston Museum of Natural Science. 2pm5pm. Roam the Serengeti, walk with dinosaurs and discover the world’s mineral wonders.

Free. HMNS 5555 Hermann Park Drive 77030. hmns.org Free Family Thursdays at The Health Museum. 2:00pm-7:00pm. Free entry into The Health Museum to enjoy permanent and traveling exhibits (DeBakey Cell Lab requires a $3 fee) on Thursdays. The Health Museum, 1515 Hermann Dr., 77004. thehealthmuseum.org 713-521-1515

Meditation Class: Discovering the Awake Within. 7-9pm. Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien closely guides and interacts with students to realize Awake Mind is already within, they have the capacity to Wake Up, and how to apply meditation. Suggested donation $50/month.

Pre-registration required. Universal Door Meditation Center, 15202 Dora Lane, Sugar Land, 77498. universaldoor.org 281-565-9718 Meditation Service at Self-Realization Fellowship. 7:30-9:30pm Learn and practice the meditative techniques of Paramahansa Yogananda. FREE. Self-Realization Fellowship, 3425 Golf Dr, 77018. srfhouston.org

friday Houston International Folk Dancers. 7:3010pm. Join us for a recreational folk dance group celebrating ethnic dances from around the world. Singles and beginners welcome.

Dress comfortably. $5. First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, 5200 Fannin, 77004.

Additional info at folkdancers.org Food Not Bombs. 8pm. Help provide free vegan meals for Houston’s homeless. Volunteer, donate or just come see what we do. Free.

Downtown Library Courtyard, 521 Lamar, 77002. houstonfoodnotbombs.org Dinner Music with Jimmy Deen. 6-8pm. Cover charge. Last Concert Cafe 1403 Nance St. 77002. 713-226-8563 lastconcert.com Houston International Folk Dancers. 7:3010pm. Join us for a recreational folk dance group celebrating ethnic dances from around the world. Singles and beginners welcome.

Dress comfortably. $5. First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, 5200 Fannin, 77004.

Additional info at folkdancers.org Food Not Bombs. 8pm. Help provide free vegan meals for Houston’s homeless. Volunteer, donate or just come see what we do. Free.

Downtown Library Courtyard, 521 Lamar, 77002. houstonfoodnotbombs.org Dinner Music with Jimmy Deen. 6-8pm. Cover charge. Last Concert Cafe 1403 Nance St. 77002. 713-226-8563 lastconcert.com

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saturday

sunday

Yoga for the Body and Mind. 8-9:30 am.

Yoga classes based on the teachings of Swami Ramdev ji including asanas, pranayama and meditation. Free. Arya Samaj Greater Houston Center 14375 Shiller Rd. 77082. 281-242-5000 aryasamajhouston.org.

Yoga for the Body and Mind. 8-9:30 am.

Yoga classes based on the teachings of Swami Ramdev ji including asanas, pranayama and meditation. Free. Arya Samaj Greater Houston Center, 14375 Shiller Rd., 77082.

281-242-5000 aryasamajhouston.org.

Integrative Hatha Yoga for Mind, Body, andSpirit. 9:30am. Hatha Yoga addresses the musculoskeletal, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular & endocrine systems of the human body, focusing on heart & hip openers, twists, pose alignment, the energetic subtle bodies, and meditation. Increase strength, stamina, vitality & peace of mind. $20 drop-in. Houston Ayurveda Center, 3222 Mercer St., 77027. Facilitator: Lin Weiss, Certified Yoga Therapist 713-858-8595 linweiss@conscioushealingnow. com

Sunday at Houston Zen Center. 8am-11am.

We start with Morning Service followed by meditation, then work practice - mindful cleaning and straightening in the Meditation Hall and the Center’s grounds, then a dharma talk.

Free. HOUSTON ZEN CENTER, 1605 Heights BLVD., 77008. 713-869-1952. houstonzen.org

Beginning Zen Meditation. 10am-12n. Feeling stressed? Want something to help you feel better? Try meditation with us. Free, registration required. Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston, 12129 Bellaire Blvd., 77072. 281-5681568. cthouston.org Children’s Zen Meditation. 10am-12n. Open to children ages 4-12. Parents must be present and participate. Free, registration required.

Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston, 12129 Bellaire Blvd., 77072. 281-568-1568. cthouston. org Yoga at India House. 10:00-11:00am. Enjoy relaxing cardio work out at India House. Free.

India House, 8888 West Bellfort, 77031. Go to the website, print out the form and email it to the address given. http://bit.ly/2kbWEst T’ai Chi Ch’uan. 10:30am-12:00pm. This class concentrates on creating and moving Chi/Qi through meditation while moving. Jon Naylor teaches the traditional Yang Style short form with martial arts references. Beginners please arrive early. Free. First Unitarian Universalist Church, 5200 Fannin Street, 77004. firstuu.org Young Writers Workshop. 10:30am-11:30am.

Writers in the Schools (WITS) encourages budding poets (13 to 19) to let loose the reasons for their rhymes during free writing and performance poetry workshops. Limited space. Free. Discovery Green, 1500 McKenney, 77010. discoverygreen.com For more information please call 832-393-1313.

Recycling Saturdays. 11:00am-2:00pm. The City of Houston provides a recycling station for plastic and paper and now thanks to I Recycle Glass, you can also bring glass to be recycled.

Please bring paper and plastic recyclables separately from glass. Check discoverygreen.com each week. Free. Discovery Green, 1500 McKenney, 77010.

27

Houston

If You Are Reading This, So Are Your Potential Customers.

Christian Meditation. 9:00am-9:30 am. Experience meditation and contemplative prayer in preparation for receiving Holy Communion at the 10am worship service. All are welcome.

Grace Episcopal Church, 4040 W. Bellfort, 77025. www.graceinhouston.org info@graceinhouston.org or 832-667-8601.

Sunday Service at Unity Spiritual Center of Greater Houston. 10:15-11:15am Experience joy-filled vibrations and high-energy spirituality in motion with live music, singing, affirmative prayer, and dynamic sermons.

NEW LOCATION: Unity Spiritual Center of Greater Houston 11131 N Eldridge Pkwy #700, Houston, TX 77075. unitysritualcenterhouston.org (832) 653-7980 Sunday Celebrations at Creative Life Spiritual Center. 9:30am and 11:00am.

Founding minister Jesse Jennings speaks on the basics of the Religious Science path. Love offering. Creative Life Spiritual Center, 5326 Spring-Stuebner Rd., Spring, 77389. Contact info@creativelife.org or visit creativelife.org Public Dharma talk with Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien. 11:00am-12:30pm. We welcome people of all cultures, religions, and backgrounds to attend the public Dharma talks with Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien. 15202 Dora Lane, Sugar Land, 77498. (Free, donations welcome. Optional lunch follows.) www.universaldoor.org 281-565-9718 Youth and Teen Program at Universal Door Meditation Center. 11:00am–12:30pm. For youth grades 1-12. This weekly program guided

by Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien allows youth to have a chance to open their eyes to the Awakened happiness already within and discover the world of AWAKE. Registration required, call for more details. Universal Door Meditation Center, 15202 Dora Lane, Sugar Land, 77498. universaldoor.org 281-565-9718 Whole Mother. 7:30 pm. Hosted by Pat Jones.

A show that discusses the political and practical aspects of being a mother today. KPFC: Community Radio 90.1 FM. kpft.org

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Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how to be included in the Community Resource Guide request a Media Kit. Email mike@naturalawakenings-houston.com ALKALINE WATER DELIVERY UP H2O Alkaline Water Delivery 713-957-9000 uph2o.com

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You are Awake.” Available on Amazon. com

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The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. ~Mahatma Gandhi

COACHING BLISSFUL QUESTS

Positive change starts now!

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HAIR DESIGN VENUS HAIR DESIGN

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28

HEALING

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Have you spent years in hope for finding answers to your symptoms or illnesses? We offer people an alternative solution to conventional medicine by determining the specific nutritional needs of your body so that it can to heal itself.

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LABYRINTH MEDITATION

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Located conveniently off the Southwest Freeway, inside The Loop, and open 10am-10pm Monday-Sunday. Try our Introductory Thai Combo Massage (10 types in one) for Only $39.99. Call today and feel the difference a massage can make. License #ME3188 .See ad page 8

MEDICAL INTUITIVE INTEGRATIVE THERAPIES FOR NATURAL HEALING & WELLNESS LIN WEISS MH, CYT HOLISTIC HEALER MEDICAL/SPIRITUAL INTUITIVE MASTER TEACHER Houston, Texas 77025 713.858.8595 linweiss@earthlink.net conscioushealingnow.com

Through her WHOLE-istic approach, Lin weaves inspired wisdom with proven healing traditions for integrating mind/body & soul.

SARAH GISH: LABYRINTH MEDITATIONS

I’ll come to you!

713-492-1173 Sarah@GishCreative.com Subscribe to get info: GishPicks.com Meditation is wellknown as a healing modality and labyrinths are one of the oldest forms of meditation.

Join Sarah at her “Second SaturdayLLabyrinth Walk” at The Hines Center which includes a tour of the Center, an introduction to labyrinths, and a reflective art activity or email to schedule her mobile labyrinth service.

ALL NATURAL, ALL THE TIME. Call Lin today to find out if she can help you.

APRIL

Coming

Creative Arts Therapy plus: Sustainable Living

29

MEDITATION CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF HOUSTON

12129 Bellaire Blvd., Houston 77072 281-568-1568 • zen@cthouston.org cthouston.org Chan/Zen Meditation Classes, guided by Ordained Zen Masters of Chung Tai Chan Monastery No fees. Donations are welcome.

No prior experience required for beginners.

Check the web site (event calendar) for the most current information.

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NATURAL HORMONES DR. FISHER ROAD 2 WELLNESS

Dr. LaTronica Fisher, DNP, ANP, GNP, RN 4544 Post Oak Place Dr. STE #254 Houston, Texas 77027 DrFisherRoad2Wellness.com 713 520-8188 Say goodbye to hot flashes, night sweats and more. Without using synthetic prescription hormones or bio-identical hormones. Your body knows how to produce the correct amount of hormones. Call today for your FREE consultation and be on your way to a younger body and a good night’s sleep.

DEER LAKE LODGE AND SPA

10500 Deer Lake Lode Rd. Montgomery TX77316 936-647-1383 deerlakelodge.com

Can’t lose weight? Feeling Sluggish? Let us help undo the damage from over-consumption and poor food choices. All natural, organic, resort and spa. Immerse yourself in personal attention from our staff. Call of visit our website to book your stay today!

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OZONE THERAPY

NEW DECISION THERAPY

ISHA FOUNDATION/ INNER ENGINEERING

Norris Conference Center – Westchase 9990 Richmond Avenue Houston, TX 77042 innerengineering.com/houston 832-408-0663 Isha Foundation is an international nonprofit dedicated to human wellbeing founded by Sadhguru who’s a yogi, mystic and a visionary.

As Sadhguru has said, “right now the most important thing in the world is raising human consciousness. Tremendous technologies have come. The problem is not of technology. The problem is of compulsiveness. When we say compulsiveness, it’s just absence of consciousness. If we were conscious human beings, we would use everything for our wellbeing and everybody’s wellbeing.”

UNIVERSAL DOOR MEDITATION CENTER 15202 Dora Lane Sugar Land, TX 77498 281-565-9718 universaldoor.org

Are you ready to Wake Up? Discover Awake Mind through Zen meditation.

Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien guides students to apply this life-changing tool in all situations.

Transform stress, struggles, health issues, and conflicts that you thought were unchangeable facts of life! Attend our FREE Tuesday Meditation 101 class.

WELLNESS CONSULTATIONS

12900 Queensberry Lane, Suite 201 Houston, TX 77079 281-794-5255 drnettie.net Suffering from addictions, compulsive behavior patterns, unhealthy relationship patterns, anxiety, phobias, depression or feeling stuck? New Decision TherapyTM can help. Call Dr. Nettie Ramsay today to schedule your initial consultation.

OPTICIAN

Houston

ACTIVATE OZONE SAUNA THERAPY 2034-A W Gray St Suite 113 In the Phenix Suites- River Oaks Shopping Center Houston, TX 77019 713-294-8075 activateozone.com

Discover the amazing effects of ozone sauna therapy which oxygenates your blood vessels and aids in relieving muscle soreness in athletes, pain due to arthritis, cancer treatment symptoms, and more.

Ozone sauna therapy removes harmful toxins from the body while cleansing and refreshing it as well. Book your appointment online today.

FACTORY EYEGLASS OUTLET 7921 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024 713-468-5665 factoryfineeyewear.com

Factory Eyeglass Outlet provides the ultimate services for all your eyecare needs.

Whether you’re looking for premium or standard eyewear, we have something for you. As part of our superior services we offer complimentary consulting and frame styling. Next time you need you need new eyeglasses or need a repair choose Factory Eyeglass Outlet.

Better sight- Better Life.

Good nutrition and regular exercise definitely help you cope with life’s dramas. ~Terri Irwin

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ORGANIC RESORT & SPA

PAIN RELIEF AUNT ALBERTA’S REMEDY Homeopathic Pain Relief Cream 973-715-9097 info@AlbertasPainRelief.com albertaspainrelief.com

Need Relief from Arthritis? Try Aunt Alberta’s Remedy to ease muscular aches and joint pain. Her Remedy is a homeopathic pain relief cream that penetrates deep into the skin and muscle tissues. Get beneficial relief from sciatica, fibromyalgia, arthritis, neuralgia, gout, and more. All-natural ingredients! Do you want to feel a real difference from the nagging aches of arthritis? Feel less pain & have more range of motion? Use Aunt Alberta’s Pain Relief Cream! Get relief today! Great buy, get a 4oz jar for $15! See website for other options. See what people say about Aunt Alberta’s Remedy and Purchase Now on our website. albertaspainrelief.com.

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

RETREATS THE SERENITY RETREAT

2060 N. Loop W. Frwy, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77018 713-649-7729 serenityretreat.com If you are seriously ready to get rid of the emotional pain in your life, God is ready too.

We’ll help you connect with the living Lord and feel peace wherever you feel negative emotions. Visit our website and call today schedule an appointment.

UNITY SPIRITUAL CENTER OF GREATER HOUSTON 11131 N Eldridge Pkwy #700, Houston, TX 77075.

281-374-7085 unityspiritualcenterhouston.org

Ours is a positive, practical, progressive approach to Christianity based on the teachings of Jesus - as well as other master teachers - and the power of prayer. If you want to know God and experience God at work in your life, join us on Sundays at our NEW location!

APRIL

Coming Next

Sustainable Living Plus: Creative Arts Therapy

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SCHOOLS PHOENIX SCHOOL OF MASSAGE 6600 Harwin Drive Houston, TX 77036 713-974-0360 themassageschool.com

BEGIN THE CAREER YOU WILL LOVE TO PUT YOUR HANDS TO! As a Licensed Massage Therapist you can enjoy life as you work at a spa, wellness center, doctor’s office, or even begin your own practice. Begin today, the career that will change your life! Call the school for more information and to schedule a FREE tour.

SPIRITUALITY GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH 4040 West Bellfort Street Houston, TX 77025 713-666-1408 GraceInHouston.org

We are a welcoming Christian community sharing our spiritual journeys through worship, fellowship and outreach. Grounded in Episcopal worship and practices, while also open to creative expressions of our faith. Come and be with us.

HOUSTON AREA ECKANKAR CENTER 11231 Richmond Ave., D-106 Houston, TX 77082 281-759-1130 eckankar-texas.org/site/centers/houston/

The Path of Spiritual Freedom redefines the experience of religion. It offers an individual the spiritual tools needed to walk one’s own journey home to God. Our website lists our many spiritual opportunities. You are warmly invited to join us

THERMOGRAPHY THERMAL IMAGING SERVICES

Angel Marlow, CNHP, CAHC, CCT 24550 Kingsland Blvd. Katy, TX 77494 713-621-4406 angel@thermalimagingtexas.com thermalimaingtexas.com No Compression, No Radiation, Painless.

Thermography creates images that illustrate heat patterns in the body. The images are analysed for abnormalities that may be signs of disease in the body. Thermography can be conducted onsite at your business or at any of our 7 area locations. Call for an appointment TODAY!

YOGA Yoga for Mental & Physical Happiness The Good Space 5757 Woodway, # 150 Houston, TX 77057 713-858-8595 conscioushealingnow.com

Lin has moved to a new space. Experience Lin Weiss’s warm & personable teaching style.

Small classes that allow individual instruction making progress attainable for all students.

Yin Yoga for Deep Tissue Release-9:30 am Wed. Integrative Hatha Yoga for body, mind and spirit: 9:00 am Sat. Call today to reserve your space!

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