Fall 2015 ILLUMINE

VOL. 3 NO. 1

FALL 2015

ELEVATING COMMUNITY

Karma Action and Consequence

Blissful beats Live DJ Yoga

Seane Corn

ISSN 2330-2860

Yoga, Transformation and Joy

Elena Flores Rector in eka pada viparita dandasana

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Contents illumine

works to expand and explore a yoga-inspired lifestyle to engage and elevate the broader community.

Features

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Ayurveda: Bringing the outdoors in Karma: Acts of Good An Interview with Seane Corn Blissful Beats: Live DJ Yoga Uncomfortably Numb: Soft Addictions

Community 8 9 10 12 13

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Artist profile: Elizabeth Luse Illuminating the spirit Teacher Feature: Elena Flores Rector Musings from the mat Sutra in the city

Traditions

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15 16 18 21

Vedic astrology (Jyotish) Sanskrit Architecture (Vaastu) Keeping the wisdom alive: Tias Little

Escapes

40 Fearless Food Gardening 41 Book Review: The Karma Queens' Guide to Relationships

Managing Editor Abby Hart Editorial Consultants Megan Downey Heidi Schlumpf Editorial Board Jaclyn Bauer Abby Hart Jim Kulackoski Lourdes Paredes Heidi Schlumpf Print Design Jason Campbell Web Design Laura Fairman Artwork Jillian Schiavi

Online Editor Jane Rubin

Cover

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Elena Flores Rector in eka pada viparita dandasana photographed

by Mary Carol Fitzgerald.

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Founder and Publisher Lourdes Paredes

Photography Mary Carol Fitzgerald

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Volume 3, Issue 1 Fall 2015

Writers Jaclyn Bauer Debi Buzil Ellen Diamond Fredda Teresa Gale Abby Hart Carol Horton Jim Kulackoski Ruth Diab Lederer Mark Anthony Lord Elizabeth Luse Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark, M.D. Vanessa McClure Pamela McDonough Ali Modell Rebecca Niziol Stephanie Poulos Katie Wilkes Monica Yearwood Distribution Saba Haider Areta Kohout Gayathri Raghavan

With love There’s no good karma or bad karma—it’s all just karma! We label desirable actions and outcomes as “good karma” and unfortunate and less desirable actions and outcomes as “bad karma.” These categories are often helpful because they compel us to think about the consequences of our actions and choose actions that create positive and impactful results.

We explore the theme of karma in this issue to inspire conversation and reflection on the actions we take, big and small, that affect people, knowingly and unknowingly, in the immediate future and for years to come.

Our karma is the result of the choices we continually make.

According to yoga philosophy, our karma comes from our conscious and unconscious intentions. These intentions, whether we are aware of them or not, form the basis of our choices and actions. They also affect how we react to forces and situations seemingly outside of our control. Other people's karma and the decisions they make influence our decisions and consequently the actions we take and vice versa.

This includes leaders of countries and companies, the victors and the victims of past wars and holocausts, the falling in love of our greatgrandparents and the prayers of our parents. Whether we know it or not, we all share equal responsibility for shaping the world we live in through our actions.

Vedic astrology, self-reflection and understanding, psychotherapy/ psychoanalysis, and other processes can help us understand our karma and identify actions we can take to have a happier, healthier, more impactful life. Deepening the understanding of our complexity may lead to self-compassion and identity with others who also feel the same suffering. Ideally this compassion leads to action.

What kind of ripple effects do you make with your life? What decisions can you make that will make this world better, more peaceful, more awake? I hope the articles in this issue inspire you to live powerfully and positively.

Lourdes Paredes Founder and publisher

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Our actions have consequences. Like the classic example of a stone thrown into still water creating ripples that last over time and space, our actions impact other people right now and also years from now, in ways we may never know. We experience the karma of our ancestors, our spiritual teachers and our world leaders. We influence the karma of our friends, lovers, students, children, neighbors, and also for the organizations to whom we offer our time, service and donations, the people who work in faraway factories whose products we buy, and those who will inhabit this planet 100 years from now.

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Contributors

What inspires you to create good [karma] in the world?

Rebecca Niziol contributor, Uncomfortably Numb The world needs more happy, fulfilled people who do the work that lights up their soul.

That drives me to do what I do.

Jaclyn Bauer contributor, Blissful Beats For me, life is about cultivating a space where love, respect, dignity and compassion are paramount, because that’s the kind of world I want to live in.

So that’s the kind of world I’m going to create for myself and those around me.

Pamela McDonough columnist, Vedic Astrology Helping others navigate their karmas and live their lives to the fullest is my most significant inspiration.

Knowing that the chance to help one person can also lead to support for our collective karmas as a society is very important to me as well.

Join our mailing list at illuminemagazine.net

Jim Kulackoski columnist, Sanskrit

Ali Modell contributor, Keeping the Wisdom Alive

I'm inspired when I can create opportunities and situations in life where everyone involved wins. I feel inspired to act in ways which further the growth and evolution of myself and others.

Once we learn to take responsibility for our own choices, words and habits, life becomes more conscious and alive. This brings a lot of clarity and joy into daily life, making the ordinary extraordinary.

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Online exclusives Reviews on books, events, studios, teachers, spas and restaurants. Check out illuminemagazine.net regularly for resources and recommendations for living an illumined life.

Learn how to amplify your intentions with Katherine Austin, founder and owner of Karma Yoga in Michigan and San Diego, CA. Austin discusses the power of harnessing energy through Kundalini yoga to manifest what you want in life.

Discover how you can tune into the dharma of nature, and live in sync with the innate rhythms of the day and seasons. Nakul Patel, an entrepreneur and an explorer of life, shares his perspective.

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Community Artist profile

Elizabeth Luse Expressing joy through dance

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or as long as I can remember, I've been dancing. What sustains my practice is the freedom and joy that comes from movement, and the way our bodies generate and channel energy. I love the ritual of a dance class, where I go to understand how my body moves and how I can hone it for maximum expression.

Sometimes I enjoy the creative process more than performing. The focused reflection that creating demands is difficult, but invigorating. Bodies are powerful, living and breathing sculptures; they provoke empathy and discussion. They are capable of expressing the past and present history residing within them. Dance is most meaningful when it articulates these experiences.

Photo: Cheryl Mann

How to keep dance accessible for diverse audiences is a major challenge for our art form. For three years, I was fortunate to be a part of an ongoing project, Dance in the Parks, that seeks to address this issue by performing free dance concerts in public parks across Chicago. Students from area studios perform before the professional company takes the stage, and the experience gives aspiring performers in different areas of Chicago an opportunity to connect with professional dancers and new audiences. Collectives such as Dance in the Parks are essential, as they help foster the growth of dance as an art form and create important relationships between arts organizations and the larger community.

Photo: Jennifer Eaton

Elizabeth Luse is a dance artist/teacher living and working in Chicago. She has worked for Lyric Opera of Chicago, Winifred Haun & Dancers, and Dance in the Parks. She teaches at Joffrey Ballet of Chicago and is an ensemble member with the dance theater company Lucky Plush Productions. She is currently working with Lucky Plush Productions on their newest creation, Trip the Light Fantastic: The Making of SuperStrip, which premieres at the Harris Theater in March 2016.

Learn more about Dance in the Parks at danceintheparks.org

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Community

illuminating the spirit

Doing Good Deeds Bring happiness to others through sat karma

by Rev. Mark Anthony Lord

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hen the word “karma” is used in the Western world, we often think of it as our past fears, deeds and mistakes coming back to haunt us. It’s about retribution.

Or, a kinder definition is that it’s about the law of cause and effect. No matter how you define karma, it’s not wise to wander through the world oblivious to how our thoughts, words and deeds affect others.

Managing this can make you feel overwhelmed and on guard, because so much of what you think, say and do comes from your subconscious mind. This is the part of you that gets triggered when you are feeling afraid. It contains oceans of negative beliefs, confusion and troubled stories from your past. It also contains the fears and beliefs of your ancestors. With that heavy load, how can you possibly track your every thought and feeling in order to keep yourself positive and free from negative karma?

The truth is, you can’t. But, you can do something that will lift you high above the micro-management of your crazed mind into an effortless way of making your life exponentially better and free of negativity. It’s called sat karma (saht), which simply means doing good deeds.

How many people can you make happy in a day?

Focusing on generating happiness as opposed to nitpicking your fearful, worrisome, attacking thoughts is a much better use of your time and energy. And it also quickly brings great results.

There are three types of sat karma: Physical Sat Karma = Right Words and Actions Opening a door, helping carry groceries, or taking the time to help a friend or loved one clean their garage or plant a garden are easy examples of how you can increase your own happiness and well-being. Feel free to pour on the compliments, because using your words to uplift another is the best way to lift your own spirits.

Psychological Sat Karma = Right Thoughts and Emotions Many people tend to think they are not causing harm to another if they think something negative and judgmental, but don’t say it out loud. This simply is not true. Every negative thought about another is like a drop of poison in your own mind and heart. The great news is, the opposite is also true. Next time you find your mind headed toward judgment and resentment, turn it around and instead think about all of the wonderful attributes and qualities of that person.

You can’t control every thought, but you can intentionally think positive, grateful, happy ones about yourself and others.

Spiritual Sat Karma = Helping Yourself by Helping Others Grow Spiritually Share a great self-help book, uplifting movie or amazing art exhibit with a friend. Tell someone

about a positive and affirming church you attend. Share your heart, and be vulnerable about your own trials and tribulations. Take the time to really listen to someone and just be there as a witness to their journey. Any time you inspire someone, you are helping them grow spiritually, and you’ll be surprised how easily and naturally this comes.

If you’re going to focus on your karma, why not make it your sat karma? It’s a much better choice than trying to not be negative or worrying about how the “sins of your Father” might be haunting you. And, it’s something that you can do right now, exactly as you are and where you are. Sat karma will make your life happier and healthier, and miraculously, with no effort from you, the “negative karma” will dissolve.

Rev. Mark Anthony Lord is an internationally recognized author, speaker, teacher and founder of the Bodhi Spiritual Center in Chicago, Ill. He currently resides in Los Angeles, where he has founded Pride 2.0, a ministry focused on healing the world from homophobia. Visit his website at pride2point0.com.

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Community Teacher feature

Drama Queen Elena Flores Rector brings performance and passion to barre and pilates classes

by Vanessa McClure

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ll the studio’s a stage for fitness instructor Elena Flores Rector. She makes it her mission to energetically entertain as she leads students through a full range of muscle-toning moves in her barre and pilates classes.

“I tend to take it to the next level,” Rector says of her FlyBarre classes at Flywheel Old Town where she frequently finds a way to use costumes, accents and alternate characters to ramp up the fun factor.

Rector has been teaching for about three years, mostly barre and pilates classes, but her first passion was acting. She earned her undergraduate degree in musical theatre and while touring with a production of Mamma Mia!, she struggled to find a fun way to work out on the road. If a fitness class didn’t fit her schedule, she experimented by making up exercise routines on her own in her hotel room.

“All of a sudden a lightbulb went off,” Rector says of the realization that she could share her creativity through teaching. “I find such passion in entertaining, as well as driving people and inspiring them.”

Photo: Mary Carol Fitzgerald Photography

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Themed classes at FlyBarre shine a spotlight on Rector’s flair for the dramatic. Past class themes include everything from “Girl Groups,” where Rector spoke in a British accent while dressed as Scary Spice, to “Pulso de Mayo” on Cinco de Mayo, where she donned a taco costume. She took on Tina Turner’s persona while teaching the “Pop Divas” class and recently dressed in a bumblebee outfit and a crown to bring “Queen Bey” to life in her Beyoncéthemed barre class.

In her pilates classes at Pilates ProWorks in Lincoln Park, Studio Manager Caitlin Carlino says students often compliment Rector on her combination of fun and intensity.

“She keeps her classes positive and motivating with encouraging words and hilarious puns and jokes,” Carlino says. “She delivers some of the toughest pilates workouts around.”

Rector says the theatrical style and humor can seem silly at times, but it’s not just for show. She considers it a method to help students love their time in the studio.

You can find Rector at the barre at Flybarre Old Town (flywheelsports.com/locations/old-town) and on the reformer at Pilates ProWorks (pilatesproworks.com/lincolnpark). Follow her fitness adventures on Instagram @elenafloresrector.

“I use it as a platform to perform and enjoy it and make other people enjoy it as much as I do,” she says.

FlyBarre exercises focus on creating lean, long muscles by using tiny pulses to isolate hard-totone areas. Similarly, the goal during pilates at Pilates ProWorks is to work muscles just up to the point of exhaustion, says Carlino. Rector believes her animated approach does more than amuse; it motivates her students to smile through the tough workout and hold on a little longer.

“When you go past that burn, when you feel like you need to drop out, at that point when you push past that, then that’s where the work is,” she says.

“That’s where you’re getting that good stuff.”

Rector in the role of “Lisa” in the national equity tour of Mamma Mia! the musical.

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Community

Musings from the mat

Karma and Padmasana The lotus pose helps us achieve higher levels of consciousness

by Ellen Diamond

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o earthly object is more symbolic and no pose is more illustrative of karmic principles than the lotus flower and padmasana, or lotus pose. Connections between the sacred and splendid lotus flower, padmasana, which is considered one of the most advanced of the asanas, and the lessons of karmic evolution are abundant.

The word “karma” derives from the Sanskrit root, meaning “to do, make, perform, cause, effect.”

It is widely understood and translated as “deed” or “action.” Karma is a complicated spiritual concept, and its complexity and nuances are only compounded by its multiple definitions, depending on the various schools of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the other sects that flourish in the rich spiritual soil of Mother India.

In the West, karma is often defined as the causality of action, the idea that the actions and intentions of a person will influence that person’s present and/or future. As such, it is a valuable ethical teaching that good deeds and good intentions will lead to good karma and bad deeds and bad intentions will lead to bad karma.

In some traditions, rebirth or reincarnation is a necessary component of karmic evolution, or achieving full consciousness or enlightenment.

The lotus, considered a sacred flower in India, is the very emblem of karma, exemplifying the process of moral evolution and elevation from lowly depths to spiritual heights, and from narrow mind to spacious mind. The lotus flower begins by rooting into the murky, muddy floor of a pond or river. “Mud-born,” pankaja, is poetic Sanskrit for lotus flower. Like all life, the lotus begins in the primordial dark waters, the “prima materia” of the alchemists, the mysterious essence of the life force.

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Chakras, the vital energy centers of the body, are also called lotuses by the yogis of Tibet and India.

Each chakra corresponds to a lotus of a certain color and number of petals. Like the flower, chakras can be opened or closed, blossoming or dying, depending on the state of consciousness within. As each chakra is opened, through mediation, pranayama, visualization and chanting, the flower unfolds until there is a thousand-petaled lotus at the crown of the yogi’s head.

Padmasana is perhaps the most advanced of the asanas. It is a cross-legged seated posture. The benefits of this pose range from ease in childbirth and menstrual discomfort to improved posture, digestion and circulation. But its essential benefit, when mastered or adapted until alignment, balance and comfort are experienced, is that it is the ideal posture for sustaining a stable, restful position for meditative practices.

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he truest advancement of the pose is when the yogi mirrors the lotus and the transformative principles of karma the flower symbolizes. Here is a suggested visualization: *Plant your sit bones firmly in the space beneath you. Imagine your sitting bones are sending roots into the muddy river bottom. *Place one foot on top of the opposite thigh in a symmetrical way with its sole facing upward and close to the abdomen. Repeat the same with the other foot. *Place your hands on your knees in mudra position. Imagine that this triangle forms the leafy throne that will support the lotus flower. Your head, neck, and shoulders are in relaxed alignment with your eyes closed.

*As you settle, imagine that you are surrounded by chidakasha, the space of consciousness, pervaded and embraced by spaciousness both inside and outside of your body. *Hold your spine erect. Imagine a lotus flower growing from the base of your spine to the crown of your head. As the long green stem rises upward along your spinal column, imagine that your ujjayi breath is climbing up inside the cavity of the stem.

In harmony with your breath, allow your mind ascend to higher levels of consciousness. *Finally, your breath and awareness reach the top of your head, or sahasrara, crown chakra, where the lotus bud resides. Visualize the lotus flower opening slowly, petal by petal. Feel as if you are mirroring the calm, quiet beauty of this sacred flower.

“Om mani padme hum” is a classic chant in padmasana. It is literally translated as, “Om the jewel in the lotus hum.” The jewel in the lotus is enlightenment, the Buddha mind.

The lotus flower is the earthly representation and padmasana is the embodiment of karma: the journey from muddy bottom waters to space and light; from great depths to great heights; from primordial darkness to the full light of consciousness. In the body, it is the ascendant energy of the opening chakras from muladhara to sahasrara. In our minds, it is the journey from samsara to nirvana.

Ellen Diamond is a Jungian-inspired licensed clinical psychologist currently in private practice in Highland Park, Ill.

Community

Sutra in the city

Dealing with deception How to follow the teachings, not the teacher

Illustration: Graham Ebetsch

by Debi Buzil

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remember the burning incense, the candles on the altar, and the beautiful pictures of the deities in my teacher’s studio. I sat, I meditated, I did yoga. My experiences were exquisite. My heart felt open, and my mind was ecstatic and blissful with each meeting. I’ve always found it important to connect with a teacher, to deepen my practice, and have an observer check in on me. The other students and I sat with our teacher in this space, accessing wonderful states of peace, wisdom and equanimity.

Fast forward six months. My teacher, bound by word and marital contract, was “outed” for sleeping with a student. I’d heard of these scandals. I had been affected by them, albeit from a distance, and had found myself judging the alleged. Now the subject of such a scandal was someone near and dear to me.

What to do?

I fell into a funk. The early morning breathing and chanting practices I learned from my teacher fell to the wayside, and I couldn’t get out of bed. People familiar with the situation were taking sides and talking. I learned from my mother that gossip is for the birds, so I set my intention not to get involved in the drama.

I understand we are spiritual beings given these very human bodies and challenges. I strive to live by my own truth, and I choose teachers that live what they teach. But Lord knows how many times we have slipped up. All of us.

Despite the knowledge that we are all human, I still couldn’t get up and do my morning practice. Was I equating my teachings with the teacher? Was I throwing the baby out with the bathwater? I needed help. I felt disillusioned, angry and bewildered. I had had a great relationship with my meditation and asana, resulting in a great relationship with myself.

Now what?

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fter taking a little bit of downtime, I gave myself permission to grieve.

Once again it seemed like I’d lost something precious and dear. I reached into my backpack of yoga, in search of practical tools to help guide me. And then I remembered Sutra 1:20: sraddha virya smrti samadhi prajna purvaka itaresam. T.K.V. Desikachar translates this sutra in The Heart of Yoga as, “Through faith, which will give sufficient energy to achieve success against all odds, direction will be maintained. The realization of the goal of yoga is a matter of time.”

We all need a positive feedback loop that is rooted in faith, and nourishes faith. Yoga is always experiential. We practice because we know the benefits are many, but we deeply feel these benefits. I want my morning practice back, with a clearer mind, energy, more willpower, insight and attention to right action. Cultivating faith gives me the courage to continue repeating what my teacher has taught me.

Do I still feel a sense of betrayal from my teacher? Yes. Have I been able give him the ownership of his actions, and not participate in his life drama? I can say that I am working on it. I am open and experiencing what you may call “teacherlessness.” Not attached to an outcome, I leave my path open for exploration.

I plan on speaking to my teacher frankly and honestly, highlighting the positive qualities I saw in him, plus my disappointment and loss.

This morning I am off to fetch the incense and light the candles on my altar. I sit. I meditate.

I do yoga.

Debi Buzil is the leader of Chicago-based Kirtan group Devi 2000. She is a longtime teacher and student, and a mother of two.

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Traditions

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Vedic astrology

The Karma in Our Stars How our career and legacy manifest in our horoscope

by Pamela McDonough

The tenth house of karma is what we are known for in this lifetime. If we view this house with a narrow field of vision, it could be analyzed to understand our career. More broadly, the tenth house represents what we will be remembered for in our community and society: our legacy.

this time, she also wrote a weekly syndicated newspaper column called "Campaign Wife,” and later worked in publishing and editing. Her life experience strongly represented the strength of this combination of Sun (fame and name) and Mercury (writer and editor) in the tenth house.

Planets that are placed in our tenth house at birth have a significant pull on us to “do” our karmas. They will literally tug at us to connect with their energy and the meanings and actions that they induce. For example, a strong Sun in the tenth house can give amazing leadership capability and provide us with the impetus and ability to work in high-level positions within organizations or government. Whether or not this will manifest depends upon the remainder of the horoscope.

Each planet or combination of planets placed in the tenth house will create unique outcomes or life trajectories, thus creating a magnetic pull on our consciousness. The relationship between the tenth house, the rest of our horoscope, and our life experience is complex, however, anyone who is struggling with career or finding their life's work could consult an experienced Vedic astrologer. The astrologer would look closely at the tenth house in order to determine the issue and find the solution.

Once the root cause is identified, practical suggestions can be offered to help you realize your path and overcome obstacles.

rom the Eastern outlook of Jyotish (Vedic astrology), our horoscope represents a snapshot of the karmic bank balances in all areas of our lives. These are the karmas that are ready to be experienced, or our prarabdha karma.

According to Sri Swami Sivananda, "Prarabdha is that portion of the past karma which is responsible for the present body.”

Venus in the tenth house can manifest as tremendous gifts in the artistic, beauty or design fields. Mars is excellent for the role of the protector, as police officer or member of the military. A wise counsel member, such as a judge, coach or mentor, would have a healthy influence of Jupiter. Mercury in the tenth can point to an excellent communicator or marketing guru. And someone with Moon in the tenth may work with the public or primarily with women.

Each of the 12 houses of the horoscope has significant and specific meanings related to our life experience and our prarabdha karma.

However, only the tenth house, the house of karma, has the ability to powerfully influence us and our actions.

One example of how planets in our horoscope can predict our gifts is Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who had Sun and Mercury in Cancer, in the tenth house. She spent much of her life in the public eye, campaigning on her husband’s behalf after he announced his candidacy. During

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Pamela McDonough is a Vedic astrologer and artist.

Learn more and schedule a reading with Pamela by visiting yantramandala.com.

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Traditions Sanskrit

Beyond cause and effect Unraveling the mysteries of karma

by Jim Kulackoski

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was exposed to spirituality from a young age. My father came from the Greek Orthodox tradition and later converted to Roman Catholicism, the faith of my mother. Consequently, my siblings and I were raised Catholic.

Growing up, I was confronted by the concept of morality, and my curiosity led me down a path that examined a variety of spiritual traditions and explanations, including the law of attraction and the idea of karma. The word karma means “action”. It is derived from the Sanskrit roots kri (to do) and ma (creation).

Karma, therefore, literally means the “doing of creation.” Everything that exists, does so because of karma.

But I still had questions. Why do good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people? Why are some children born with terminal illnesses or into abusive families?

I remember thinking, “How could such a universe exist?”

In my twenties, after a life situation that seemed rather tragic at the time, I entered into a monastic lifestyle in the Vedantic tradition, a school of thought based in the Vedic sciences that explains the “how” and “why” of existence.

Through these studies and through the practice of Karma yoga, I came to a deeper and perhaps more accurate understanding of karma.

Karma yoga is a practice in which you examine the motives behind your actions in order to discover the most appropriate course of action in any given situation. These motives, or samskāras, form the beliefs that constitute your personality and inform the seemingly infinite choices you make, both consciously and subconsciously.

These choices create the actions or karma that

Photo and artwork: Jillian Schiavi

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shape and limit your personal universe.

Just as DNA forms the blueprint of an organism’s physical body, the samskāras form the basis of an individual’s being at its most fundamental level, in addition to the specific actions, reactions and interactions that organism has with its environments.

The samskāras act as a lens through which you see and experience the world. According to Vedanta, your universe is actually created through their karma. You continually act per their beliefs until the outside clearly reflects the inside. In other words, your life (the good and the bad) is merely a reflection of your samskāras and their resulting actions, or karma.

other hand, acted from a place that transcended a need to perpetuate the limitations of his personal identity, including his ideas about religion, ideology and race, and promoted connectedness.

the action. Papa refers to an action, the sole purpose of which is to serve and perpetuate a narrow point of view given by the samskāras, and consequently limits the actor and those around them.

Hitler and Gandhi created similar results reflective of their intentions. However, while Hitler imparted fear, limitation and separateness, Gandhi encouraged unity that inspired (and continues to inspire) mankind beyond our differences. Hitler created action that bound himself and others to it, while Gandhi created action that ultimately helped to free others from the prison of their own beliefs.

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Morality is relative. There is no good or bad karma, and there is no such thing as an action that is better or worse than another. There is simply action and consequence, the meaning of which is determined by the actor’s individual beliefs based on their samskāras.

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or example, take two notorious personalities from the last century, Mahātma Gandhi and Adolf Hitler. Both had very similar karma, as indicated in their astrological charts, and consequently had analogous life paths. Both became charismatic leaders, united large groups of people under particular ideologies, and significantly altered the collective consciousness of humankind.

For Gandhi and Hitler, the source of action began with their individual samskāras. Hitler acted from a vision that perpetuated a limited vision for himself and his world, resulting in a divisive reality that created a sense of separateness within a particular population and within humankind itself. Gandhi, on the

While Gandhi and Hitler seem comparable in their intentions, a key difference involves an action called yajna, or evolutionary action. Yajna occurs when you transcend the limitations of your identity given by your samskāras, consequently inspiring others to do the same. In the case of Gandhi, his action did not perpetuate his samskāras. Instead, he acted in a manner free of the restrictions of his culture, religious past, and race. Hitler, however, acted in a manner known as pāpa or sin. Sin here does not denote right or wrong, but rather explains the origins of

ajna is central to the practice of karma yoga. It is action that is “larger” than the person committing it; it is beyond your samskaras and is the result of the development of awareness of who and what you really are.

The higher practices of yoga are aimed at the transcendence of your samskaras in favor of discovery of the self beyond them.

Therefore, the purpose of yoga, particularly karma yoga, is to enlighten you to the very source of your actions. Karma yoga is a means to transcend the limitations of your own identity and create action that is evolutionary for yourself and others. It is a path of integrity and exceptional personal responsibility. With this awareness comes the ability to choose your beliefs and actions more freely, rather than be subject to the reflexive reactive state given by your samskāras.

Looking back at my own life, I can find a number of situations that have challenged me to move beyond who I thought I was and act from a place larger than myself. These times hold a special place for me, one of self-discovery and fulfillment, where I surprisingly felt most authentically “me,” despite acting in a manner that may have been initially foreign to me.

Instead, it was in these instances that I felt the most connected to who I truly was and allowed me to contribute to those around me.

Jim Kulackoski holds an adjunct faculty position at Loyola University Chicago and runs Darshan Center, where he leads and develops programs such as teacher trainings, workshops and a healing clinic.

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Traditions Architecture

Karma by design How Vedic architecture helps us lead better lives

by Ruth Diab Lederer

M

odern scientists have almost caught up with the ancient rishis (sages) of India—on matters of wave theory, that is. A basic concept of Vaastu, with origins that date back to 10,000 BCE, is that energy is subtle and, over time, becomes gross. Nature’s waves take myriad forms in the physical world, including the human body. The human form has different qualities of energy that are expressed in our unique personalities, physiques and skin, hair and eye colors. The infinite variations in the human form are produced by unique combinations of energetic waves.

One key concept in Mayonic Science and Technology, or Vaastu, the ancient science of Vedic architecture, that relates to all forms, is the brahma sutra. Sometimes known as the “thread of golden light,” this subtle energy wave is contained in every form on earth. In the human form, it is generally considered to be parallel to the spine, and in architecture, it is the energy line that horizontally bisects a structure. We know that every wave in both the natural and manufactured worlds is unique, and thankfully, Vaastu has given us methods by which we can identify and benefit from these unique waves.

We have all experienced how the design of a space or building affects us. Every day we walk into stores, office buildings and our homes and have a feeling of “this is a great space” but cannot define further what about it actually

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resonates with us. It just feels good on some level.

Similarly, some places just feel “off.” The waves of the human body and their interaction with the waves of the built environment is at the root of the “great space” experience and the “off” space as well. It is one thing to have a momentary experience of space being “great” or “off,” but what happens when you spend hours at work or at home in such a space?

The shape of a space significantly influences the type of activity in that space. For example, if the structure is circular, the energy is unsettled and the human body feels the chaos. Circular shapes are good for public spaces where people move through them, but the highly charged feeling in the space is not good for activities like concentrating at work or resting at home.

On the other hand, square space that has been designed specifically for a family or business group can transmit stable, supportive energy that can strengthen the body and calm the mind.

There is a growing body of evidence that shows that people who live in or merely nearby to Vaastu structures are experiencing better lives— emotionally, financially and physically. person trained in Vaastu uses a mathematical system to create stable, supportive, harmonious space. These mathematical formulae calculate 16 sets of characteristics, including the size of the perimeter. This is one of the most critical

elements of the design, since the size of the space is fundamental in establishing the unique wave that will benefit the inhabitants. Another fundamental characteristic of the 16 is the location of the main door to the house. It can be on any side of the structure, but must be a specific size that relates to the perimeter, and must be in a specific location that is determined by the formula. Where the door opens along the building’s outside wall enforces certain energetic properties, and it is important that it is used as the main door. Opening and closing the door on the prescribed spot enlivens the energy of that spot and can impart benefits over and above those coming from the structure itself.

It all goes back to the unique wave of the person and the unique wave of the structure.

When properly designed and executed, a Vaastu structure’s wave interacts with the wave of the human inhabiting the space. The two brahma sutras are in harmony, creating a space of positive, life-changing energy.

Ruth Diab Lederer is the principal of Vaastu Partners LLC. Contact her at ruth@vaastupartners.com for more information or to visit a newly built Vaastu cottage in Lake Bluff, Ill.

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19

“How do you want to feel?” lululemon athletica starts with this question to help you find pants that fit your desired feeling, based on a range of sensations: Relaxed, Naked, Held-In, Hugged and Tight.

The Chicago team selected five local fitness instructors to represent this campaign in their stores: Jill Griffiths, Jaclyn Mitgang, Bonnie Micheli, Lourdes Paredes and Tracy Roemer.

“We chose five women for our windows who personified these qualities. Not only are they incredible instructors and influencers, they also represent strong, powerful women in our Chicago community," says Halsted store manager Tess Staadecker.

Visit lululemon stores nationwide to find the pants that make you feel like you. To learn more about the five ambassadors chosen for this window display, visit illuminemagazine.net.

20 illuminemagazine.net

Traditions

Keeping the wisdom alive

Q&A with Tias Little

by Ali Modell

In this recurring column, we ask Chicago-area teachers to interview their teachers about lineage and the teacher/student relationship.

Photo: Courtesy of Prajna Yoga

B

eing connected to a community and plugged into a teacher is vital to the yogic process, something Tias Little knows a lot about, as the founder of Prajna Yoga in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Little began his yogic studies as a youth, and as an adult, Little and his wife, Surya, studied within the Ashtanga yoga system. Ashtanga was a vital source of inspiration and maturation, as it helped them establish a consistent daily practice and connection to a teacher.

Now, as a practitioner, he works closely with his Zen and Sanskrit teachers, who continue to inspire him. Little’s focus as a yoga teacher includes in-depth anatomical detail stemming from his training as a bodyworker, paired with indepth meditation instruction stemming from his training in Buddhist meditation and classical yoga. He continues to honor the Krishnamacharya lineage, the father of the Ashtanga and Iyengar styles of yoga, which form the basis of most modern styles of yoga. Little is also influenced by various other somatic modalities, which combine to form a rich tapestry of teachings.

Continues on page 22

illuminemagazine.net

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Continued from page 21 Tell us about how you began your yoga journey.

What is next for Prajna?

Little: I started in the Iyengar system, as my mother began studying the Iyengar method in 1978 in London. Having been an athlete for many years, I suffered many injuries. I was a soccer player and remember doing Triangle pose and Warrior I in the kitchen, which helped to rehabilitate my ankles and knees.

Another strong influence that drew me to yoga was my inclination toward the contemplative experience. I used to do regular meditation practice outdoors long before I had any formal training.

Little: My excitement is really around how mindfulness is taking hold here in America. Prajna is based around that—the importance of tracking the nuance of breath, sensation, thoughts and perceptions. I think we’ll continue to evolve more in that direction. Everyone can benefit from mindfulness, whether they are a school teacher, bus driver, nurse or yoga teacher.

What particular modalities, methodologies and teachers continue to inspire you today?

Little: Recently, I’ve really focused my studies and interests in the healing and contemplative arts. Bodywork and medicinal practices like Rolfing and osteopathy have been inspirations of mine. And the body awareness and movement system of somatics has been a real complement to my traditional yoga practice as well.

I also have an ongoing practice of working with dreams and find there’s quite a bit of connection between dream-time and yoga nidra, as both practices allow one to connect into the subconscious.

I have so much gratitude for all the teachers I’ve had and the insights I’ve gained from working with them. I think of teachers like beads on a mala. As a teacher, I am just one bead amidst a whole string of beads. Being a teacher is to be part of an ongoing process of discovery, change and growth. It is critical for me to connect to tradition, for that is what gives strength and continuity to my work. It is important for all teachers to avoid becoming isolated from the mala of teaching, but to connect to the richness of a tradition.

How does your own study inform Prajna Yoga, your yoga approach/ school, and what is Prajna all about?

Little: We chose the word Prajna, meaning deep understanding or wisdom, for our school because it’s so ancient. It suggests knowing something at the deepest level. We connect to the classical practices of yoga, or the Eightfold Path, which are a progressive framework for how to live ethically in the world and further work with one’s own internal processes. We are also influenced by the traditional teachings of the Buddha, especially Zen and Vipassana meditation.

We honor the teachings of BKS Iyengar and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga and emphasize a high level of anatomy in our training. Thus our approach is interdisciplinary, weaving together classical yoga, Buddhist wisdom and a deep knowledge of anatomy.

How do we honor tradition while bringing in new ideas, and how do we balance them?

Little: It’s really a high-wire act to find the middle ground between adhering to tradition and also being inclusive of contemporary ideas. The Buddha taught a three-pronged approach to meditation practice and one of the three prongs is upaya, which means skillful action and making teaching accessible and relevant to whatever kind of audience is at hand. With Prajna Yoga, we teach in a way that is dynamic, changing and creative, and it is designed to be relevant to the current culture. It’s always evolving. I’m not sure where my work will be in the next five years, but I know it will continue to evolve.

There can be dangers to adhering to a static belief system about how yoga is supposed to be; remaining open to many possibilities is important for inner and outer growth on the yogic path.

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Do you think it’s important for a student of yoga to have a teacher, or can someone practice without a guide or community?

Little: I think it’s really important to have a teacher. It’s kind of ironic, because there are so many people standing up to teach yoga these days, but it’s rare to find a teacher who can really guide others. I think that a one-to-one relationship is important, like the psychotherapeutic model, where the client is able to move through their own kleshas, or holding patterns, with the guidance of their coach or therapist. And that is also the yogic model, where there is a strong student-teacher relationship.

This presents somewhat of a challenge for me, as I have so many students.

But at Prajna Yoga, we do have a mentorship program to help students make progress. It is also important to have a teacher, for as one becomes more experienced and evolved on the yoga path, it is easy fall into old patterns and get out of the habit of a consistent practice and internal growth. As I continue to grow on my path, I am always seeking the help of my teachers: my Zen teacher, my dream teacher, my Sanskrit teacher.

Tell us about some unique features of the Prajna temple and how it fosters student learning.

Little: Our retreat center was created in part to celebrate beauty. Beauty is important for the human spirit. We are just outside of Santa Fe in the foothills—in the mountains with the cottonwood trees, underneath the big sky. Our temple has a Japanese influence, expressed in the courtyard gate, the round windows in the temple, and throughout the landscaping. Our building is an ecological, completely green facility. It provides for a really remarkable experience for anyone who comes in to practice.

Is the “goal” of yoga the same for everyone, and is the practice goal-oriented?

Little: It’s really problematic when yoga becomes goal-oriented. People use the practice to lose weight, become fit, or as a cardio routine. For many practitioners, the aim is to achieve postures, but I believe that the goal is to heal, from physical, psychological and emotional suffering. One goal in yoga must be to heal the divided self. In order to heal the divided self, it is good to ask the question, “What is the common root for all beings?” This suggests healing the collective; the collective of people, nations and the whole planet. One such goal is the health and sustaining of our planet—and this is something that is vital to connect to, one that all beings everywhere must support. Realizing that health is one of the goals of yoga.

Learn more about Tias Little at prajnayoga.net.

Ali Modell is a dedicated yoga enthusiast and student of Tias Little since 2006. Committed to honoring the art and science of yoga, she is also a soon-to-be practitioner of East Asian Medicine focusing her studies on integrative medicine and structural integration. Learn more about her work at alimodell.com.

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8/3/15 7:46 PM

Part II of a two-part series on cultivating nature in your home as a city dweller

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s yoga’s “sister science,” Ayurveda teaches us that by living in alignment with the cycles in nature, we enhance health in body and contentment in mind. When we become disjointed from these cycles, we foster disease processes and emotional discordance. Living in a city environment poses unique challenges and opportunities for closing the gap between self and nature. Incorporating the elements of nature—specifically through lighting and essential oils—can close the gap that distances us by replicating the sun and earth cycle in our home.

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Plant photos: Marco Chavarry Top right photo, opposite page: courtesy of Monica Yearwood

The Trouble With Artificial Lighting

As humans, we are constantly under the influence of the environments created by our modern conveniences. Artificial lighting is one such factor that has a very real impact on our circadian rhythm, and the glow emitted from TVs, computers, streetlights, neighboring buildings and indoor overhead lighting is difficult to escape in the city.

The impact of artificial lighting on our physiology is associated with the development of mood disorders, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and heart disease, among other health issues. In 2012, the American Medical Association released a concerning summary of adverse health effects from artificial lighting, citing that a lack of complete exposure to darkness interrupts melatonin secretion and significantly decreases the body’s ability to fight tumor growth and cancers.

Replicating the light dark cycle in our home

Ayurveda emphasizes daily lifestyle practices that synchronize our activities with the sun’s cycle.

Collectively, these practices are referred to as dinacharya, which means, “to follow the day.” This means following the day as led by the sun—rising with the sun, eating at midday when the sun is strongest, and sleeping after the sun has set.

The ability to embrace these practices effortlessly, specifically through aligning the sleep cycle with the natural light/dark cycle of the sun, expresses circadian rhythm health. However, exposure to chronic light stimulation negatively impacts our physiology and diminishes melatonin secretion, which may inhibit a natural desire for sleep.

Fortunately, by being deliberate about daily exposure to light and darkness, we can reduce the impact of artificial lighting through two methods.

Exposure to bright light during the day for at least one half-hour.

If it truly is impossible to get outside for that time, purchase a bright light machine and keep it at your desk. Dr. David Edelberg, founder of Whole Health Chicago, advises consistent bright light exposure in the morning. In the winter, when temperatures are low, he suggests using light box machines that deliver full spectrum lighting (the same type of light that we receive from the sun) to powerfully suppress melatonin secretion. The suppression of melatonin acts like a rubber band, causing the body to secrete more melatonin at night, raise serotonin levels, and regulate circadian rhythms to promote better sleep.

Make sure that your room is completely dark when you sleep.

Using Essential Oils In The Home

Essential oils are the natural aromatic compounds extracted from seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants using distillation, chemical or expression methods. While essential oils naturally contain the scent of the plants from which they were extracted, they also possess compounds that affect human physiology in numerous ways unrelated to their actual scent. In fact, research cited in an October 2014 New York Times article explains that we have scent receptors throughout our entire body that respond to the chemicals in aroma.

David Crow, pioneer of the Grassroots Healthcare movement and founder of Floracopeia Essential Oils, explains that essential oils have a range of functions depending on the oil, including relaxant and anti-anxiety, antidepressant and antimicrobial. “Whenever we use a plant for medicine, it helps our body remember its connection to nature. The more mindfully we do this, the more we can connect our consciousness to nature as well,” Crow says. “Just breathing the fragrance of a plant connects the body biologically to that plant.”

Ayurvedic medicine uses essential oils, topically and through inhalation, to reduce doshic excess, restore hormonal function and help mitigate a variety of disorders.

For those new to essential oils, Crow suggests starting simple with single oils in a diffuser, such as lavender, and to avoid using them directly on the skin or taking essential oils internally. “Using oils in simple personal routines that mark the cycles of the day and seasons is very helpful also, just as eating and sleeping at regular times helps maintain the biorhythms.”

Below, Crow details what specific essential oils can bring to the home:

Conifer Oils: The life force of the forest; boosts immunity

Flower Oils: The springtime and sunshine; helps harmonize the female hormonal cycle

Root Oils: The earth element; helps calm the

mind

Sacred Scents, such as frankincense and palo santo: Connects you with ancient rituals; uplifts your consciousness.

Monica Yearwood is an ayurvedic practitioner, author, speaker and founder of Hamsa Ayurveda & Yoga.

Light coming in from ineffective curtains can impede melatonin secretion, and the light from even a single lightbulb can suppress melatonin secretion. Purchase blackout curtains for your sleeping areas and explore blue light blocking devices, as the blue light in the spectrum suppresses melatonin secretion. Block this light with lenses that cover the computer and TV screen, and wear special glasses to block out blue light.

Explore lowbluelights.com for a solution that will work for you. illuminemagazine.net 25

Acts of Good

How four people are using their experiences to change the world

by Abby Hart and Katie Wilkes

What goes around comes around. You reap what you sow. You get what you give.

There are countless adages related to the experience of karma—putting energy and effort out into the world and feeling the effects of that action, good or bad. In the spirit of elevating and educating the community, illumine takes a look at four people who prove that a little action and inspiration can plant the seeds of tremendous positive impact.

Photos: Liesl Diesel Photo

enna Benn Shersher is a creator, a writer and a fighter. As the associate regional director at the Anti-Defamation League Chicago, she fights for civil rights, and as a cancer survivor and founder and executive director of the nonprofit Twist Out Cancer (TOC), she uses weapons of creativity and community to help those touched by cancer fight back.

Her blog views increased from 50 readers to several thousand, from people all over the world experiencing varied life struggles reading her reflections on fighting cancer.

In 2010, Shersher was diagnosed with Grey Zone Lymphoma, a rare blood disorder which, at the time, affected about 300 people in the United States.

During her four months of intensive chemotherapy, she started a blog to update her friends and family on her health and document her experience.

One day, feeling a bit disconnected from her readers, Shersher issued a challenge. She posted a video of her doing “The Twist” on her blog and asked “Who’s twisting with me? Join me on the dance floor.”

Hundreds of response videos rolled in over email and YouTube of people twisting and dancing along with her on her journey. Word spread about her twisting, and she began sharing her story at cancer institutions and leading groups of survivors in the twist, a symbolic act of creativity and community.

“About a month in, it transitioned from a place to update people, to more of a place to cope,” says Shersher. “It became a way for me to process the severity of the situation.”

The movement became too big to deny, and Shersher founded Twist Out Cancer (TOC) in 2011. TOC began as a platform where users could create profiles and upload videos with their

26 illuminemagazine.net

“twists” on cancer, from fighting strategies and new perspectives on the cancer journey, to creative challenges that helped build community and connection. Challengers posted videos, written reflections or photos of them completing challenges, which then become a tangible tribute to the survivor’s story.

Twist Out Cancer also provides educational workshops, with facilitators leading meaningful discussions stressing the importance of psychosocial support. Brushes with Cancer is another growing program which pairs survivors with artists to create original works of art documenting the survivor’s struggle with cancer. The artwork is then auctioned off or exhibited. Brushes with Cancer auctions and events have been held in Chicago, Toronto, Ann Arbor, Mich., and in 2016, Tel Aviv, Israel.

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rmed with a constant smile and an infectiously upbeat presence, Jonny Imerman is the ultimate connector. It’s no surprise, then, that he connects people daily as the founder of Imerman Angels, the world’s largest cancer patient-to-survivor mentorship network.

Imerman was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2001, at the age of 26, while at home in Michigan.

He fought the disease surrounded by family and friends, but he felt that a key support system was missing, because none of his loved ones understood exactly what he was going through. Shortly after he was declared cancer-free, Imerman vowed to give back to other cancer patients, and began visiting people in the cancer ward of his hospital.

Jonny Imerman Founder, Imerman Angels and public speaker

He was able to connect with young patients with relative ease, which got him thinking about older cancer fighters—wouldn’t it be better for them to meet a survivor they could closely relate to?

Jenna Benn Shersher Founder and Executive Director, Twist Out Cancer, and civil rights activist

Photos: Aaron Hui

With this thought in mind, he built a growing network of mentors and survivors, receiving mentor referrals from medical professionals and meeting every mentor and survivor in person. “The trauma of my experience led to this clarity and this vision,” Imerman notes. “Who better to fix the cancer world than the people who have been through the system and can see the cracks in it?”

Imerman moved to Chicago and in 2006, he founded Imerman Angels with John May, now the organization’s chairman of the board. Mentor “angels” are cancer survivors and caregivers who are carefully matched with cancer patients of the same gender, age and type of cancer, giving survivors the opportunity to have the support of someone who has experienced their struggle.

In the nine years since its creation, Imerman Angels has grown from a few names to the largest cancer survivor network of its kind, with more than 6,000 cancer survivors in 60 countries. And the program is complimentary.

Shersher recognizes that the simple act of dancing is what created a wave of energy that led to the TOC that exists today. “We have to hone in on the isolation that cancer survivors feel and the pain they are going through. When you share, the world opens up.”

Though the concept behind Imerman Angels is simple—connecting one person to another— Imerman isn’t afraid to think big when it comes to the mark the organization could make in the future. “We help thousands of people every year,” he explains. “If we’re able to match millions of people every year, then we know we’re changing the world.”

—by Abby Hart

—by Abby Hart

Learn more about Twist Out Cancer and its programs at twistoutcancer.org.

Learn more about Imerman Angels at imermanangels.org. illuminemagazine.net 27

H

ealthy eating is about karma and dharma,” says Chef Dave Choi as he prepares a food demonstration at Madame Zuzu’s Tea House in Highland Park, Ill. “It’s a cycle. Karma means that whatever you’ve done comes back to you. Dharma is something you engage in with grace and love—and it comes back to you, blessings by the ton.”

Dave Choi Plant-based chef and public speaker

Choi presents two blenders and proceeds to mix a gourmet salad and a Diet Coke in one and organic brown rice with sauteed vegetables and a glass of water in the other. He then pours each slurry into separate latex gloves, ties them shut and passes these curious items around the table. With horrified and slightly amused expressions, each person surveys the opaque, sickly pink slime of the salad and soda and the grainy, mostly watery liquid of the vegan meal.

“Which would you rather have in your body?” Choi asks.

It’s a jarring illustration of the differences between consuming a diet of animal proteins and a plantbased diet, and the consequences of our choices and actions. Choi refers to plant-based eating as a dharmic, purposeful process and “an act of self-love.”

His Korean Buddhist beliefs influence his approach to nourishing himself and others, and led him to open Amitabul restaurant in Lakeview in 1995 with his family. The beloved restaurant later moved from Lakeview to Norwood Park and specialized in Korean and Buddhist vegan fare.

Photos: Robert Chesrow

In 2009, Choi left the restaurant with the intention of sharing his outlook on mindful eating and cooking. He found himself busier than ever, taking on speaking engagements, interviews and cooking demonstrations, educating the public on the benefits of a plant-based diet. His work has translated to major lifestyle changes, weight loss and vastly improved health for his clients.

After working with Choi and experiencing a dramatic weight loss, filmmaker Michal Siewerski was inspired to create Food Choices, a documentary exploring the impact of plant-based diets on the health of the human body and the world at large, which will be released in the spring of 2016.

Choi carries the dharma of educating the public all over the city of Chicago, working with families in food deserts on the South Side and giving them the tools and skills to cook healthfully.

—by Abby Hart Connect with Chef Dave Choi on Facebook at Whole Plant Base Chef Dave Choi, and learn more about the Food Choices documentary at foodchoicesmovie.com.

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Sarah Elizabeth Ippel Founder and Executive Chairman, Academy for Global Citizenship

REVITALIZE YOUR BODY, MIND AND SOUL asana, meditation,

Photo: Kelly Allison Photography

mantra, sound healing and cultivating

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ocally sourced meals made from scratch in a zero-waste cafeteria. Daily yoga practice.

This is what a typical day looks like at the Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC), home to 450 elementary students on Chicago’s southwest side.

After studying education systems around the world, founder Sarah Elizabeth Ippel committed herself to creating mindful leaders one student at a time. But when she moved to Chicago after completing her master’s degree, a brutal truth struck her. How could the school system of one of the nation’s leading cities fall to the same challenges she had seen in GuineaBissau’s schools?

In a pitch to Chicago’s Board of Education for a new elementary school, she tossed traditional ideas of what public school “should be” out the window. Now, nearly a decade after that conversation, and after visiting 90 countries, she is brightening the futures of more than 750,000 children by developing and sharing ACG’s sustainable education practices.

Ippel’s concept is simple: Plant the mindfulness seed early and let students learn the importance of their own choices. “Developing our students’ ability to control their energy and emotional response has meant that they spend more time collaborating in the classroom and less time fighting or acting out,” she explains.

connections with yourself

Photo: Galdones Photography

For these students, paying it forward becomes more than a textbook lesson. At the end of every unit, they put their ideas into action. Some create recycling programs, others lead peaceful protests against fastfood marketing. “Sometimes it seems so instinctive; I’ve wondered if they really grasp the extent of their impact,” Ippel admits.

This spring, Ippel will see her first class graduate 8th grade. It’s a milestone she holds close to her heart and inspires her to keep dreaming big. Her latest vision includes building the Midwest’s first net-positive energy campus on three acres of farmland as part of her plan to impact 20 million students worldwide.

—by Katie Wilkes Schedule a tour and learn more about the Academy for Global Citizenship at acgchicago.org.

Join yoga instructors Jenny Guzon-Bae and Lourdes Paredes in the beautiful and life-affirming setting of Mar de Jade in Chacala, Mexico February 20-27, 2016.

The heart of the retreat is centered around playful and healing practices that include asana, meditation, mantra, sound healing and cultivating connections with yourself. Be nurtured by calming waters, nourishing organic food, soothing spa treatments and the pleasure and camaraderie of like-minded souls.

Room rates start at $1185.00 Visit www.yogawithinyou.com for details or call 847.322.3101.

Abby Hart is a freelance writer, editor and marketing consultant living in Chicago's West Loop with her husband and dog.

Katie Wilkes works for the American Red Cross, and is a yogi, foodie and devoted rescue pup mom. illuminemagazine.net 29

30 illuminemagazine.net

Q&A yoga, transformation and joy

with

S

Seane Corn

by Carol Horton

eane Corn is one of the premier yoga teachers of our time, internationally recognized for her passionate commitment to integrating yoga into processes of personal transformation, spiritual activism and social change. In the 1990s, she played a pivotal role in developing the then-new method of Vinyasa Flow, which has since become the most popular style of yoga in North America, if not the world. In 2007, Corn co-founded Off the Mat, Into the World, a nonprofit with a commitment to social justice, which uses yoga and related tools to inspire people to become socially conscious leaders.

Corn has been featured in countless news outlets, as well as multiple DVDs, and is writing her first book. Here, she discusses the challenges and possibilities of contemporary yoga culture.

Is there a necessary tension between popularizing and commercializing yoga, and maintaining the integrity of its transformative potential?

Corn: Yes. Back when I first started with yoga back in the mid-’90s, I was a very serious student and I highly identified with my own studentship. But when I started to teach, I got a lot of opportunities and attention very quickly. I realized that I’d be able to make a career out of teaching yoga in a way that most of my peers, and even my teachers, weren’t going to be able to do—and for no other reason than that I was young, strong, flexible, pretty and white.

Yoga was more culturally marginal then. At the time, I didn’t fit the image of the typical yogi. I was marketable. But I was torn, because I didn’t feel that way on the inside. I was a purist. I was very aware of the platform I was being given and the opportunities that were right in front of me. Yet I worried that taking these more commercially viable options would compromise the integrity of my practice and identity as a yogi.

Still, turning my back on it felt disingenuous. I was being given a gift, an opportunity to share something that was deeply meaningful to me. I knew that I could reach a broader audience, people that wouldn’t have gone to a yoga class back then because they wouldn’t have felt comfortable.

So I kept going. But, there were big challenges. I started seeing images of myself that had been altered in ways that made me unrecognizable. I was airbrushed, wearing bright colors, smiling a big smile, having my hair blown back by a fan.

There was a disconnect between my image and what I felt in my heart, and I struggled with that.

Now, 20 years later, most of the images of yoga are still white, blond and skinny.

There really hasn’t been the shift I wish there could have been. I’ve been on the cover of 28 magazines since 1999 and I’m glad; I think that’s amazing. But there are lots of other women who deserve that recognition, too, but because of their body size, or the color of their skin, or their abilities, they will never get my platform.

Continues on page 32 illuminemagazine.net

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yoga, transformation and joy Continued from page 31 What are some of the best ways you’ve found to work productively with your unexpected celebrity and the commercialization of yoga?

Corn: The turning point for me came in 1999, when Nike asked me to be part of an ad campaign featuring women athletes at the top of their game.

Surprisingly, they wanted to include yoga. And they wanted to photograph me practicing in my room, alone, with the sweat pouring down—really, just the way that I experienced it. I knew that this was an amazing, incredible opportunity.

Yet I also knew that there was a big issue about Nike using sweatshop labor in its manufacturing.

Again, there was this dilemma. I knew that I was being offered this platform that would lead to more people asking: Could I practice yoga? What would the benefits be for me? And I knew that I could deliver that message. Yet I worried it would require getting into bed with a company that was working in ways I couldn’t support.

I went to Nike and expressed my concerns. I learned that they were starting to make changes that weren’t public yet. They were also willing to support some good new initiatives, like developing a non-PVC yoga mat. So while I still had reservations, I decided to move forward. And exactly what I expected to happen, happened. More people started asking: How can yoga change my life?

Since then, I’ve worked with a lot of corporations. Rather than just saying “yes,” I’ll investigate the opportunity first and ask: How could I engage with it differently? Can I not only use the organization’s platform, but also impact what it’s doing in a positive way?

As yoga has become popularized and commercialized, do you think that it has remained the same practice that you wanted to share? Or has it morphed into something different?

Corn: With Instagram, I see a lot of snapshots of “yoga moments,” as well as sexualization. Someone will be in a pose, but looking at the camera with a big smile. So they’re not truly in the pose. Instead, they’re replicating its shape while looking at the camera, which is actually dangerous.

This depiction of yoga confuses me somewhat. Because what I see is the ego of it, the “look at me,” the celebrity of it all—which, of course, sounds funny coming from me, a yoga celebrity. In yoga culture today, it often seems that celebrity is the goal. People want to be celebrated, to be acknowledged for their body and their presence. I see it as a real trap, an ego-driven dead end.

But I say that with my own judgment attached. And I often imagine that back when I first came onto the scene, some of my older teachers, who I love and revere, were looking at me and my peers—people like Shiva Rea, Baron Baptiste and Bryan Kest—and rolling their eyes at us. Maybe they were saying to themselves, “Oh no, look at these people, look what’s happened to yoga culture.”

Yet, with that generational shift, a lot of amazing things happened.

Maybe that photo of the young girl in fluorescent shorts posing with her leg behind her head on the beach will positively impact a lot of people. I don’t want to be so rigid or unimaginative that I can only see it as “wrong.” I like to believe that something else is happening, that this yoga thing is bigger than all of us.

32 illuminemagazine.net

Do you believe that yoga has the power to create positive social change?

Corn: Social change has to begin within the individual. Then we need to manifest that within our communities, and connect to organizations dedicated to social change. And throughout this process, we need to keep lifting each other up.

S

With yoga, we’ve got a community. Every yoga teacher and studio owner has a platform. Even if you only have a small following, you can still raise awareness and empower others. If we do our internal work and connect as a community, I’m very sure that we can make a change.

I’m dedicated to my work with Off the Mat because we help people do that deeper transformational work. We support them in discovering what they’re passionate about and how to build activist organizations. We try to get people to look at injustices like racism, sexism, ableism, and ageism—not to shame them, but to develop awareness. We teach students to connect to their vulnerability and understand trauma, both personally and systemically, as it contributes to oppression and violence.

Working with our individual and collective shadows is key to developing leadership. We need to be able to look at our ego, our issues, but not let that energy influence our choices. If we can get really good at naming and dealing with our shadows, so that they’re not infecting our actions, then social change is not just possible—it’s inevitable.

Do you have any words of advice for yoga teachers and students today?

Corn: If you practice yoga, you’re going to release stress. And that will make you feel a little better about yourself, and about life. If you then have a little more patience or treat someone better for one day, it means the yoga’s working. And everyone benefits.

It doesn’t matter what style of yoga you do, because there’s no one right way.

Ultimately, the message is love, peace, truth, equality, freedom and acceptance.

These are the tenets of yoga. Study one kind and see how that works. Then, go check out another teacher. Read the traditional yogic texts. Notice what resonates, and what feels in conflict. And just let yoga be one more interesting, cool thing that you do in this lifetime.

All expressions of yoga can lead to a deeper level of joy. And really, that’s ultimately what matters.

Carol Horton, Ph.D., is the author of Yoga Ph.D.: Integrating the Life of the Mind and the Wisdom of the Body, and co-editor of 21st Century Yoga: Culture, Politics, and Practice. She serves as a board member with the Yoga Service Council, Advisor to the Yoga and Body Image Coalition, and teacher with Yoga for Recovery.

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Blissful Live DJ’d classes take yogis to a whole new level of enlightenment

by Jaclyn Bauer

Y

ou arrive at the studio, set down your mat, and wait for the class to begin. Suddenly, the space is filled with the rhythmic beating of spinning music, and you are transported to an emotionally charged state of awareness where you feel ready to dive into your practice with determination and verve.

Having a DJ in a yoga class provides the opportunity for spontaneity and introspection through the use of melded music that is compiled on the spot. Because of these factors, DJ’d yoga classes are gaining in popularity, and there are now entire festivals, such as Wanderlust, that center on bringing yogis together in the spirit of collectivity and music.

But the creativity of these in-the-moment sessions requires planning and practice, and there’s a lot to consider as a yoga teacher, a DJ, and a student. Yoga teacher Amber Cook, DJ Taz Rashid and DJ Bhakti Styler share their opinions, intentions and methodologies for collaboration.

“There are millions of songs out there,” Taz Rashid notes, so choosing the right soundtrack for a class is a tough job, but also an exciting one. As Rashid points out, “A CD can’t match the breath or the movement of the class as it’s happening,” but a DJ can. This process takes trust, intuition, and sometimes, a bit of planning. Some DJs put together playlists ahead of time, while others, like Styler, choose each song on the spot. Either way, the teacher must be able to let go and trust the DJ to do his or her

34 illuminemagazine.net

beats

job, while the DJ must remain in-tune with the teacher and notice when a shift is coming, even if it’s not planned.

Mixing music live allows the DJ to evoke a particular emotional response in practitioners that is unique to the moment. In fact, Rashid’s main initiative in spinning beats for yoga classes is to spur emotion in students, to give them a “heart opening experience…and to allow them to awaken to a higher expression of themselves.” He wants every person to come out of the class brighter, more aware and feeling better about life in general.

Styler finds that the power of memory, which is intimately associated with music, plays a key role in the transformative power of playing music while practicing yoga. Styler notes that “[stuff] comes up when you come to the mat, [and] even without music, you put out love into the universe [by] feeling emotion.” While some might argue that igniting such emotion during a yoga class could take a person out of her practice in a distracting

Visit illumineMagazine.net or VIBEUP at vibeup.today for information on live DJ yoga events in Chicago. Learn more about Wanderlust yoga and music festivals at wanderlust.com.

way, Styler asserts that feeling emotion is not a bad thing; in fact, it’s an integral part of a yoga practice. The impetus to play music, then, is to evoke emotion (positive or negative) and allow practitioners to embrace and embody that emotion in their movement.

Similarly, yoga teacher Amber Cook notes that the most beneficial aspect of teaching a class with a DJ is to create an atmosphere where her students can be happy and uplifted. She doesn’t always play music during her classes, and she admits that she can often get stuck in the more rigid and “shadow side” of yoga. This more psychological side prompts practitioners to look inward, dig into emotionality, and recognize and break deep-set patterns. “[Yoga] is not all [about] digging into the shadow part of yourself,” Cook says, even though this is a vital component in practice.

It’s equally important to step back sometimes and take the cerebral heaviness down a notch, she says. “You get stuck trying to understand the internal dialogues...

Sometimes the work is to recognize and move on from that.” And that’s where a DJ can help.

There is a simplicity and bliss in yoga that can be forgotten amid the gravity of introspection. However, incorporating live mixed music in class can help students transcend that heaviness for a moment, so that if/when they return to it, whether on the mat or in their lives, they are more equipped to handle the darkness with a joyful and optimistic perspective. As Styler points out, “Music acts as both a focal point and a catalyst to the push through difficult times.”

Watching a student have an emotional or physical breakthrough is what Styler finds to be one of the most rewarding aspects of spinning during a yoga class.

DJ’d yoga classes are becoming more prevalent. Some studios, like Kindness Yoga in Denver and Shakti Shala in Aspen, Colo., and some locations of Chicago Athletic Clubs hold weekly yoga classes with a DJ, while Taz spins at Club Divine in Chicago on a monthly basis. Wherever you are, there’s a DJ’d class in your area, and it’s worth trying. A DJ’d yoga class can be an emotional experience if you are willing to open yourself to the possibility of transformation and to the self-expressive power of inspired movement and sound.

Jaclyn Bauer is a freelance writer, editor and kids yoga teacher whose work has been published at centeredonbooks.com.

illuminemagazine.net 35

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Uncomfortably Numb The danger of escaping into soft addictions

I

by Rebecca Niziol t’s human nature: We feel pain and naturally move away from it. We place our hand on a hot stove and the brain rapidly cues us to pull back. Our hearts are broken and we instinctively retreat inside—sometimes into sweatpants, sometimes into an emotionally closed off and dark place.

The truth is, humans aren’t wired to endure pain; they are made to avoid it. Moving toward pleasure and away from pain is necessary for survival.

Addiction happens when human nature takes over and draws us into momentary pockets of pleasure to ease pain. These diversions provide a chance to escape the hardships of life, such as running away from being overscheduled, feeling empty at work, being disconnected in relationships, or experiencing the boredom that sets in when monotony becomes the norm. A whole new category of addictions, known as soft addictions, is on the rise as we ingest more information than ever before and attempt to live up to the incredibly high standards we’ve placed on ourselves.

Soft addictions, the lighter cousin of hard addictions to substances like drugs and alcohol, are the seemingly innocent but detrimental habits we often indulge in without a second thought. From online shopping to procrastination, little habits turn into big blockades when it comes to living fulfilling lives. Addictions, whether soft or hard, are often there to fill a void or cover up pain. When we believe we lack something, we naturally seek out something to give us the illusion of fullness. The problem is, these soft addictions aren’t actually fulfilling; they’re numbing. The pain is still there, poorly buried underneath our Facebook profiles and smartphones.

The term soft addiction was first coined by Chicago native Dr. Judith Wright, author of The Soft Addiction Solution and co-founder of The Wright Institute. What’s so bad about these types of addictions? Wright explains, “They cost us money, rob us of time, numb us from our feelings, mute our consciousness and drain our energy. And we all have them.”

We all have them because we’ve become a society keen on self-medicating rather than self-healing.

A telltale sign of soft addiction: The behavior is used to escape thoughts, feelings or life. The line between habit and soft addiction is often blurry and personal. One person might watch three hours of TV so she doesn’t have to feel the pain of her recent divorce, while another does so in order to learn about new science and technology advances in the medical field.

A habit turns the corner into the shadows of soft addiction when we begin to unconsciously fall into it, losing the awareness and choice in engaging in the behavior, and instead feeling like we’re mindlessly drawn back to it again and again.

As we explore soft addiction, one begins to wonder how it relates to positive habits, like our yoga practice, healthy eating and meditation. Is it possible to be addicted to things that are actually good for you? Is it possible to have addictions that actually help you live a better life?

Yes…indeed, you can get addicted to the good stuff. Addictions grab us because they light up the pleasure centers of the brain. Technically anything that does that—love, yoga, food, drugs—can create an addictive hold on us that draws us back for more. A soft addiction, however, is characterized by our longing to escape, to get away from or cover up our lives and feelings.

Even something healthy and helpful, like a strong yoga practice, can become a soft addiction if it becomes our automatic escape, rather than an enhancement for our lives.

A soft addiction is characterized by our longing to escape, to get away from or cover up our lives and feelings.

The difference between healthy and harmful lies in intention and awareness.

Sometimes we need escapes. Sometimes the pain is so deep and wide that we want to be carried far, far away into a place where we can feel good momentarily. Yoga and meditation can certainly give us that. But more importantly, the practice of yoga reminds us that we don’t need to escape forever, because we’re more than capable of feeling those heavy feelings, moving past negative thoughts, and changing our lives so we don’t have to numb out so often.

Tony Robbins shares his take on addiction: “The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you’re in control of your life. If you don’t, life controls you.”

Try shifting your soft addictions into deeper connections with your awareness. If addictions are filling a void or covering pain, ask yourself, “What do I need to connect or reconnect to in order to feel whole and complete? Most of all, know when you’re escaping into the land of soft addictions, so you have the power to stop or change your behavior. Your life will be waiting for you when you return. Even with all the chaos and pain, it is a glorious life when you’re present in it.

Rebecca Niziol is a certified life coach, yoga and meditation teacher, retired dancer and writer. Learn more about her work at rebeccaniziol. com and workwithsoul.com. illuminemagazine.net 37

Identity

Style

Meeting the Challenge of Authenticity

by Fredda

Von

Fredda is an empowering speaker, creative director for commercial projects and stylist for individuals.

Learn more about Fredda’s work at freddastyle.com.

38 illuminemagazine.net

M

y yoga teacher for many years, the late Lynn Pigott, had an idea of what a yoga teacher was expected to look like.

social life, and wondered if paying more attention to how she presented herself would help. She also hired me as a personal stylist, and together, we used our coaching sessions to translate the new vision of her style into her life.

She thought that paying attention to her appearance—beyond being neat and clean—was shallow, and ignored yoga’s base of spirituality. Her home also reflected the choices of others, with furniture handed down from relatives.

Lynn was about to start her journey to an authentic style—and to her authentic self. The authentic self is often invisible, hidden beneath the dictates of society and those around us. But it is there to be revealed. And you have to be your own Michelangelo to discover it.

I met Lynn when she signed up for one of my workshops, classes designed to help participants discover and express their authentic self. In the first class, as each participant introduced themselves, she explained that she never wore makeup or jewelry, never made an effort to style her hair, or venture beyond her uniform of yoga clothing, plain jeans and faded t-shirts. She said that she was happy with her work as a yoga teacher, but she wanted more of a

The Dangers of Disguise Society bombards us with visions of young, tall, thin, wealthy people, who look like they stepped out of the pages of Vogue, with seemingly perfect lives—images we can never live up to.

We often react by masking aspects of our personal appearance in order to meet these elevated, superficial

way of eating or a gym or yoga studio membership.

You may be surprised to find out how change in one area soon “pinballs” into changes in other areas.

These often unsuccessful attempts keep us from discovering our authentic self and our authentic style.

Edit: The editing stage involves eliminating the physical or spiritual clutter of the inauthentic self. For Lynn, it meant getting rid of much of her clothing and furniture. In another example, a freelance consultant might try to land new types of assignments. In that case, they would resist taking on their usual assignments, even if that seems easier. The status quo often provides a false feeling of safety.

And style goes well beyond how we look and dress. It extends into our home, our work, the way we carry ourselves, the way we communicate, and perhaps even our eating habits, or the car we drive—every aspect of our lives.

The style of how you look, live and communicate is an energetic force that emits a powerful resonance. Masking who you are, in any way, changes that energy.

For others, the editing stage might entail eliminating sugar from their diet, or going through their closet and weeding out those garments they haven’t worn in months or years.

Hauser + Fredda Hauser + Fredda

Express: The fourth stage is expressing the authentic self. An important part of finding your authentic self is creating what I call a style ID or profile.

—Michelangelo It is a system that Learning to accept yourself unapologetically opens uses your authentic, natural attributes of colors and up new possibilities. Think in a more powerful way. design elements and clearly expresses your unique Focus on your body as a vehicle for energy. Use your personality. talents to empower others to make a difference in the world.

Lynn and I created a style profile together and designed a simple and easy wardrobe for work, leisure, special occasions and, for the first time, The Journey Begins romance. She had her hair cut in a more modern How do we find our authentic self? This is what I and flattering style and learned how to use makeup teach in my classes, and I describe it as a four-stage for the first time. One of my stylists created a leather process: Discover, Design, Edit and Express. necklace with organic stones for her, which became her signature accessory.

Discover: In the discovery stage, one becomes more aware of Lynn began to express her internal self through her the habits that shape who they are on a daily basis, personal style, and during this time, she attended a which can be a painful truth to face. In Lynn’s case, yoga conference, where she met her future mate. it was admitting that she was unhappy without a partner. For others, it could be dissatisfaction with Your goals may be different from Lynn’s, but finding work or employers, or personal relationships, or your authentic style tends to have a similar result: accepting truths about your perceived physical flaws.

You feel the change almost immediately, as if a great burden has been lifted. And when you are free Design: of pretense, you attract the people, situations and The next step is creating a plan. In Lynn’s case, it involved working on her wardrobe, hair and makeup. opportunities that are right for you.

She was almost shocked to find herself in a class on grooming and style. For others, it could mean deciding to look for an entirely different line of work, Copyright © Fredda 2015 All Rights reserved or a different job with the same employer, or a new

I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.

Hauser + Fredda

Inauthenticity wears many disguises, but they have one thing in common: They are all draining and waste your time and energy.

They also mean you are disrespecting yourself; you have only one authentic self.

Hauser + Fredda

standards. Aging is considered so undesirable that people go to any measure to create the illusion that they are younger.

illuminemagazine.net 39

Escapes Flavors

g n i n e d Gar land in Chicago

Harvest and Maintenance

Illustrations: Scott Westgard

d o o f s s e l r a e F

by Teresa Gale

I

n this final stretch of the growing season, your plants will put one last push into fruiting. For crops that are still maturing, like peppers, eggplants, melons, winter squash, and indeterminate tomatoes, pinch off any new blossoms that you see to direct the plant’s energy toward ripening existing fruit, rather than producing new fruit. There isn’t enough time left in the season for new fruit to fully ripen.

Observing the life cycle of winter squash can be a good test of your patience. Don’t be tempted to pick them early. They’re worth the wait! When the vine starts to die, they’ll be ready to harvest.

This usually happens in late October or near the first frost.

Potatoes should be fully mature this month once their foliage dies off. To harvest them, dig carefully in the soil around the plants, either by hand or with a garden spade or fork. Start from the outside to avoid cutting or bruising the tubers. You can also gently pull up the entire plant, and most of the potatoes will remain attached. Make sure to dig around in the soil one more time to find any stragglers.

It’s okay if you end up with some bruised or cut spuds. Just make sure to eat them right away, since they won’t keep for very long. Otherwise you can store potatoes that are in good condition.

First let them sit or “cure” for a week or two at room temperature. Then place them in a burlap or brown paper bag with holes to protect them from light, which can cause them to turn green

40 illuminemagazine.net

and taste bitter. Green potatoes also contain a toxic chemical that can cause indigestion, so it’s best to avoid eating them. Transfer your tubers to a cool, humid location (40-45˚F is ideal), and they’ll keep for up to two months.

Other root vegetables such as carrots, beets, turnips, and onions can be harvested as needed.

Or you can leave them in the ground for a few more weeks, since they can tolerate cooler temperatures. Like potatoes, if you plan to store onions, make sure to cure them first. Exposure to warm temperatures for 1-2 weeks will thicken their skins and heal surface wounds. Don’t wash root vegetables (potatoes included) until you’re ready to use them, since the added moisture can encourage mold growth. Also, avoid storing potatoes and onions together, as each one emits a gas that causes the other to spoil faster than normal.

You’re probably still getting some beans at this point. As an alternative to picking them fresh, you can wait until the beans bulge and mature inside the pods. The pods will be green and inedible, but you can still shell the beans and cook them (they’re actually called “shelly” beans at this stage). Or you can let the pods stay on the vine until they turn brown and dry out completely, and either harvest and prepare them as you would other dry beans, or save them for next year’s sowing.

If you have plants that are no longer bearing fruit, you can go ahead and remove them. Even if their foliage looks green and healthy, it’s too

late in the season for these plants to produce fruit of edible size. Avoid pulling up plants by hand unless they’re root vegetables or have small root systems. Uprooting a plant in this way—especially a large, heavily rooted one—can disrupt your soil balance, and make a big mess in the process. It’s best to remove plants by cutting their stems at the soil level with pruning shears (for stems that are tough, use loppers or a hand saw). The remaining roots should break down into the soil by the time you’re ready to plant again in the spring.

Excerpt and illustrations from Fearless Food Gardening in Chicagoland reprinted with permission from the Peterson Garden Project. The book is available for purchase at petersongarden.org.

Escapes Perspectives

Breaking through barriers

acupuncture + herbs

The Karma Queens explore how we can change our relationship patterns Reviewed by Stephanie Poulos

The Karma Queens' Guide to Relationships

By Carmen Harra, Ph.D. and Alexandra Harra 288 pages. Tarcher. 2015. $15.95

K

arma in human nature is ever-present and fascinating. While many people tend to observe the principle of “what goes around comes around,” the universal law of karma goes so much deeper than that, as far as our past lives. If you are struggling to make sense of the difficulties that you face in relationships, whether romantic, family, friends, or work, The Karma Queens’ Guide to Relationships: The Truth About Karma in Relationships provides an enlightening perspective.

Written by an intuitive psychologist, Carmen Harra, and her daughter Alexandra, the book offers an enlightening perspective for understanding the laws of karma on various levels. It is an easy-to-follow guide to understanding the basic principles and universal laws of karma; how self-examination and taking personal responsibility for learning our own karmic lessons brings empowerment and positive changes in life; how to change our own karma for the better through awareness and intention; and transforming our challenging relationships with clarity, love, and kindness.

Ripe with wisdom, the authors provide many considerations for how we, and others, can contribute to the cause and effect, the webs and ripples in our life with varying consequences.

If you are the type of person who feels as if they keep learning the same lessons over and over, this book will help you explore your karmic cycles that, if unaddressed, will continue to persist in the form of painful experiences. For

example, if you seem to attract the same type of romantic partner over and over again, resulting in repeated heartbreak and disappointment, this book offers perspective on how to identify your responsibility for your own choices, actions and behavior that may not be serving yourself or others—and how you can modify your behavior, increase your self-love, work with universal timing, and increase positive energy to affect a change in your karma for the better.

Or, if you have long struggled with a family member that you experience as difficult, you may gain insight to the true nature of your relationship to them and how you may cope and interact more effectively with love and understanding. The Harras also explore four different types of love relationships (transitory, karmic, compromise and soulmate) so that the reader may gain insight to their own romantic attachments with more clarity, and that they may love and choose partners with greater awareness.

PA I N STRESS FERTILITY

This book provided a refreshing and simple approach to working with this miraculous universal force with more ease and grace.

Anyone can benefit from an increased awareness of karmic cause and effect, and The Karma Queens’ Guide offers helpful insights to creatively work with this force in your life.

312.335.9330 Stephanie Poulos, a real estate broker, has been practicing yoga for eight years and is dedicated to sharing her experience through the written word.

sourcehealing.com illuminemagazine.net

41

An illumined life Manifesto

Each morning when I wake, I send up a thank you, and a request: Use me. Let the universe use me to do something meaningful or useful to someone each day.

Find what that thing is that makes you feel alive, that represents your best self, your argument.

Be grateful for what you have.

And when you are feeling low, don't forget that you can always dance.

I have been inspired by Dr. Albert Schweitzer, whose life as a philanthropist, physician, and seeker reflected so much authenticity and effort towards the betterment of others and himself. He said, "Make your life your argument." If your actions reflect your beliefs, your highest values, your greatest hopes, then you can live in the flow of knowing that you are representing what is right and true for you.

—Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark, M.D.

An illumined life regularly features the manifesto of an inspiring Chicagoan. Send your nomination to Submissions@illuminemagazine.net.

42 illuminemagazine.net

Photo: Vanessa Filley

Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark, M.D. is a boardcertified integrative family physician who uses food as medicine in her practice. Read her full bio online at illuminemagazine.net.

illuminemagazine.net 43

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