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November 2013 | West Michigan Edition | NaturalWestMichigan.com natural awakenings
November 2013
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Naturopathy
(each year 600 hours)
Natural Health Educator............. 1st Year Natural Health Therapist............ 2nd Year Natural Health Practitioner........ 3rd Year CertiďŹ ed Naturopath.................. 4th Year 4th Year Graduates are Eligible for Doctor of Naturopathy National Test & Title
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All Classes Meet on Weekends Fri: 5-9pm and Sat & Sun: 9am-6pm Naturopaths: 1 per month - Massage: 2 per month
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Herbology - Aromatherapy - Nutrition Live Food Preparaton - Light Healing Touch Reexology - Homeopathy and More!
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contents 10 5 newsbriefs 10 healthbriefs 12 globalbriefs 14 ecotip 18 naturalpet 12 19 healingways 22 inspiration 28 greenliving 34 fitbody
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4 1 healthykids
Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.
Meditating with your Pooch by James Jacobson and Kristine Chandler Madera
19 AYURVEDA
The Art of Balanced Living by Nanette Bowen
20 THE PATH TO
INNER PEACE
12 Steps to Spiritual Awakening
24 FAST TRACK TO
44 classifieds
Transform Your Life with Mentors, Books, Workshops and Online Courses
advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 616-656-9232 or email: Publisher@ NaturalWestMichigan.com. Deadline for space reservation is the 12th of each month prior to publication.
NEWS BRIEFS & ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Email articles to: Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com. Deadline for articles is the 5th of the month prior to publication. Submit News Briefs online at NaturalWestMichigan.com. Deadline for news briefs is the 12th of the month prior to publication.
CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events online at: NaturalWestMichigan.com. Calendar deadline is the 15th of the month prior to publication.
WHERE TO PICK UP NATURAL AWAKENINGS If you enjoyed this magazine and would like to know where you can pick up a free copy in your area, please contact us at 616656-9232 or email us at: Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com
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by Michael A. Singer
42 calendar 45 naturaldirectory
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18 BOW WOW BLISS
PERSONAL GROWTH
by Bess J.M. Hochstein
28
28 CRAFTING A
GREEN HOLIDAY Happy Ways to Deck the Halls by Avery Mack
32 ORGANIC HAIR COLOR A Safer Alternative by Beth Davis
34 TREKKING AS
PILGRIMAGE Path to Personal Growth
34
by Sarah Todd
4 1 SUPERPOWER KIDS’ IMMUNE SYSTEMS Natural Health Experts Share How by Jenna Blumenfeld
BEYOND OUR FULL “CARBON NEUTRAL” DIGITAL ISSUE EACH MONTH...
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contact us Publishers Kyle & Amy Hass Editors S. Alison Chabonais Amanda Merritt Linda Sechrist Design & Production Interactive Media Design Scott Carvey Printer Stafford Media Solutions Natural Awakenings 484 Sunmeadow Dr. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Phone: 616-656-9232 Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com
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Subscriptions are available by sending $30 (12 issues) to the above address. © 2013 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABILITY Natural Awakenings is locally owned and operated.
arm weather brings its own joys, but what I love most is cozying up inside when West Michigan temperatures fall. Nothing warms my heart more than working from home feeling snug and surrounded by those I love. It may also have something to do with fuzzy comfort clothes pulled from the depths of the closet and drinking hot apple cider while watching rain drizzle outside. It’s all bliss to me. Even Thai, my 7-year-old Chihuahua pal joins in, accompanying me to work each day. Unlike most dogs, his permanent spot is not in a dog bed on the floor of my office. This spoiled pooch thinks he owns the place so his daybed sits atop the desk where he can check out what’s happening outside the window without letting Mom out of his sight. Lately, he’s been wrapped up tight in a little blanket with only his tiny wet nose poking out from under the covers. Having him next to me makes me smile. As mischievous as he can be sometimes, it is hard to imagine a day without him around. With the holidays quickly approaching I am making a conscious effort to remain unfrazzled by the prospect of adding festive preparations to the dynamic duo of running a home and magazine. Like me, I’m betting your finding this month’s issue focused on Personal Growth and Mindfulness both fitting and helpful. In recent years I’ve discovered that satisfying personal growth occurs in more abundance when I slow down and take the time to enjoy the special meaning and value of each day— including cherished holidays. This year I have decided to be more mindful about many things and am increasing my meditation practice to help prepare me for a most enjoyable holiday season. Naturally, Thai and I appreciate the article by James Jacobson and Kristine Chandler Madera, “Bow Wow Bliss: Five Ways to Meditate with Your Dog,” on page 18. Although we admit that meditating together poses a bit of a challenge because Thai equates mutual time on the floor with play time, I’m confident that with practice, meditating with him in my lap will be extremely beneficial for us both. As everyone looks forward to celebrating an extraordinary Day of Thanksgiving, our family would like to share this sage observation by Steve Maraboli: “Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. Even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.” There’s a blessing in just about everything. Thankfully,
Never Glossy. Always Green. Natural Awakenings practices environmental sustainability by printing on post-consumer recycled paper with soy-based ink. This choice avoids the toxic chemicals and high energy costs of producing shiny, coated paper that is hard to recycle.
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newsbriefs Movie Screening
T
eri Kelley, owner of Serendipite Organiques, was recently approved to bring a screening of the movie, Unacceptable Levels to Celebration Cinema North on November 11th. Unacceptable Levels is a documentary by debut filmmaker Ed Brown, a father seeking to understand the world in which he and his wife are raising their children. In this film he probes why industrial chemicals end up in our bodies and what we can do about it. The FDA, USDA, EPA and pretty much every other regulatory body like to tell us that chemicals used in the air, soil, water, food, and cosmetics are within “acceptable levels” for human health. Thanks to the chemical revolution of the 1940’s, cancer, autism, and other diseases are driving our medical economies. Over 80,000 chemicals flow through our system of commerce, and only a fraction of them have been tested for safety. This film challenges companies, government, and society to do something about a nearly unseen threat (the compounding effects of “acceptable levels” of chemicals in everyday products), with the inspired knowledge that small changes can generate a massive impact. Please reserve your tickets today by going to www. tugg.com/events/6023. Sixty tickets must be sold by Friday, November 1 to confirm the event so please don’t wait to purchase your tickets at the door. For further information contact Teri at 616-419-8115.
Thank You to Service Professionals
S
chafer Chiropractic and Healing Spa is proud to announce that in November they will be offering a discount on massages for service professionals. A special thank you to those of you who put your lives on the line for all of us.
Beginning Monday November 4th through Friday November 15th, they are offering to fire fighters a 25-minute massage for only $25 (regularly $35), or a 55 minute for $50 (regularly $65). The same discount will be extended to police officers from Monday, November 18th to Friday November 29th. Schafer Chiropractic and Healing Spa, 1801 Breton Rd, Grand Rapids. 616-301-3000. See ad pages 7, 30, 45 & 47.
One Year Anniversary Celebration
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ffordable Nutrition is celebrating their One Year Anniversary at their Grandville location. They will be celebrating with storewide specials, door prizes, raffles
and fun and games for people of all ages. Join them November 8th & 9th at 4693 Wilson Ave in Grandville for some great deals, product samples and some free product prize packages while supplies last! Owner and Certified Nutritional Consultant, Joel Manning has 24 years experience in the natural health field and will be available to answer any and all of your health questions. For more information contact Joel D. Manning, CNC, Affordable Nutrition at 616-667-1346. See ad page 46.
Third Annual Tellabration
T
he Yarnspinners of Muskegon announce their Third Annual Tellabration, a storytelling concert, on November 8 from 7:00-8:30pm at
Harmony ‘n Health Colon Hydrotherapy
Mary A. DeLange C.C.T. C.M.T. 616-456-5033
Some Benefits of Colon Hydrotherapy: ~ Remove Toxic Waste from ones body ~ Eradicate Constipation ~ Removes Stomach Bloat ~ Increase ones Energy
Therapeutic Massage also available
Mary@HarmonynHealth.net
www.HarmonynHealth.net natural awakenings
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the Muskegon Museum of Art located at 296 W. Webster in downtown Muskegon. Tickets at the door are $5 per person or $15 per family. Tellabration was the brainchild of the late storyteller, Paw Paw Pinkerton, who saw the need for more stories for adults. His idea began in 1988 when he organized six simultaneous storytelling events in Connecticut. Now, Tellabrations are held each November throughout the United States and on every continent except Antarctica. The Yarnspinners are a storytelling group who have been meeting monthly since 1992. They tell each other stories from their personal lives, or versions of folk and other tales. Always fun, the meetings are full of good medicine, calling forth laughter and tears. For additional information about our Yarnspinners club or the Tellabration, please contact Yarnspinners President Ned Carter at 231-755-2383 or email at carteredwin93@yahoo.com.
Parent & Child Sing Song Yoga™ Class
T
he Yoga Studio of Grand Rapids is adding a second kids’ yoga class. Over the course of the last year the studio’s Sing Song Yoga classes have drawn in a younger crowd, in addition to the older kids, so they’re adding a class focusing on children ages 2-6. This new class is geared toward the moving yogi. They’ll do some Sing Song Yoga poses, but will add in the movement and games most suited for this younger age. Parents will join in with their young yogi to make for a full experience. The regular Sing Song Yoga class will continue for the older kids (ages 6-11), which is a kids’ musical yoga program in which song lyrics instruct kids how to get into the poses. These classes are offered one Saturday a month throughout the school year. The next classes are November 9 and December 14. Traditional Sing Song Yoga (ages 6-11) is from 12:00-12:45pm and the Parent and Child Class is
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from 1:00-1:30pm. Both of these unique classes are taught by its creator, Deb Weiss-Gelmi. For more information visit www.gryoga.com or www. singsongyoga.com. See ad page 16.
The Great Conversations: Teaching Yoga in the Upanishads
I
n the ancient Upanishads many of the important teachings are offered as conversations and dialogues. While the ideas and practices are Dr. Douglas Brooks the critical feature of these interactions, we can learn far more about yoga and the ways experiences are conveyed when we look at these methods and settings for learning. From the Heart Yoga Center presents A weekend of Philosophy and Conversation with Dr. Douglas Brooks on November 15-17th. Come and “sit nearby” as the Upanishads suggest we might and we’ll enter the narrative and mythic worlds of yoga that empower us to understand more deeply the teachings and practices of these most ancient sources. No previous experience is expected or required: all you need bring is yourself, an open mind, and willing heart. For more information contact From the Heart Yoga Center 714 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids. www.fromtheheartyoga. com or 616-336-9642. See ad page 16.
Natural Herbal Products
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id you know that After Birth Service also has a wonderful web store that offers their natural herbal products? “The web store was created from the demand of clients who have used and fallen in love with our
products,� states Melissa Williams, coowner of After Birth Service. After Birth Service is committed to providing placenta services to all new mothers who understand and value the wonderful potential of this amazing organ. There is much nutrition and essential hormones in that placenta that is critical to your recovery and the health of your newborn. The placenta is full of feel-good hormones and healing chemicals, making the first few months with your baby the happiest of your life. Of course, placenta is not used in any products in our web store. Visit afterbirthservice.com/apps/webstore to shop for numerous products that include, Boo Boo Butt Baby Balm, L.O.L Labor Tincture, Boob Balm, Stretch Mark Oil and more. Contact After Birth Service at 616-821-5266 for more details. See ad page 18.
Fitness Seminars for the Workplace
A Aaron & Heather Cobb
a 30 minute presentation during lunch break or at anytime that is feasible to bring your employees together. The best part is it will not cost you a dime and they will not try to sell anything to you or your employees. You will be left with their contact information should someone decide to receive more information. A monthly newsletter is also available for those that wish to sign up to receive it. iTrain Consulting LLC is available for free public speaking engagements. Their presentations cover everything from nutrition, label reading, meal planning, exercise and time management. With over 20 years experience in the fitness industry as trainers and accomplished fitness competitors, there is no reason not to set up a Free Fitness for Life Seminar Today. Let them share the secrets to a healthier, happier lifestyle through meal planning and exercise. Call today to schedule a Free Fitness for Life Seminar! For more information contact Aaron & Heather Cobb, owners iTrain Consulting LLC at 616-541-5438. See ad pages 27 & 47.
A Passion for Yoga Therapy
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re you a business owner who would like to increase the health and productivity of your employees? iTrain Consulting LLC can come to your office and provide you with
s a clinical psychologist, Dr. Sue Dilsworth owner of Hearts Journey Wellness Center, helps people struggling with emotional or physical issues. As a yoga instructor, she has the opportunity to help people connect with themselves on a spiritual level and come more fully into their body. As a yoga therapist, however, she has the opportunity to do both. A certified yoga therapist is trained to do a thorough assessment: structural, nervous system, ayurveda, psychology and spiritual. This provides an opportunity to go a little deeper in the healing process. We are all here
(616) 301-3000 1801 Breton SE Grand Rapids (across the street from the Breton Village Mall)
www.grchirospa.com
Treatment of
back pain neck pain headaches stress
Therapies
chiropractic massage therapy spinal rehab traction
Spa Services
massage therapy steam therapy ayurvedic bodywork reiki, meditation
natural awakenings
November 2013
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with a purpose and although some suffering may be part of that journey, learning to burn through our samskaras (thoughts, beliefs, patterns of behavior that no longer serve us) is our ultimate journey. Everything we think, say, and do has consequences. Yoga Therapy is a gift that can help you realize your purpose in life. Clinical Psychology typically approaches a person from a western reductionist model of treating symptoms. Yoga Therapy is more holistic and treats the totality of the individual. “I am passionate about helping people realize their true purpose for being in this life,” says Dr. Dilsworth. Dr. Sue Dilsworth owns Hearts Journey Wellness Center in Allendale, MI. Learn more about Yoga Therapy Certification or schedule a session at 877-932-4446 or dr.dilsworth@ heartsjourneywellness.com. See ad page 16.
Stress Reduction Workshop
B
eautiful Greencrest Manor, North of Battle Creek, is the site for Pressure-Free Living’s course in November.
Performance coach Elle Ingalls presents her user-friendly method to reduce stress for improved health, physical performance, and cognitive function. She also shares time management tools and systems to design your life. The course will be given over three Tuesday nights: November 5, 12 & 19, from 7:00-9:00pm. Seating is limited. You may attend any single night for $75, or the full course for $199. For more information and to register, visit www.PressureFree.com or call 269-832-3573. See ad page 18.
Kudos After 4 ½ years of intense training and schooling Nichole R Caudle is now a Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor. Dr. Caudle received her training at the Naturopathic Institute of Therapies and Education. “I take the doctor role as teacher very seriously, no client Nichole R. should every leave a consultation with Caudle me without a complete understanding of their current health issue and how my suggestions can help,” says Dr. Caudle. She uses assessment techniques such as Iridology, Muscle Response
Eczema? Rash? Shingles?
30% OFF
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NaturalWestMichigan.com
either product with coupon code
SALVE30
testing, Ph testing, Sclerology, Blood typing, facial and body evaluation and assessment techniques and holistic counseling. Dr. Caudle seeks to use Naturopathy as a means of bringing the body into balance and helping clients reach optimal health. Consultations may be scheduled by phone at 616242-0034 or via email at nichole@360massage.com. 360 Massage and Holistic Care, 1514 Wealthy St Suite 218 in Grand Rapids. See ad page 30.
Congratulations to London Studios Salon as they are
celebrating their 3 Year Anniversary! They offer organic hair color, color corrections, multi-dimensional hair color, organic Keragreen Keratin treatments, bridal services, bridal parties, wedding consultations, haircuts and other services. Call today to set your next appointment! London Studios Salon is located at 6455 28th St in Grand Rapids. For more information visit www. LondonStudiosSalon.com. See ads pages 23 & 47.
H E A LT H
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F I T N E S S
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N U T R I T I O N
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W E L L N E S S
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B A L A N C E
2ND ANNUAL
JAN 10-11, 2014 DeVos Place
Presented By
Where Grand Rapids finds information, education, and motivation for healthier living! For exhibit information, please call 616-447-2860
www.LivingWellGR.com natural awakenings
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Got STRESS? Got STRESS? Get CALM. Embrace life more fully Get CALM. and effectively one moment at a time.
Self-‐Compassion and Emo1onal Resilience -‐ One Day Workshop with Kris1n Neff, PhD Author of "Self Compassion: Stop Bea6ng Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind"
Friday, January 31, 2014 StoneWater Country Club Call 616-‐361-‐3660
healthbriefs
Mindful Meditation Relieves Inflammation
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new University of Wisconsin-Madison study shows that meditation, a proven reducer of psychological stress, can also lessen stress-caused inflammation and thereby relieve the symptoms and pain of certain diseases. Long-term stress has long been linked to inflammation, an underlying cause of many diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, bowel disease, asthma, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Meditation study volunteers were divided into two groups—an eight-week mindfulness meditation course or a stress reduction program of supportive nutrition, exercise and music therapy that did not include meditation. The meditation group focused attention on the breath, bodily sensations and mental content while seated, walking or practicing yoga. Immune and endocrine data was collected before and after training in the two methods and meditation proved to be more effective. Melissa Rosenkranz, a neuroscientist with the university’s Center for Investigating Healthy Minds and lead author of the report, concludes that, “The mindfulness-based approach to stress reduction may offer a lower-cost alternative or complement to standard treatment, and it can be practiced easily by patients in their own homes whenever needed.”
Tanning Beds Invite Melanoma
A
UPCOMING EVENTS: Weekly Wednesday Medita1on Group Expressions of Grace Yoga 5270 Northland Drive 7:15 -‐ 8:30 pm -‐ DonaLon
Mindfulness Professionals Group Next Group -‐ November 21 , 2013 Noon -‐ 1:00 pm Catholic InformaLon Center, 360 S. Division
8-‐Week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduc1on Classes Star1ng January 27
s summer tans fade, some might feel tempted to use tanning beds to keep a “healthy glow”, but they may be less than healthy. A recent multi-country meta-study published in the British Medical Journal confirms that exposure to a tanning bed’s intense doses of ultraviolet light significantly increases the risk of cutaneous melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Of the 64,000 new melanoma cases diagnosed each year in Europe, more than 5 percent were linked by researchers to tanning bed use. Users experience a 20 percent increased relative risk of all types of skin cancer compared with those that have never used one. This risk doubles if indoor tanning starts before the age of 35, and the risk increases with every session.
HAPPY LIFE, HEALTHY HEART
F
GrandRapidsCenterForMindfulness.com
CALL 616-361-3660
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eelings matter when it comes to protecting a person’s physical health. Researchers at Boston’s Harvard School of Public Health reviewing more than 200 studies published in two major scientific databases found a direct correlation between positive psychological well-being and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. They concluded that positive feelings like optimism, life satisfaction and happiness are associated with the reduced risk, regardless of a person’s age, weight or socioeconomic or smoking status.
NaturalWestMichigan.com
Walnuts Strengthen Sperm
A
dding a handful of walnuts to a man’s daily diet might just increase the chance of pregnancy for couples with fertility problems. Scientists attribute male infertility as the central issue in 30 to 50 percent of the 70 million couples worldwide experiencing such difficulties. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, investigated whether increasing intake of the polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish, flax seed and walnuts that are critical for sperm maturation and membrane function would increase sperm quality in men consuming a typical Western-style diet. They found that less than three ounces of walnuts added to a man’s daily diet improved sperm strength, size and motility (swimming ability). The men eating the walnuts also showed fewer chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm.
Your surroundings subtly affect your emotional, physical and mental state.
Let your interior nurture you Complete interior design services that align your physical space with your personal expression.
Resonate within your space and elevate your wellbeing! Feng Shui Green design Holistic design approach Repurposing your existing treasures
Align Design LLC Shawn Merkel - ASID, IIDA 616-916-1071
The Killer Called Sugar
A
aligndesigngr.com
new animal study from the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, reports daunting results. Female mice that consumed the equivalent of a human drinking three cans of soft drinks a day doubled their death rate from all causes. The study further showed that fertility rates dropped dramatically in male mice and their innate ability to defend their territory diminished. All of the sugar-saturated mice performed poorly on cognitive tests. The lab mice received a diet in which 25 percent of their total calories came from sugar (not high fructose corn syrup, which carries substantial additional health risks). That’s an amount commonly consumed in the Standard American Diet, easy to do in one sitting via a super-sized soft drink.
Open your eyes,
look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?
natural awakenings
~Bob Marley
November 2013
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globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Giving Group
Millennials Devote Time, Talent, Treasure
Tip Of The Month This holiday season, if you have multiple events to attend that you bring a food dish, try offering to make the same dish at each place. This will eliminate waste for different ingredients as well as save you time.
Much is rightly written about how and why “millennials”, or “Generation Y”—the young people heading into the 21st century—spend their time and money. This generation is redefining the way we think about business, and conscious consumerism is now its own form of philanthropy. This age group is leading the charge by extending the premise of a moral compass to for-profit enterprises and looking for ever-more meaningful opportunities to have an impact. The trend carries fresh implications for the nonprofit sector, too, because millennials lead the way in forwarding worthy causes. When The Case Foundation partnered with Achieve, a thought leader in nonprofit millennial engagement, to produce the Millennial Impact Report, researchers surveyed more than 2,500 millennials ages 20 to 35. They found that last year, 83 percent gave a financial gift to an organization supporting a cause that resonates with their interests. Seventy-three percent volunteered for a cause that they were passionate about or felt created impact, and 70 percent are raising money for their causes both online and offline.
Frack Attack
Controversial Drilling Threatens Pacific Ocean Federal regulators have approved at least two hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, operations on oil rigs in the Santa Barbara Channel off the coast of California since 2009 without an updated environmental review that critics say may be required by federal law. Environmental advocates are concerned that regulators and the industry have not properly reviewed the potential impacts of fracking in the Pacific outer continental shelf. Fracking, a subject of heated debate, is a method of drilling that forces water, chemicals and sand deep beneath the Earth’s surface at high pressure to break up underground rock and release oil and gas. Offshore fracking is currently used to stimulate oil production in old wells and provide well-bore stability. In California, the oil company Venoco has been using fracking technology to stimulate oil production in an old well off the coast of Santa Barbara— where the public memory of the nation’s third-largest oil spill in 1969 lingers—since early 2010. Another firm recently received permission for fracking in the Santa Barbara Channel, home to the Channel Islands Marine Reserve. So far, offshore fracking is rare, but officials expect that other firms may seek to utilize the environmentally damaging technology on offshore rigs in the future. Source: Tinyurl.com/PacificFracking
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Holy Eco-Crisis!
Capital Idea
Deadly Fungus Destroying Bat Colonies White-nose syndrome, a disease spread by a soil fungus, G. destructans, and thought to have been carried to North America from Europe, is devastating bat colonies in the U.S. and Canada. First identified in 2006 in a population of common little brown bats in a cave 150 miles north of New York City, the malady has claimed 98 percent of the bat population there by causing them to awaken prematurely from their normal hibernation and then die from lack of food and exhaustion. A single reproductive female little brown bat can eat her weight in insects each night. A recent Canadian study valued crops potentially lost to insects that would otherwise be devoured by bats at $53 billion a year. Without the bats to keep insect numbers down, farmers may turn to greater use of pesticides. Source: Telegraph.co.uk
Pass Go
Cooperation Rules in New Board Game Monopoly is a traditional, popular board game that provides fun for the whole family as players ruthlessly strive to outwit each other, form a monopoly and take ownership of all the real estate, houses, hotels and money. If that doesn’t seem like a pastime that teaches values of fairness and social justice, there’s a new game in town—Co-opoly. In the 21st-century game, invented by the Toolbox for Education and Social Action (ToolboxForEd.org), players develop cooperative businesses using a team effort. Sharing knowledge and creating cooperative strategies determine whether everyone wins or loses. Instead of encouraging players to grab up all the wealth and bankrupt others, it showcases the economic success that can result when people work together.
Social Networking Funds Local Business Community Sourced Capital (CSC) is a newly formed lender headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that aims to apply the crowdsourcing model to encourage the growth of locally owned businesses. “The hardest part is often not attracting shoppers once the project is off the ground,” explains co-founder Casey Dilloway, “but securing capital to get it started.” CSC’s objective is to harness the power of the connections that tie local people together—both via social media and in the physical world—to find people willing to loan money to small local businesses. They may initially connect through Community SourcedCapital.com. Lenders make funds available in $50 blocks up to a maximum of $250 per project, and are acknowledged by the receipt of a pale-blue square card bearing the CSC logo, which identifies them as “Squareholders”. The funds are then made available to borrowers at zero interest, and loans are paid back at a designated rate based on the company’s revenue. CSC makes loans of up to $50,000. Source: Yes magazine
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ecotip Digital Detox
Unplug to Cut Stress, Up Success Whether it’s extreme texting, tweeting, Googling, posting or blogging, the phenomenon of being caught in the web of the Web is real. Rationalizations range from coping with today’s information overload to fear of missing out (FOMO). Yet, detriments of such continual digital connectedness range from the stifling of family and social bonds to a lack of life skills that only face-to-face communication fosters. In 2011, The New York University Child Study Center reported that 8-to-18-year-olds average more than six hours of daily media use and that school grades of a surveyed group that considered themselves “heavy” users were considerably lower than their “light” use counterparts. Stanford Communications Professor Clifford Nass, author of The Man Who Lied to His Laptop, remarked in a 2013 NPR interview that people that do extensive media multitasking “can’t filter out irrelevancy, can’t manage memory and are chronically distracted. They say they are productive and can ‘shut it off’, but can’t keep on task and focus on one thing.” Fortunately, programs to unplug are catching on. More than 400 middle and high schools in 20 U.S. states
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plus Canada took a Digital Blackout Challenge to refrain from using electronic devices for one week during the 20122013 school year (DigitalBlackout.org). From Chief Sealth International High School, in Seattle, Washington, senior Marissa Evans says the experience informed her “there’s a balance between ‘too much’ and ‘just enough’” in being connected, and classmate Alex Askerov terms the Challenge “a breath of fresh air.” For the 2013 documentary film, Sleeping with Siri, Seattle-based journalist Michael Stusser underwent a oneweek, self-assessed “techno gorge”, followed by a digital detox of the same duration. During stage one, he said his blood pressure went up 40 points after four days. He found, “You’re always waiting for a response.” He subsequently enjoyed being disconnected. Foresters, a Toronto, Ontario-based life insurance provider, asks families to take a Tech Timeout pledge for at least one hour every day and make Sundays entirely non-tech, packed with family activities and socializing. Learn more at TechTimeout.com.
Body and Soul Somatic Therapy Community Spotlight by Amanda Merritt
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ith a great passion for helping people heal, Ken Porter of Body and Soul Somatic Therapy in Grand Rapids set out to acquire a skill set that would aid in his ability to do just that. Practicing since 1999, Porter received his training and certification in massage therapy at The Kalamazoo Center for Healing Arts and his training and certification in Hakomi Therapy at the Hakomi Institute in Chicago. He has been practicing at the Fountain Hill Center for Counseling and Consultation since 2004. Porter was intrigued by body-oriented therapies and the way they work and, in accordance with his own personal journey, he felt the call to go into this field in some way. He began with massage therapy, CranioSacral Therapy, and Myofascial Release, because he felt it was the natural first step. Upon realizing he could have the potential to be able to take people further than he could with just his massage skills, he started studying Hakomi in 2005 and completed his training in 2009. Hakomi is a body-centered experiential psychotherapy, and as Porter says, “It’s a bottom-up process.” It starts with the experience and works its way up to your cognitive understanding, where traditional therapy is typically more analytical and top-down. In other words, in Hakomi therapy, you get a different level of information from it. Porter noted, “It’s going into the experience that helps somebody wake up and become conscious of something that has been buried. When you go into your experience it’s kind of hard to miss it.” Hakomi therapy uses body tensions and sensations to access information about the limiting beliefs, patterns and habits of an individual. It sometimes includes physical touch or movement to access these beliefs and facilitate a change. Treatments typically vary to meet individual needs, but it offers a powerful path to self-discovery and self-acceptance. It is life-changing work, and can benefit, among others, those with anxiety, relationship issues, sexual/physical/ emotional abuse, depression and/or the sense of feeling stuck in life or people who, in a sense, keep getting in their own way with some sort of self-defeating behavior or process. Porter’s practice revolves around the concept of Somatic Therapy. Somatic, derived from the Greek word soma, means the living body in its wholeness—more than just muscles and bones. Therefore, in Somatic Therapy, the focus is on the whole person: body, mind, emotions and spirit. It is designed to bring clients physical, mental and emotional freedom and create deep and lasting personal and interpersonal fulfillment in their lives. Porter stressed, “It’s so essential to work with the body. There’s so much research indicating that the brain, in order to rewire,
has to be able to get into the experience of a transformation. It can’t just be an intellectual change. The main goal of Hakomi is to help somebody understand something that has been unconscious in their life and to bring that up to the light of consciousness so that they can make a different choice about it.” Though Porter’s practice began with Massage Therapy, it has turned to its focus on Hakomi, a great option for people who have tried a lot of options while searching for change and haven’t found anything that works. Porter said, “It’s great for people who have a lot of intellectual insight about themselves but still haven’t made a change.” Porter has additional training in non-violent communication, focusing, shamanic counseling and crisis hotline listening skills, and he often utilizes these various trainings in conjunction with his own unique life experience and personal healing journey in his practice. With an understanding that everyone has their own personal life experiences and personal healing journey, Porter promises to meet his clients right where they are, with a deep respect and honoring of their own highly individual story and process. Porter has been excited to see people change in pretty dramatic ways through his practice. He admitted, “There’s a range of how quickly that happens and how dramatically it happens, but I can’t think of any regular clients who I haven’t seen change in.” With passion in his eyes, he added, “It’s easy. There’s something about the beauty of Hakomi that makes it so incredibly safe for the client that it’s easy for me and the client to go into their ‘stuff’.” With a practice that promotes long-term life changes, Porter is excited to continue helping people learn to love themselves by making their underlying beliefs become conscious and helping them to turn and embrace what they may have previously disowned about themselves. With a willingness to begin healing, lives can be changed with Somatic Therapy. Body and Soul Somatic Therapy is open Monday through Thursday 8 am-7 pm. For more information or to schedule a session, call 616-262-3848, email KPorter@ fountainhillcenter.com or visit www.bodyandsoulgr.com. See ad page 46. Amanda Merritt is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings Magazine. You can contact her at mandi. merritt@hotmail.com. natural awakenings
November 2013
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Masters of
a g and o Y tes i iP la i Ch Ta
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yoga
New Series Begins November 4 Sing Song Yoga offers Class for Parents & Kids 2-6 955 Cherry S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49506 (616) 776-0836
with a
view Practice Yoga Overlooking Versluis Lake
for schedule & registration
www.gryoga.com
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www.expressionsofgraceyoga.com 5270 Northland Drive NE | Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | 616-361-8580
Repair and Reuse
Mending a Throwaway Culture Countries can learn much from each other, and people that know how to fix things now have another model for benefiting their community by reducing the burden on landfills. Conceived three years ago in Amsterdam as a way to help reduce waste, the Repair Café concept—in which citizens gather one or more days a month to socialize while mending clothes and broken household items like coffeemakers and vacuum cleaners—currently operates in more than 30 locations throughout The Netherlands. The effort in sustainability has been bolstered by a government grant, support from foundations and small donations that pay for staffing, marketing and even a Repair Café bus. “In Europe, we throw out so many things,” says Martine Postma, a former journalist who initiated the idea after attending an exhibit on the benefits of repairing and recycling. “It’s a shame, because the things we throw away are usually not that broken.” “I think it’s a great idea,” says Han van Kasteren, a professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology, who works on waste issues. “The social effect alone is important. When you get people together to do something for the environment, you raise consciousness, and repairing [something] gives a good feeling.” The forum harbors two other positive aspects: It’s a way for handy retirees and others to ply and mentor skills that may have been dormant and also saves families the cost of buying a new product, a common occurrence as repair shops vanish along with handymen that make house calls. The Repair Café Foundation provides lists of tools, tips for raising money, marketing materials and helpful insights for interested groups. To date, Postma has received inquiries from Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, South Africa and Ukraine.
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November 2013
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naturalpet Bow Wow Bliss:
Five Ways to Meditate with Your Dog
by James Jacobson and Kristine Chandler Madera
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editation is as simple as a walk in the dog park. Imagine sitting down with your dog. As you both begin to relax, your breaths become longer, less hurried. Your thoughts slow down until it seems like you are not thinking at all. If you and your dog already share moments like these, then you’ve glimpsed the bliss of meditation. Meditation is great for dogs. Not only does it improve a dog’s health and wellbeing, but excitable dogs become calmer, aggressive dogs become more loving, and dogs that once whined and howled for attention become quieter and more content. Meditation is great for you, too. It relieves stress and sharpens your mental focus. Here are five ways to get started on a non-dogmatic meditation practice. Schedule a regular time. First thing in the morning is a great time, or right after you get home from work but before you get into your evening activities. The more consistent you are, the more you and your dog will be able to ease into meditation. Develop a ritual. Ritual helps to prepare you and dog for meditation. Light a candle, burn incense, put on quiet music, or sit in the same place and position each day. Let go of expectation. If you have a pre-conceived idea of what your meditation experience will be, you’ll just get frustrated. Your experience will not be the same as someone else’s and chances are, will be different for you from day to day. Enjoy your meditation, however it turns out. Connect with your dog. When you sit down to meditate, your dog should be either lying next to you or on your lap. Put one or both hands on your dog. This connection is soothing to him. Your dog may get up. That’s okay. Just stay quiet, and when your dog returns, put your hand or hands back on him. Conclude your meditation the same way each time. This signals your body and mind, as well as your dog, that it’s time to move on to the next part of your day. The transition should be gentle rather than jarring. Pet your dog slowly, lengthening the stroke from short to long; whisper or say aloud an affirmation, quote, or prayer; or roll your head from side to side. Meditating with your dog is as individual as your relationship with your dog. Be patient. Try different things. There are few rules about meditation. The perfect meditation is whatever brings you and your pooch bow wow bliss. James Jacobson and Kristine Chandler Madera are authors of How to Meditate with Your Dog: An Introduction to Meditation for Dog Lovers, which presents a non-dogmatic approach to meditation. To fetch a free chapter from the book - “The Three Un-Dogmas” - and the introduction from the audiobook go tohttp://www. DogMeditation.com.
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The Bare Bones
Here is an example of the steps that I take in my meditation practice with my dog Maui. • We go to our meditation room and sit. • I may turn on music. • I place my hands on Maui. • I close my eyes and focus on Maui’s breath. • Our breathing synchronizes. • When a thought comes, I let it go and refocus on our breath. • I continue this process for as long as it feels right— observing my thoughts, releasing them, and synchronizing my breath with Maui’s. --James Jacobson
healingways
Ayurveda:
by Nanette Bowen
The Art of Balanced Living “If You Don’t Take Care of Your Body, Where Will You Live?” — author unknown
In
our hectic world, we are constantly exposed to mental, emotional, and physical stressors that can create imbalances in our bodies which can then lead to deterioration in their function. Ayurveda, a practice of health-care that originated in India, has been addressing these imbalances for over 5000 years. Ayurveda, which in the Sanskrit language means The Science of Life, is often referred to as the sister science of yoga. The oldest codified, continuously practiced health-care system in the world, Ayurveda seeks to recognize and correct imbalances in our constitutions, primarily through self-care, diet and lifestyle changes. Ayurveda focuses on the whole person, acknowledging that each of us is unique. It views good health not just as an absence of disease, but also as an optimization of our body, mind, and spirit. According to Ayurveda, our natural state is one of good health, happiness and a sense of peace. This philosophy holds that our health is primarily defined by what we eat, what we do and what we think. It encourages us to cultivate awareness in order to recognize imbalances before they become detrimental to our health and provides the tools to reduce these imbalances. The practice of Ayurveda is based on the belief that everything is comprised of the five elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth. These five elements are combined to describe three types of physical and mental constitutions known as doshas. This concept of physical constitutions has been explored throughout history, from Hippocrates’ Humors, to the concept of the somatotypes endomorph, ectomorph, and mesomorph. The three Ayurvedic doshas are called vata (made up of air and space), pitta (made up of fire and water), and kapha (made up of earth and water). According to Ayurveda, we are made up of all these elements, but in most people one or two predominate. Those with vata constitutions tend to be thin, light boned, movement oriented, and changeable. In balance they are expansive, creative, and lively. Out of balance they may experience constipation, insomnia, dry skin, fear, and anxiety. Those with pitta tend to be of medium build, organized, achievement oriented, and are visionaries. Out of balance they tend to experience diarrhea, inflammation, irritability, and anger. The kapha person tends to be of larger build with a slower metabolism and is strong, steady, and predictable. Out of balance they have a tendency toward weight gain, sluggishness, and depression. One of the most important tenants of Ayurveda is the belief that the digestive tract is essential to establishing balance. Digestive fire, called agni, is used by the body to process whatever it takes in. Strong agni provides the body with the
ability to take in the nourishing part of what we eat and drink, and eliminate the toxins. Weak agni creates the opposite effect. When our agni is weak, not only are we unable to extract vitamins and minerals efficiently, but toxins are not expelled, and eventually build up to where our health is compromised. According to Ayurveda, well-being centers around digestion not only in the GI tract, but also in the way we digest images and emotions. Not only undigested food, but thoughts and emotions are felt to lead to an accumulation of harmful toxins in the body. Before righting the out-of-balance states, Ayurveda turns to one of its basic principles, “Like Increases Like”, to identify their cause. The goal of Ayurveda is to identify and correct these imbalances by offsetting them with the opposite qualities via diet, yoga, massage, diet and lifestyle changes, and the use of herbs. For example, a person with a predominately vata constitution (space and air) can worsen their vata imbalance when traveling by air. To correct this imbalance, Ayurveda would recommend grounding foods such as warm cooked vegetables, performing abyanga (oil massage) with sesame oil, and grounding yoga postures such as Child’s Pose. A person with pitta constitution (fire and water) may worsen their imbalance by eating salty chips, salsa, and alcohol, especially in summer. To correct this imbalance, Ayurveda would recommend cooling foods such as melon, massage with coconut oil, and cooling yoga postures such as Wide Angle Forward Fold. A kapha person (earth and water) may worsen their imbalance by eating heavy, dense foods like ice cream, french fries, and any fast food. To correct this imbalance, Ayurveda would recommend eating salad greens, vegetables, roasted or dry-cooked grains, dry brush massage, and stimulating yoga postures such as Sun Salutations. In the end, the basic tenants of Ayurveda sound an awful lot like what we used to call “Grandmother’s Advice”: be mindful of what you eat, and how; exercise; go to bed early and wake early; use moderation in all things, and be kind to others (follow the Golden Rule). Maybe Grandmother was on to something! Nanette Bowen has over thirty years of experience in health care, first as a Registered Nurse, and currently as a Physician Assistant, a certified Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant and Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist, as well as a certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher. For more information on Ayurveda or to schedule an Ayurvedic consult with Nanette, contact Journey Home Yoga and Health in downtown Ada, MI, info@urhomeyoga. com; (616) 780-3604; www.urhomeyoga.com. See ad pg 16. natural awakenings
November 2013
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The Path to Inner Peace 12 Steps to Spiritual Awakening by Michael A. Singer
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pirituality is meant to bring about harmony and peace. But the diversity of our philosophies, beliefs, concepts and views about spiritual matters often leads to confusion or even conflict. The fact is that the very act of seeking spiritual freedom causes notions of success and failure, and these notions serve only to bind us to our own self-judgments: Am I growing? Have I done anything wrong? Am I meditating enough? Truth is only complicated because we pass it through our habitual thought patterns. When we step back from ourselves, truth becomes simple. There are not many paths to freedom; there is only one. In the end, no matter what particular patterns of thought we have managed to build in our minds, freedom always means transcending these personal thought patterns. So how does one go about transcending the personal self and awakening to spiritual freedom? What is needed for this journey are succinct steps that are so universal that they can echo through the halls of any religion as well as support intellectual understanding. The following is a universal road map to Self-Realization.
1
Realize that you are in there. You must first come to realize that you are in there. From deep inside, you are experiencing this world. You are experiencing your physical body, your
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thoughts and your emotions. You are conscious and you are experiencing what it is like to be human.
2
Understand that you are not okay in there. Look to see what’s going on inside. If you want to understand why you’ve done everything you have ever done, if you want to see what’s really going on, just observe your mind and emotions—just experience your inner state. If you objectively look, you will see that you are never completely at peace. You will see that you are not okay in there.
3
Notice that you’re always trying to be okay. At any point when you look at the state of your inner being, you will see that something is bothering you. You will then notice that this causes urges, drives and impulses to do something about it. You will find yourself constantly trying to either get something or avoid something. All of this is done in an attempt to be okay.
4
Watch as your mind strives to figure out how everything needs to be for you to be okay. If you watch, you will see that your mind is always telling you what you should and should not do, what others should and should not do and how things should and should not be. All of this is the mind’s attempt to first create a conceptual model of what would make you
okay, and then try to get the outside world to match it.
5
Realize that the process of defining how the outside needs to be is not going to make you okay. You must seriously look at this process of trying to be okay. You’ve been at it your entire life—you’ve just tried different things at different times. While it’s true that sometimes you manage to make it better for short periods of time, you know that you’ve never even come close to reaching a state of permanent peace. Watch very closely how you react to the things your mind has preferences about. You will see that if your mind gets what it wants, you feel joy; if it doesn’t get what it wants, you feel disturbance. Likewise, when your mind experiences what it doesn’t want, you feel disturbance, and when it avoids what it doesn’t want, you feel relief. You will never be okay playing this game because the world will never match the conceptual model your mind has made up. Eventually, you will come to see that struggling to be okay does not work. At some point, you will try to find a different way to be okay in there.
6
Learn to not participate in the mind’s struggle to be okay. This step is about learning to sit in as the witness, the part of you that notices the inner urges to be okay. You must become comfortable with sitting in there and not participating in the inner energies. You learn to relax in the midst of them. You come to see that there is a habitual process in which the moment you feel inner disturbance, you are drawn into doing something about it. You must learn to sit inside and not participate in this process. If you truly understand that going outside to try to be okay inside doesn’t work, then you’ll be willing to sit inside and simply allow the disturbance to pass through. It is not difficult. If you can do this, all disturbance will cease by itself.
honor whatever naturally unfolds in front of you. When you reach this point, you are no longer living for yourself. You are interacting with life, but not for the purpose of being okay.
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As you sincerely let go of the inner energies you are watching, you begin to feel a deeper energy come in from behind. Up to this point, everything you were watching inside was in front of you. But now that you are no longer being drawn into those personal energies, you’ll realize that your inner universe is actually very expansive. You will begin to feel Spirit flow in from behind. It lifts you and brings you great love and joy.
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Your inner experience becomes so beautiful that you fall in love with the energy flow, and you develop a very deep and personal relationship with it. It will become completely clear to you that there is a direct trade-off between your personal energies and the amount of Spirit that you feel. The more you get drawn into your personal energies, the less Spirit you feel; the less you participate in your personal energies, the more Spirit you feel. You now have a direct relationship with the spiritual energy, and you will find yourself constantly longing to experience it.
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You begin to feel the energy pulling you up into it, and your entire path becomes letting go of yourself in order to merge. Will is no longer needed. Now your path is strictly about releasing yourself into the pull of the higher energy. You must surrender deeply enough to be able to overcome the fear of losing your connection to the
personal self. You must to be willing to die to be reborn.
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Once you get far enough back into the energy, you realize that your personal life can go on without you, leaving you free to become immersed in Spirit. This is the greatest miracle: You’ve surrendered and your entire life is about Spirit, yet people, places and things continue to interact with you. The difference is that these interactions require none of your energy. They happen naturally, by themselves, leaving you at peace and absorbed in Spirit.
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Now you are truly okay and nothing inside or outside of you can cause disturbance—you have come to be at peace with it all. Because you are now completely okay, you don’t need anything. Things just are what they are. At this point, you know yourself as Self. The world, mind and heart cannot disturb you. You’ve transcended them all. What is more, instead of feeling drawn into Spirit, you now actually experience yourself as Spirit. You have no boundaries in time or space. You have always existed and you will always exist. You have no form, shape, gender or body. You simply are, have always been and will always be— Infinite Spirit. Michael A. Singer is the author of The New York Times bestselling book, The Untethered Soul – The Journey Beyond Yourself (UntetheredSoul.com), which is the basis for this article. He is the founder of the Temple of the Universe, a yoga and meditation center established in 1975 in Alachua, FL.
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Go about your life just like everyone else, except that nothing you do is for the purpose of trying to be okay. If you aren’t so preoccupied with trying to be okay, you will be free to sit inside and quietly love, serve and natural awakenings
November 2013
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An Inner-Faith Worship and Spiritual Enrichment Center
inspiration
LIVING GRATITUDE
A Taproot of Happiness
Sunday Worship: 10:30am Wednesday Discussion & Meditation: 6:30pm Pastor Sherry Petro-Surdel 3493 Blue Star Highway Saugatuck, MI. 49453 269-455-5329 www.Spirit-Space.org
by Leo Babauta
I
be confident...be sexy...be strong
“
f the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘Thank you,’ that would suffice,” a maxim first voiced by mystic Meister Eckhart, has held true through the centuries. Why should this simple act mean so much? Expressing gratitude works wonders.
ward to thank others.
Gratitude reminds us to recognize good people in our life. They range from loved ones to those that render a kindness to a stranger. Treasuring goodness in every form brings more of it into our experience.
Show thanks. Sometimes we think about something helpful or kind that someone did for us recently or long ago. Make a note, call them up or even better, tell them in person with sincere conviction why you continue to be grateful and appreciative. Another option is a thank-you card or email—keep it short and sweet.
Gratitude turns bad things into good things. Having problems at work? Be grateful to be employed and serving others. Challenges keep life interesting, enhance judgment and strengthen character. Gratitude reminds us of what’s important. Being grateful to have a healthy family and friends, a home and food on the table puts smaller worries in perspective.
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Gratitude reminds you to say, “Thank you.” Call, email or stop by to say thanks… it takes just a few minutes to express our reason for doing so. People like being appreciated. It creates a satisfying beam of mutual happiness that shines on.
Habit-Forming Tips
Here are some ways to overcome any initial discomfort felt in stepping forNaturalWestMichigan.com
Create a morning gratitude session. Take a few minutes each morning to close your eyes, silence the to-dos and give thanks to whomever and whatever is cause for gratitude.
See the silver lining even in “negative” situations. There are always two ways to look at something. We can perceive something as stressful, harmful, sad, unfortunate and difficult, or look for the good embedded in just about everything. Problems held in a positive light from a different perspective can be opportunities to grow and to be creative in devising a solution. Learn a gratitude prayer. Many songs and prayers, religious or not, serve to remind us to be grateful. Find or write a special one and post it in a highly visible spot. Leo Babauta is the founder of the simplicity blog, ZenHabits.net, and author of bestselling e-books Focus, The Little Guide to Un-Procrastination and Zen to Done.
Be Thankful Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don’t know something for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times, you grow. Be thankful for your limitations because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you’re tired and weary because it means you’ve made a difference. It is easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings. ~ Author unknown
FEELING STUCK?
CREATE A SENSE OF FREEDOM FROM LIMITING BELIEFS INTERFERENCE AND ENERGETIC BLOCKS BY SIMPLY CHANGING A FEW MIND AND BODY CONNECTIONS JOAN E. HOFMAN, MA, LPC 660 CASCADE W. PKWY. SE SUITE 245 GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49546 616-974-5594 JOANHOFMAN@TDS.NET WWW.JOANHOFMAN.COM
natural awakenings
November 2013
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Transform Your Life with Mentors, Books, Workshops and Online Courses by Bess J.M. Hochstein
Our capacity for self-examination distinguishes us from other animals. We feel compelled to ask: “Who am I? What am I here for? How can I attain my full potential?” The quest for answers has engaged humans for millennia.
P
opular books that have helped people on this journey span centuries, from Wallace Wattles’ The Science of Getting Rich (1910), Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich (1937), Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People (1937), Abraham Maslow’s Motivation and Personality (1954) and Dr. Thomas Anthony Harris’ I’m OK, You’re OK (1967) to Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret (2006). The personal growth genre is a cornerstone of the publishing industry. Companies like Hay House, founded by motivational author Louise Hay, have flourished. Hay teaches, “No matter where we live or how difficult
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our situation seems to be, we have the ability to overcome and transcend our circumstances.” The success of her 1984 book, You Can Heal Your Life, a New York Times bestseller well into the 21st century, led to her publishing empire, which includes authors such as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Caroline Myss and Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. One of its recent top sellers is Pam Grout’s E-Squared: Nine Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality. Hay House has expanded its messages of hope and healing through online courses, films, conferences, special events and other opportunities to meet leading thinkers and peers.
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Courtesy of Doug Ellis/Esalen Institute
Fast Track to Personal Growth
Such expansion is essential as more of those pursuing the examined life seek personal interaction in community and find that inward exploration frequently translates into outward action to improve the world. Perched on the cliffs of Big Sur, in California, the Esalen Institute, established in 1962, helped birth the modern human potential movement. It exists to help individuals grow through education, experience and research, with the conviction that positive personal and social transformation go hand-in-hand. Today, Esalen offers about 600 workshops a year, serving around 12,000 participants. Popular programs range from dance and yoga to couples workshops and psychology courses. Cheryl Fraenzl, director of programs, explains the appeal: “For most of us, life can be challenging and messy. Gaining the insight, skills and tools to move through the challenging times with more ease and grace while creating more love for yourself and those around you seems like a good investment of time and energy. Being consciously kind and relationally wise ripples out and changes the world. The effort has to start with the individual, like paying it forward; imagine if we all were doing it?” The largest holistic retreat center in North America, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, attracts 35,000 participants to 800 programs annually. According to Denise Barack, the nonprofit’s director of program development, current workshops in high demand include qigong, Buddhist meditation, mindfulness and yoga nidra. She also notes a growing interest in diverse dimensions of yoga, dance and “authentic movement” for
~ Plato healing, addiction recovery, releasing trauma and energy medicine. Psychotherapist and yoga teacher Stephen Cope, founder and director of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living, the Center’s yoga research department, notes that many guests first come to Kripalu “… as a result of some form of suffering. Then they engage in a period of self-exploration—perhaps learning some form of contemplative practice to help them manage themselves more effectively. Almost always there is a turn outward, back toward the world, and a longing to bring the healing power of contemplative practice into their own domain.” Once someone has experienced the benefits of contemplative practices such as yoga, meditation, breathing and other healthy lifestyle routines, notes Cope, a powerful aspiration typically arises to share these practices and perspectives. “These practices all lead to a sense of union, relatedness and sameness with others,” he says, “and this burgeoning consciousness of sameness compels us to share what we’ve learned.” In Rhinebeck, New York, the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies offers similar self-empowering and reflective opportunities. Dr. Stephan Rechtschaffen and Elizabeth Lesser founded Omega in 1977 as a “university of life.” Through working with prominent Zen masters, rabbis, Christian monks, psychologists, scientists and others, Lesser has found, “By combining a variety of religious, psychological and healing traditions,
Courtesy of Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
Courtesy of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health
The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.
each of us has the unique ability to satisfy our spiritual hunger.” Based since 1981 in a former camp on a lake with more than 100 buildings on 200-plus acres, Omega hosts more than 23,000 guests in up to 500 programs between mid-April and October, plus special programs in Costa Rica and New York City. Director of Rhinebeck Programs Carol Donahoe notes the rising interest in workshops on dietary cleansing, detox and juicing, such as “Reboot with Joe Cross: A Jump Start to Health and Weight Loss,” led by the filmmaker of Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. Personal transformation and mindfulness programs led by teachers like Jon Kabat-Zinn, Saki Santorelli, Florence Meleo-Meyer, Byron Katie and Pema Chödrön are perennial favorites. “As humans, we continue to be fascinated by the big questions in life,” observes Donahoe, “like, ‘Where do we go when we die? Who are we if we are not our thoughts?’ People seem particularly drawn to hearing about it from those that have always lived their lives in a left-brain, logical way, and then come to believe the unexplainable through an extraordinary life experience, and now view the world through a completely different lens.” As examples, she cites neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander, who recounts his near-death experience in his bestselling book, Proof of Heaven, and neuroanatomist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, author of the bestselling memoir My Stroke of Insight. Taylor’s 2008 TED talk was ranked the nonprofit’s second most-watched for the past two years. Both of these cutting-edge thinkers have given presentations at Omega, which, like at Esalen and Kripalu, helps bring ideas and practices that
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Photo by Ali Kaukas / Wanderlust Festival
once seemed on the fringe—from yoga and meditation to complementary medicine and sustainability—into mainstream consciousness. Particularly innovative initiatives include helping military veterans heal from post-traumatic stress disorder; the women’s leadership center; the center for sustainable living; and pioneering programs on mindfulness in the workplace, education system and at-risk urban youth communities. “We recognize that because we live in an interconnected world; the behavior of one can contribute to creating changes that benefit the whole,” says Donahoe. “Doing both the inner and outer work can awaken the best in the human spirit, and so provide hope and healing to individuals and society.” For those unable to travel great distances for a holistic immersion experience in community with like-minded seekers, Wanderlust Festivals may offer an answer. Four-day regional summits, primarily held at ski resorts during the off-season, feature teachers like Shiva Rea, Elena Brower and Gurmukh; stimulating discussions; yoga; music and adventure, amidst stunning vistas. Wanderlust co-founders Sean Hoess and Jeff Krasno strive to create an expansive space for personal growth and mindful living. One common element at every gathering—now including urban and exotic locales—is Seane Corn and Suzanne Sterling’s Off the Mat program, mobilizing yoga students toward activating social change. The Shift Network is dedicated to creating an online community that shares the tools of self-actualization, empowering a global movement of people creating an evolutionary shift of consciousness that leads to a more enlightened society, built on principles of sustainability, peace, health and prosperity. This new model for the human 26
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potential movement has roots in the grandfather of retreat centers; The Shift Network’s founder, Stephen Dinan, both worked at Esalen and contributed to Esalen’s Center for Theory & Research. Dinan explains that at a meditation retreat, he received a detailed vision of “a large global transformation network that would be helping to usher in a shift to the new era.” The Shift Network now offers free teleseminars and online summits on subjects ranging from meditation and parenting with presence to enlightened business practices and cultivating peace. “We started with The Sacred Awakening Series—40 days with 40 spiritual leaders—and 30,000 people signed up in 21 days,” says Dinan. The Inspiring Women Summit attracted 25,000 participants. Since 2010, more than 400,000 people from 160 countries have participated in free teleseminars; 18,000 have paid for online courses such as Barbara Marx Hubbard’s Agents of Conscious Evolution, Andrew Harvey’s Christ Path and Thomas Hüebl’s Authentic Awakening. The Shift Network has already reached profitability and donated more than $50,000 to nonprofits. Dinan’s vision includes providing education program certifications; building a multimedia platform of e-zines, mobile phone apps and web TV broadcasts; and eventually building facilities and intentional communities to model the possibilities of a more healthy, peaceful, sustainable way of life. From reading a book on meditation to attending a yoga intensive or tapping into a multifaceted community striving to change the world, we have myriad opportunities to lead an examined life. While the seeker may have a personal goal in mind, each mode of self-inquiry can expand outward toward making the world a better place. Hay encourages us all. “You’ve been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” Bess Hochstein is a freelance writer enjoying bicoastal bliss in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and Sonoma County, California. Connect at BessHochstein.com.
Courtesy of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health
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Successful growth requires taking personal responsibility for each choice we make in shaping and responding to circumstances and other people. Most of us are happier when we feel that we have some control over creating our own reality. Feeling empowered supports self-worth and increases our confidence to make even more of the changes we desire to comfort and nurture us and keep us safe.
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CRAFTING A GREEN HOLIDAY Happy Ways to Deck the Halls by Avery Mack
Conjure a Norman Rockwellesque holiday fantasy of family members gathered around a home-cooked meal, creative gifts and decorations in place as stories of holidays past mingle with memories in the making. Cue the strolling carolers. The reality tends to be more of a distracted and exhausting race to the finish line. Available time, energy and money all play into what’s possible to get done by the big day. Some tips can make easy eco-decorations a feel-good part of the merriment.
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ow-maintenance, childand pet-friendly colored seashells make a sustainable alternative to outdoor mulch. Choose from 22,000 Sherwin-Williams nontoxic, water-based hues to brighten any landscape. Hide a fallow flowerbed under a waterproof tarp, cover with light-colored shells as background. Then design a Christmas tree, wreath, menorah, multihued snowman or another original design with colored shells. After the holidays, the tarp can envelop the shells and be put away for easy storage. Visit ColoredShells.com. Canadian Laura Watt, owner of the ethical seed company Cubit’s Organics, in Toronto, made a felted wool wreath for a front door from an old jacket. A worn-out blanket will also work. “It only took one long baby nap to make,” says Watt, who gave new life to the wire base from an old wreath by using bits of yarn to stitch flowers. Find instructions at Tinyurl. com/FeltWreath.
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A little VOCfree paint, some repurposed mini-decorations and recycled toilet paper rolls could become an indoor wreath to be proud of. “I’m a television producer, blogger and mother of 2and 4-year-old daughters, so it had to be easy and quick,” says Karri-Leigh Mastrangelo, in Los Angeles. “We’ll do it again this year.” See how at Tinyurl.com/TPWreath. Spice up table décor using unexpected items. Lay a base of an organic cotton tablecloth, runner and napkins. Top with a centerpiece base comprising a pie pan, clear flower vase or Mason jar filled with bits of fresh evergreens and accented with small ornaments or beads from repurposed and recycled jewelry. Colored shells can line the bottom. Add a stable soy candle positioned in a bit of water for easy cleanup of dripped wax.
To continue the theme from the front door to the table, fashion leftover felt from the wreath into candle rings, using the same method, but on a smaller scale. Add spirals of garland made of star-shaped, dried orange peels handcrafted by Colombia’s Sapia artisans. The green, yellow and orange colors, backed with a soft white, provide a citrusy fragrance that lasts months. Learn more at Tinyurl. com/CitrusGarland. Beeswax candle kits are kid-friendly and come with enough supplies to make 20 candles. Order red and green wax sheets for Christmas, blue and white for Hanukkah or purple and pink for Advent. The beeswax is rolled around the wick to make an eight-inchtall, one-inch-diameter
taper. The honeycomb texture creates a festive look. Beeswax is natural and free from the petroleum-based chemicals commonly used in conventional candles. It burns brighter, hotter, cleaner and longer, while emitting negative ions that clean the air of odors, pollen, smoke, dust, dust mites and allergens. No time for a do-it-yourself project? Many ready-to-use beeswax and floating candles in the shape of poinsettias, holly leaves and snowflakes are available at ToadilyHandmade.com. Angela Price has created handblown glass terrarium ornaments for her small-space garden design company and boutique, Eden Condensed, in greater Los Angeles, California. The ornaments range from two to four inches in diameter and include live succulents, dried moss and miniature, holiday-inspired repurposed items. Price says, “Decorating the tree or the table, they’re easy to maintain and can be enjoyed for many months beyond the holidays.” See Tinyurl.com/Decorative Terrariums for inspired ideas.
Place cards add an elegant, personal touch to any holiday table. Kids can make snowflake ornaments from recycled paper. Print a holiday greeting on one side of the snowflake and inscribe a name and personal message on the other for family gatherings. Tied with a ribbon, the snowflakes can also be hung in the window or on the tree. Preprinted snowflakes made of recycled paper with soy ink at Tinyurl. com/PlantableSnowflakes are embedded with a variety of wildflower seeds for future planting. Mail them in lieu of traditional greeting cards or as more formal place cards for a simple way to prosper green holiday wishes. Mixing mindful shopping with creative touches embroiders a memorable day with family fun and the satisfaction that we’ve celebrated the holidays in sustainable style. Connect with Avery Mack via AveryMack@mindspring.com.
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Organic Hair Color, A
Cj’s Studio Salon t’s no secret that the right hair color can make any woman look and feel her best. In fact, it is estimated that a whopping 75 percent of American women color their hair. Men are also getting in on the action. The percentage of American males coloring their hair increased from 2 to 7 percent between 1999 and 2010, according to New Jersey-based Multi-sponsor Surveys, a market research firm, and 11 percent of men ages 50 to 64 now color their hair. Unfortunately, permanently dyeing hair often goes hand-inhand with damaging it. Many popular hair color products contain hazardous chemicals that can compromise a user’s health and welfare, as well as negatively impact the environment. Concerns about the contents of hair color date back to the ‘70s, when consumers were alerted to the dangers of ingredients like coal tar and benzidine, which are known carcinogens. Most manufacturers changed the ingredients in hair dye products to eliminate some of these chemicals; however, many of the substitutes, like ammonia and parabens, have been linked to a host of medical conditions. Ammonia, for one, is a corrosive chemical and a classified carcinogen by The World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It’s been linked to upper respiratory issues and skin and eye irritation, and is the culprit behind that “salon smell.” Some experts also believe the fumes may have negative long-range health effects. Other hazards found in many hair color products include formaldehyde, plastics and p-phenylenediamine, or PPD, a dye used in many permanent colors. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) stated that skin contact with PPD should be prevented in order to avoid the allergic reactions, and the FDA has not approved its use for direct skin application. It’s next to impossible, though, to avoid contact with the skin when applying hair color. The most common allergic reactions to these hair dye chemicals are dermatitis of the eyes, ears, scalp and face, which may include a rash, extreme swelling and a severe burning sensation on the scalp. Today, organic alternatives are available that not only enhance appearance, but offer real benefits to our health and the environment. While traditional hair products can strip the hair and cause serious damage, especially with repeated use, organic dyes can actually improve the condition of hair in some cases. Organic formulations typically don’t alter the basic chemistry of the hair shaft, but absorb into each strand independently to leave hair shinier, fuller and more manageable. West Michigan Edition
by Beth Davis
London Studios Salon
I
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S a fe r A l te r n a t i ve
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A common misconception has been if hair color is natural and/or organic, it wouldn’t cover grey and would fade quickly. That’s simply not the case, according to Organic Salon Systems CEO Scott Mitchell. He assures the outcome is even better than what’s achieved with chemical-laden color, offering rich, vibrant colors and more shine. Plus, it stays put as long as traditional color applications. But, not all “natural” or “green” products are created equally, he warns. Many over-the-counter and professional hair color products claim to be gentle and contain botanical extracts, but that doesn’t necessarily make them safe or nontoxic. Consumers are encouraged to carefully read the labels and learn to recognize what chemicals are in hair color brands—or ask a salon professional. By skipping harsh chemicals, organic hair products are not only better for hair, but also better for the body. Every single thing we rub into our skin or coat our hair with goes into the body, where it’s processed. The overall impact of this chemical buildup is what causes potential medical issues. Choosing organic is also better for the environment. The more we process and alter a substance, the more energy we waste and pollution we produce. By choosing products that forgo chemicals and stick with nature, we create less damage to the environment. They also tend to be better for washing down the drain and more biodegradable in landfills. “The term green has been constantly redefined as we learn more and more about sustainability and the common sense principles of recycle – reduce – reuse,” says Sally Loew, Owner of London Studios Salon in Grand Rapids. Perhaps, as this movement towards conservation, awareness, and sustainability continues; salons such as London Studios Salon and Cj’s Studio Salon will revolutionize the beauty industry one head of hair at a time. By switching to professional organic hair color, products and services, we can feel more confident about our health and the health of the planet. Cj’s Studio Salon, 5286 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids. www.CjsStudioSalon.com. See ad page 47. London Studios Salon, 6455 28th St, Grand Rapids. www. LondonStudiosSalon.com. See ads pages 23 & 47. Beth Davis is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings.
Community Spotlight by Julie Hurley
A
fter Amy Oostveen, founder and owner of Flirt Fitness in Grand Rapids, had her first child two years ago, she was looking for a way to get back into the fitness arena. “I wanted to get certified in something athletic. I have a sports background and wanted to find something outside of sales that I could feel passionate about. I accidentally came across a pole dancing video and thought it was the coolest thing.” Oostveen was first attracted to pole fitness because of the athleticism. “It looked very hard and challenging and I like to compete and win,” she said. Shortly after viewing that video, she made a decision, packed up her bags and headed to Naperville, IL, the home of Tease Dance & Fitness, which trains and certifies pole dance instructors as well as offers a wide-range of instructional classes. Upon arriving at her first class, she realized that she was the only one who had never been on a pole before. However, once she got on the pole, she knew that it was something that she wanted to do for the rest of her life, and not for the reasons she expected. “There were woman of all ages, sizes and fitness levels in those classes. But their athletic abilities [or lack thereof] was not what had fascinated me; these women shared stories about what pole had done for them, and I could tell that it was a very close group and it was incredibly inspiring. I felt like I was a part of something.” It was the camaraderie that stuck with Oostveen as she went through classes and eventually the certified training program at Tease Dance & Fitness. When she opened Flirt in January of 2013, she knew that she wanted to create that same atmosphere. “Our studio is very structured in that we don’t teach anyone in the adult industry and no men walk through our doors. I wanted to create a safe haven for women, and allow them to be comfortable in their own skin, to feel a camaraderie with other women and to feel confidently sexy.” It is for these reasons that Oostveen does not allow dropins and asks that all students sign a waver that states, in part, “what is said in class stays in class.” Oostveen says that this creates a group environment in which women can feel trusting and comfortable with each other. Behind closed doors, however, clients can experience the absolute freedom of letting go and learning how to move their bodies in a way that feels sexy to them. “Many people are under the impression that you need to be really strong to be successful at pole dancing, but it’s really all about balance,” said Oostveen. “Yes, you need to be strong, but it’s a lot about balance.” Classes are scheduled in eight-week segments and all new
students, regardless of fitness level, start at Level 1. There is an average of 8 to 10 women per 90-minute class and each class is broken down into different segments: • 5 minutes of meditation (centering, positive affirmations, empowering oneself) • 35 minutes of warm-up stretching and workout (yoga flows, booty dancing) • 35 minutes of trick learning • 10 minutes of dancing Oostveen has found that while there are many reasons a client shows up in her studio, the experience of her studio is what keeps them coming back. “We keep the classes small so we can be a cohesive group. This is not the place to come, workout and go home. We build relationships as well as healthy, strong bodies. The studio is more than a place to exercise. It’s a safe-haven - a place to relax and rejuvenate yourself. It’s a meeting place. It’s a place to let go. And, while you are enjoying all that, you get a wonderful workout experience that leaves you feeling confident and sexy throughout your week!” Being the only pole dancing fitness studio in Grand Rapids has lead to some fast-paced growth in recent months. Because of that, she has seven additional instructors to handle the demand. Sara Baker, Cassie Truskowski, Jessica Buckner, Alexis Furney, Ora Trotter, Tanya Schmidt, and Pia Sullivan are all Pole Fitness Association certified instructors. “Each instructor continues to go through an additional lengthy and comprehensive training and apprenticeship program and is experienced and knows exactly what will work best for your body mind and spirit. Safety is our priority,” says Oostveen. Flirt Fitness, 5366 Plainfield Ave NE, Suite J in Grand Rapids. 616-723-7350 or Amy@FlirtFitnessGR.com. See ad page 22. Julie Hurley has a passion for reading and fitness. As such, she is the Director of Public Relations for Principia Media, a publisher in Grand Rapids, MI, and a Team Beachbody Coach. Visit her website at www.teambeachbody.com/coachhurley. natural awakenings
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West Michigan Edition
or more than a millennium, seekers have made spiritual pilgrimages on the Way of St. James, beginning at their chosen point in Europe, winding westward and ending in the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. Today, as portrayed in the 2010 movie, The Way, the core route continues to attract both secular and devout trekkers. It’s fair to say that every pilgrim derives something from the journey, although it’s not always what they expect. Alyssa Machle, a landscape architect in San Francisco, imagined that walking The Way would be a quietly contemplative and solitary experience. Instead, she spent weeks bonding with fellow trekkers: an Ohio schoolteacher trying to decide whether to become a Catholic nun, and a German woman in her 30s unsettled by falling in love with her life partner’s best friend, a war veteran in his 70s. “Inevitably, each person had some internal battle that he or she hoped to resolve,” Machle found. “My own ideological shift was about setting aside
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preconceived ideas about how I would experience the path, and focusing my energy on the community that I suddenly was part of.” The diverse goals of the people Machle met on The Way speaks to the power of adventurous treks. From the Bible story of Moses and the Israelites crossing the desert for 40 years to young Fellowship of the Ring members hiking across Middle Earth, we like the idea of walking long distances as a way to get in touch with ourselves—and often with something larger. In America, there are as many trails to hike as there are reasons to do it. For Cheryl Strayed, author of the 2012 bestselling memoir, Wild, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail at age 26 allowed her innate courage to blossom. A rank novice, she took to the trails solo, grieving the early death of her mother, and discovered a new kind of self-reliance. “Every time I heard a sound of unknown origin or felt something horrible cohering in my imagination, I pushed it
away,” Strayed relates. “I simply did not let myself become afraid. Fear begets fear. Power begets power. I willed myself to beget power. It wasn’t long before I actually wasn’t afraid.” Other people on such journeys are inspired by their love for the environment, like Zen Buddhist priest and retired psychotherapist Shodo Spring, leader of this year’s Compassionate Earth Walk, a July-through-October protest of our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. It has engaged a “moving community” of shared prayers, meditation and yoga along the path of the pending Keystone XL pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, Canada, to Steele City, Nebraska. Spring emphasizes that the walk is intended to connect participants to the land and the people that live on it. “We’re going to small towns,” she says, “where many residents make their livelihoods from oil. There’s a deep division between such people and our group. But when we listen to each other, that division gets healed.” Activist David Rogner says that longdistance walks don’t just raise awareness of political and social issues—they also give people hope. He spent 25 months walking across the United States in the first coast-to-coast roadside litter program, Pick Up America.
“As we walked and picked up trash, we inspired people to believe there could be change,” he says. His trek gave him hope for his own future, too. He now believes, “If you commit your life to the healing and restoration of community and yourself, you are going to be wholly provided for.” Whatever the purpose, there are many scenic long-distance walking trails to choose from. The Pacific Crest Trail, from the U.S.-Mexico border in Southern California to the uppermost reaches of Washington State, offers stunning views of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges. The Appalachian Trail, which winds 2,200 miles between Georgia and Maine, provides 250 shelters and campsites. In Wisconsin, the 1,000-mile Ice Age Trail offers awe-inspiring views of glacial landscapes. Starting in North Carolina, the Mountains-to-Sea trail extends from the Great Smoky Mountains to the crystal-blue waters of the Outer Banks. In Missouri, the Ozark Trail sweeps through mountains, lush valleys and tumbling waterfalls. Plus, overseas trails await, as well. Sarah Todd is a writer and editor in Brooklyn, NY. Connect at Sarah ToddInk.com.
TIPS FOR A LONG TREK by Sarah Todd Pack light. In long-distance hiking, every ounce counts. Try to make sure everything in the backpack has at least two uses: socks that double as mittens or a fleece that transforms into a pillow. Get in shape. Walk two hours a day in preceding months to help train for lengthy days on foot. Do a few test walks loaded with gear to see what it’s like to carry that amount of weight before hitting the trail. Prepare for foot care. Expert trekkers smear jelly-like products like Waxelene on their feet before putting on their socks to help prevent blisters. It also soothes chafing and offers foot relief at the end of a long day’s hike. Plan meals beforehand. Measure out all the ingredients for a healthy menu plan and put them in lightweight bags to allow the exact right amount of food needed—no more, no less—for the long haul between provisioning stations (local accessible towns and holding spots for preshipped boxes). natural awakenings
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London Studios (Salon): Ashley Woods 15% off
HASTINGS
Making Thyme Kitchen - Buy 2 Entrees Get 1 Free Mark’s Mattress Direct – 15% off Any Restonic or Clare Bedding Mattress Set Midwest Massage & Salon II - 15% off Moondrop Herbals - $5.00 off $25.00 or more in purchases - excludes consignment items Moxie Beauty & Hair Parlor - Free 8oz of Onesta Shampoo & 8oz Conditioner with Organic Color Systems Service Natural Health 4 Today - 20% off R3 Station - $10 off 1 Hour Massage
LANSING Horizen Hydroponics - 20% off *not to be combined with monthly sales or package deals.
Anne’s Health Foods - 20% off All Supplements & 10% off All Hair & Bodycare Products every Thursday
MONTAGUE
HOLLAND
MT. PLEASANT
Laketown Healing Arts - $10 off Massage Services of 60 or 90 Minutes; 20% off all Yoga Classes or Purchase a Package of 4 or more Yoga Classes and get One Class Free
Herbs Etc. - 10% off Products
MI Clinical Massage - 10% off
Naturopathic Institute of Therapies & Education (NITE) - $100 off a $300 Class or $200 off Tuition
Ottawa Village Chiropractic - 20% off new patient exams, 10% off Chiropractic adjustments
White River Yoga - 20% off Class Fees
Naturopathic Community Center (NCC) - 10% off enrollment of any class with payment up front
MUSKEGON
Rehab Your Body - $33 per 40 min - 1 hr Bodywork or Consultation
HOWARD CITY
Sérendipité Organiques - 10% discount on all retail purchases
Crooked Tree Dairy - 1 Free dairy product for Share Owners
NORTH MUSKEGON
Serendipity Wellness Coaching - 25% off
JENISON
Health Hutt - 20% off Supplements
Crowning Lotus Doula Services - 20% off Birth Doula Services & Products
OSCODA
Shaklee: Connie Udell - 10% off for non Shaklee members Teri Genovese Photography - 15% off Portrait Session or $50 off Baby’s ‘1st Year in Life’ Series The Well Being, LLC - 50% off initial consultation and 10% off returning visits The Yoga Studio - 20% off a Series of Yoga Classes for New Students and 10% off a Series of Classes for Current Students Warren Nutrition (NE) - 15% off Everything in the Store and 20% Off every Tuesday Warren Nutrition (NW) - 15% off Everything in the Store and 20% Off every Tuesday Wholistic Kinesiology Health Services, LLC - 20% off With Open Hands Therapeutic Massage 20% off
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West Michigan Edition
We Care 4 U, LLC - 15% off Regular 2 Hour or More Visits Provided During 12 Consecutive Months; Free In-Home Assessment Completion & Emergency Information Required
KALAMAZOO
Health Hutt - 20% off Supplements
Expressions of Health - 25% Discount for 1st Time Retreat Customers. 15% Discount for Subsequent Retreats. 15% off for All Services-Reiki, Reflexology & P.T.
SAUGATUCK
Adamcz Associates - 15% Discount for Saturday Workshops
Beyond Books - 50% Bio Mat sessions, 15% off entire first purchase (excludes consignment art), 10% off classes, 10% off Reiki sessions
Horizen Hydroponics - 20% off *not to be combined with monthly sales or package deals.
SOUTH HAVEN
KENTWOOD
Down to Earth Chiropractic - Time of svc: Adjustment $19, New Patient $89 incl 1st adjust, One Hour Massage $49
iTrain Consulting - 15% off Taijiquan - $5 off monthly fee Wilcox Family Chiropractic - 20% off
NaturalWestMichigan.com
Visit www.NaturalAwakeningsNetwork.com to learn all the details about each of these provider’s discounts and stipulations.
Learn more about their program discounts* available to NAN Card Members. *Restrictions may apply.
SPRING LAKE
WEB BASED
International Wellness Partners : Irv Marcus - Initial Visit $65 (reg. $100); $5 off Returning Visits Sacred Plane Reflexology - 20% off
Arbonne International: Barb Clare - 20% Product Discount is available to “Preferred Customers” for a $29 Annual Fee, but will be waived for NAN Members.
If you like our magazine, you’ll love our Network.
WALKER
Bellaroma Boutique - Free Shipping with Purchase of $25 or more
Holistic Health Options, G.R. - 15% off Any Service
Depsyl - Buy 2 Get 1 Free
A New World of Health and Wellness Within Your Reach!
Walker Ice & Fitness Center - 5% off for all purchases in our Pro Shop of $15 or more; Purchase an adult open skate get a Child/Student Skate admission for FREE
WYOMING Warren Nutrition - 15% off Everything in the Store and 20% Off every Tuesday
Hazelnut Kids - 10% off Happy Bums - 10% off An Order $75.00 or More From Anything On Our Website. Free Shipping Infinite Healthcare Partners - 20% off Ladybug Baby Organics, LLC - 15% off anything in the Store Mom’s Healthy Market - 15% off Total Sale
ZEELAND
Norwex (Stephanie Holleman) - Free Window Cloth on orders over $50
Lakeshore Natural Skin Care - After initial service at regular price, all additional services scheduled the same day will receive a 20% discount. Discount applies to services of equal or lesser price
Orchard Harvest Candles -15% off on All Orders Over $25 Serenity4Life - 15% off Retail, Free Inital Zyto Scan and Free Classes Sing Song Yoga - 15% off the Sing Song Yoga DVD when ordered online. Soles of Michigan - 15% off Susan Pavlik - First 30 minutes at 50% off The Lollipop King / Essante Organics $29.95 member fee waived and 30% off all purchases through www.essanteworldwide.com/lollipopking
This directory will be printed quarterly. New Providers are added weekly and a current list will be posted on: www.NaturalWestMichigan.com To see a comprehensive list of all providers nationwide, visit: www.NaturalAwakeningsNetwork.com
Complementary and Alternative Medicine • Acupuncture • Ayurveda • Homeopathy • Veterinary Homeopathy • Naturopathy • Chiropractic Alternative Therapies • Aromatherapy • Craniosacral • Kinesiology • Therapeutic Massage • Reflexology • Shiatsu • Energy Therapies Emotional Health • Addiction • Self-help • Hypnotherapy • Stress Management • Motivation • Holistic Psychology • Workshops Specialized Services • Coaching • Vegetarian Cuisine • Aesthetics • Gyms & Fitness Centers • Anti-Aging Medicine • Nutrition • Weight Loss • Beauty Salons • Spas • Tai Chi
natural awakenings
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Visit www.NaturalAwakeningsNetwork.com to learn all the details about each of these provider’s discounts and stipulations.
A DV E RTO R I A L
Natural Iodine Supplementation A Must for Most Americans
W
e all need iodine, yet most of us don’t get enough of it through our diet. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that iodine deficiency in the developed world has increased fourfold in the past 40 years and now affects nearly three-quarters of all adults. Numerous U.S. practicing physicians quoted widely in the media estimate that the incidence of hypothyroidism in our adult population may be between 30 and 70 percent. Thus, we can’t efficiently produce the thyroid hormones that serve as chemical messengers triggering nearly every bodily function. The presence or absence of iodine affects our every cell.
Be Aware of Hypothyroidism Symptoms Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is the most recognized and obvious indicator of low iodine intake because the thyroid gland contains more concentrated iodine than other organs.
Symptoms can range from extreme fatigue and weight gain to depression, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, fibrocystic breasts and a variety of skin and hair problems. Hypothyroidism can further cause infertility, joint pain, heart disease and stroke. Low iodine levels also have been associated with breast and thyroid cancers. In children, insufficient iodine has been strongly linked with mental retardation, deafness, attention deficient and hyperactivity disorder and impaired growth, according to studies by Boston University, China’s Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and France’s National Academy of Medicine. The answer is simple: Taking the right kind of iodine in the right dosage can rebalance thyroid function and restore health to the thyroid and the whole body.
A Few Drops Can Change Your Life! You could feel better, lose weight or increase energy and mental clarity with a few drops of Natural Awakenings DETOXIFIED IODINE daily in water or on your skin when used as directed. An essential component of the thyroid, iodine replacement has been reported to give relief from: • Depression • Fibromyalgia • Hypothyroidism • Radiation
• Weight Gain • Low Energy • Hyperthyroidism • Bacteria & Viruses
4-6 week supply ONLY $20
Order Online Today at
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SHIPPING * $SPECIAL 5•up to 8 bottles Wholesale Pricing Available to Stores and Practitioners
Shop Natural Awakenings’ Online Webstore for More Special, Natural Products 40
West Michigan Edition
NaturalWestMichigan.com
Natural Awakenings Detoxifed Iodine is 100 percent natural, raw iodine in an ethyl alcohol solution. We thank all those that are benefiting from this product and enthusiastically telling us their great results. Available only at NAWebstore.com My wife, who suffered from extreme fatigue and other symptoms, saw a dramatic increase in energy after just a few days of taking the natural iodine drops. Now if she misses a day, she’ll end up falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon, like she used to do before taking the iodine. It works! ~ Aaron My doctor told me that I had a hypothyroid condition, prescribed medication and was happy with the follow-up test results, yet I noticed no positive effects on my overall wellbeing. Within two weeks of using the Natural Awakenings Detoxified Iodine, I had more energy, felt more awake and enjoyed clearer thinking and greater peace of mind. People even comment that I look younger. I am a fan! ~ Larry
Reasons Behind Iodine Deficiency Radiation: Almost everyone is routinely exposed to iodine-depleting radiation emitted by cell phones, Wi-Fi, microwave ovens and other electronic devices. Iodized table salt: The human body cannot utilize the iodine added to this product. Low-sodium diets: Failure to use healthy salts to fulfill sodium requirements, plus overuse of zero-nutrient table salt in foods, leads to iodine depletion. Bromine: This toxic chemical overrides iodine’s abilities to nourish the thyroid, adrenal and other hormone-producing glands. A known carcinogen, it is used as an anticaking ingredient found in almost all baked goods, unless the ingredients specifically cite unbromated flour. Iodine-depleted soils: Due to poor farming techniques, iodine and other minerals in soil have declined, so most foods today are devoid of naturally occurring iodine. Proper iodine supplementation with a high-quality product like Natural Awakenings Detoxified Iodine can prevent harm by protecting the thyroid and other endocrine glands and restoring proper hormone production.
healthykids
Superpower Kids’ Immune Systems Natural Health Experts Share How by Jenna Blumenfeld
M
any experts admit there is no definitive reason that people sniffle more during colder months. Some speculate it’s because we’re spending more time indoors and missing out on resupplying vitamin D, which makes us more susceptible to disease. Others say that when the temperature drops, the body uses more energy to stay warm instead of to fend off infection. What health practitioners do know is it’s possible to maintain immunity naturally with diet, lifestyle and a proper whole foods supplement routine. Consider these tips from three experts to stave off illness and shorten its duration. NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR Christopher Johnson, Doctor of Naturopathy Thrive Naturopathic, Arlington, Virginia Incorporate immunity-boosting foods. Ginger and garlic contain antioxidants such as vitamin C and selenium, and have antimicrobial qualities. Add minced ginger to teas or marinades; roast garlic with carrots and squash. Aim to eat one to two cloves of garlic and 250 milligrams of ginger daily.
Try elderberry extract. Elderberry has strong antiviral properties. Consuming the plant’s extract may prevent virus-based illnesses and alleviate both the symptoms and duration of a cold. Adults can take one to two teaspoons twice daily for prevention; increase dosage to four times a day if feeling sick. Use less for youths, based on size. Make exercise and rest priorities. Daily physical activity rids the body of toxins, increases blood circulation and lowers stress levels. A simple 30-minute cardio routine three to four times a week strengthens immunity. Adequate rest helps the body recover and regenerate cells. Adults need a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night; children may need up to 13. ACUPUNCTURIST AND CHINESE HERBALIST Marco Chung-Shu Lam, Licensed Acupuncturist Mandala Integrative Medicine Clinic, Boulder, Colorado Practice deep-breathing exercises. Practicing yoga or t’ai chi several times each week can deepen the breath, allowing organs to function more efficiently and boost immunity. Concentrate on pranayama, a focused and controlled type of yogic breathing: Slowly inhale and exhale through the nostrils, expanding the belly, rather than the chest.
Add herbs. Incorporate the root herb astragalus in a daily whole foods supplement routine, especially important for older adults. Used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine, astragalus supports the immune system by stimulating immune cell activity with its high polysaccharide (complex carbohydrate) content. Simmer the short, flat herb in soups or add to long-cooking grains like brown rice. Eat seasonally. Our body naturally drives us to eat heartier foods like sweet potatoes, beets and winter squashes in colder months—foods that support immunity by providing both fiber and vitamins A and C. Eat warming foods like stews, beans and miso; avoid raw foods, which cool the body and stress the immune system. DIETITIAN Barbara Bapst, Registered Dietitian Carolina Nutrition & Wellness, Charlotte, North Carolina Balance bodily pH. The typical American diet of fast food, sugary treats and refined snacks produces acid in the body, creating an environment in which bacteria thrive. Eat at least 10 servings of alkalizing foods each day to optimize the body’s immune response and overall functioning. Spinach, broccoli and cauliflower are excellent choices, along with almonds, olive oil and grapes. Drink plenty of water and green tea to keep acid in check. Up the antioxidants. Antioxidants help the body resist illness because they protect cells against harmful free radicals and oxidative stress. Berries are particularly beneficial and maintain their nutrients even when frozen; blend half a cup into a morning smoothie. As a diet supplement, consider adding 400 to 600 milligrams of curcumin—the active ingredient in turmeric, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory spice—to meals. Focus on kids’ immunity. Although it’s tricky to get children to eat enough immunesupporting fruits and vegetables every day, encouraging them to sit down at the table for meals can help. Get kids excited about eating healthy foods by involving them in vegetable gardening, planting herbs in windowsill pots and preparing dinner. Incorporate pumpkin and carrot purées into sauces or stews to increase their nutritional power. Jenna Blumenfeld is a managing editor with New Hope Natural Media, in Boulder, CO. natural awakenings
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$ave Time & Energy! Please call in advance to ensure that the event you’re interested in is still available. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Celebrate All Saint’s Day with a Healthy Treat- 12:00-9:00pm. Enjoy a traditional frozen yogurt with those special fall favorites with Only 8 ingredients. 15% will be donated local food and clothing pantries. Frozen Yogurt Inspirations, 7589 Cottonwood Suite C, Jenison.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Birds of Prey Family Program- 6:30-8:00pm. Member Adults $6; Children $4 & Non-Member Adults $8; Children $6. For a complete list and more information about these programs visit cedarcreekinstitute.org or call 269-721-4190. Healthseekers Free Class- 10:30-11:15am. There is a high level of vitality and healing beyond merely being pain-free. Learn how homeopathy & chiropractic are a perfect fit, restoring balance & optimizing functioning of your entire system down to the cellular & vibrational level. www.AngelTouchFamilyChiropractic.com. 231-670-0179. 4265 Grand Haven Road, Suite 203, Muskegon. Vision Board Workshop- 1:00-3:00pm. Create a Vision Board to help you manifest what you DO desire in life. Learn why it is a powerful tool, the science behind it and how to overcome self-limiting beliefs. No art experience required. Contact Sara at 616-801-3116 or VisionBoardBuilder@yahoo. com to register. $35. Holistic Care Approach, 3368 Beltline Ct, NE, Grand Rapids.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4
Discount to Fire Fighters- 11/4-11/15. Schafer Chiropractic and Healing Spa is proud to be offering to fire fighters a 25-minute massage for only $25 (regularly $35), or a 55 minute for $50 (regularly $65). Schafer Chiropractic and Healing Spa, 1801 Breton Rd, Grand Rapids. 616-301-3000. Gluten, The Latest Research- 5:30pm. New medical conference information – from Dr. William Davis who wrote ‘Wheat Belly’, Dr. David Perlmutter, author of ‘Grain Brain’, and Dr. Alessio Fasano, gastroenterology researcher. $15 at the door or $10 pre-registered. Holistic Nutrition Center, 90 West 8th Street, Holland. 616-355-5333. Neurotransmitters 101- 6:00-7:30pm. Cravings, Mood Swings, Fatigue, SSRI’s and Healthy Brain Aging are all discussed. Dr. Natalia DiPaola, MD, Board Certified Family Medicine and Integrative Holistic Medicine is our speaker. Free. Keystone Pharmacy, 4021 Cascade Rd SE, Grand Rapids. 616-558-8334.
calendarofevents Denotes an event sponsored by Natural Awakenings Magazine West Michigan.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Free Community Chair Acupuncture- 5:00-7:00pm. With Nationally Board Certified Acupuncturist Irv Marcus and Special Guest Acupuncturist Master WH Lee, a 4th generational Korean trained acupuncturist with 50 years of International experience. RSVP required. irv@irvmarcusacupuncture.com or text 616-634-2714. Lisa W. Lee’s International Wellness Partners, 14998 Cleveland St. Suite C. Spring Lake. Understanding Anxiety- 6:30-7:30pm. Join Melissa Malinowski, Naturopath as she helps you to understand neurotransmitters, how they affect our mood and nervous system and real foods to help correct anxiety and other nervous system imbalances such as ADD/ADHD and depression. Visit integrativenutritionaltherapies.com/wellness-classes to RSVP & learn more. Grand Rapids. Pressure-Free Body- 7:00-9:00pm. Performance Coach Elle Ingalls shares her fast, simple method to reduce the release of stress hormones and create a healthier body. Includes materials and a 21-day video course. $75 or $199 for three Tuesday nights. Register at www.Pressure-Free.com or call 269-832-3573. 6174 Halbert Road, Battle Creek.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6
The Art of Compassionate Living- 6:30-8:30pm. 11/13 & 11/20. Explore the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical aspects of compassionate, nonviolent communications (NVC) and all the ways it can enable us to more fully live lives we love. Love Offering. Unity of Grand Rapids 1711 Walker Avenue NW, Grand Rapids. Guided Meditation and Healing Circle - 7:008:00pm. Escape from stress and discover an inner world of calm, peace & joy through guided meditation, and energy healing from Healing in Americatrained healers. $5 donation. Holistic Care Approach 3368 Beltline Ct., NE, Grand Rapids. For more info call 269-908-1016.
others. Jan Atwood, Reiki Master/Teacher. Register 616-915-4144. $225. Jan Atwood, 801 Broadway Ave NW, Ste 436, Grand Rapids. Healing Benefits of Acupuncture- 6:15-7:30pm. Curious about Acupuncture and Acupressure? Join us at HJWC and learn how to heal the physical and emotional body through the use of the ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practice of Acupuncture and Acupressure. Donations only. Heart’s Journey Wellness Center 6189 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale. Third Annual Tellabration- 7:00-8:30pm. The Yarnspinners of Muskegon announce their Third Annual Tellabration, a storytelling concert. Tickets at the door are $5 per person or $15 per family. Muskegon Museum of Art located at 296 W. Webster in downtown Muskegon. 231-755-2383.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9
Geology Hike-10:00am-12:30pm. Members Free & Non-Members $6. For a complete list and more information about these programs visit cedarcreekinstitute.org or call 269-721-4190. Teens/Pre-Teens: Skin Care Clinic- 2:00pm. Will address your sensitive, acne-prone, or troublesome skin issues. All participants will receive a Free deluxe sample of Elina Organics Face Cleanser and Toner. $15. Must register by Thursday, Nov. 7. Space is limited. 231-557-3619. Lakeshore Natural Skin Care, 10500 Chicago Drive, Zeeland.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10
Eckankar- 10:00-11:00am. All are invited to the monthly ECK Worship Service to discover how to bring God into our everyday life. Services are the second Sunday of each month. Free. Dominican Center at Marywood, Room 4, 2025 E Fulton, Grand Rapids, 616-245-7003, www.eck-mi.org.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Free Viewing of Genetic Roulette- 6:00-8:00pm. Presented by NoGMO4Michigan. Held ad Gaines Twp Kent District Library, 421 68th St, Grand Rapids.
Kombucha Workshop- 5:30pm. Home cultured health foods are gaining popularity. Learn how to make your own kombucha and take home a starter. Please bring a clean quart jar with a lid. $15 at the door or $10 pre-registered. Holistic Nutrition Center, 90 West 8th Street, Holland. 616-355-5333.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7
One Year Anniversary Celebration Friday, November 8th & Saturday, November 9th. Store wide specials, Samples, Product Prize Packages, Raffles. Affordable Nutrition, 4693 Wilson Ave, Suite I, Grandville. 616-667-1346. Energy Balancing Weekend Retreat- 11/8-11/10. Located on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Huron. Each guest enjoys Yoga, Massage, Reiki, Reflexology, 2 brunches, free lodging and entire use of our lake house (including kitchen). $250/person. Call 989-739-5498 or visit expressionsofhealth.com for more info. Expressions of Health, 6170 Ridge Rd., Oscoda. Reiki I/II Class- 9:00am-5:00pm. Reiki I/II Class to learn this relaxation system for self-treatment and for
Muskegon Area Wellness Moms Gathering Group- 10:00-11:00am. In our local Wellness Moms Gathering Group you will meet new friends, enjoy support, fellowship and get information on how to raise healthy children. Join Us and Find Your Tribe. Free. O’Brien Family Chiropractic Center 1519 E. River Rd. Ste. B Muskegon. 231-744-6400 Hypnosis to Stop Smoking or Chewing Tobacco6:00-7:30pm. One month prior to the course, you will be provided with a homeopathic remedy, Caladium, which helps prepare you to stop using tobacco products. Each participant will take home a tube of homeopathic Lobelia. Presented by Bob Huttinga. Call to register, 616-754-7706. $85. Howard City.
Visit www.NaturalWestMichigan.com for guidelines and to submit entries. All Calendar events must be submitted online by the 15th of the month prior to publication.
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Monthly Guided Meditation with Monica Verplank- 6:30-7:30pm. A certified Chopra Center Instructor. Meditation helps to relieve stress. $20 prepaid or $25 drop in. Sign up at lisawlee.com. Classes are held at Lisa W. Lee’s International Wellness Partners, 14998 Cleveland St. Suite C, Spring Lake. Pressure-Free Mind- 7:00-9:00pm. Performance Coach Elle Ingalls shares her mind tools - easy actions to create a more positive mindset, reduce mental stress, and improve cognitive function. $75 or $199 for three Tuesday nights. Register at www. Pressure-Free.com or call 269-832-3573. 6174 Halbert Road, Battle Creek. Natural Skin Care - 7:30pm. Learn the basics of healthy skin using natural ingredients and techniques to care for your skin’s needs. Class is interactive and includes a take home mask made for your skin. $40. Advance Registration. Call Moondrop Herbals at 616 735-1285 or see ad. 351 Cummings, NW Grand Rapids.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
Relaxation, Problem-Solving and Stress Management- 6:00-9:00pm. Learn how stress causes disease and discuss tools to help you manage the stress that occurs in your life. You’ll learn about journaling, creative visualization and tapping techniques to change stress and anxiety into calm, peaceful functioning. Presented by Bob Huttinga. Call to register, 616-7547706. $59. Braman Center in Greenville. Introduction to Feng Shui- 7:00-8:15pm. Have you ever been in a room and felt the flow of energy either positively or negatively around you? In this workshop, you will be introduced to basic Feng Shui concepts and how to incorporate them into your home or office space. Donations only. Heart’s Journey Wellness Center 6189 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15
The Great Conversations: Teaching Yoga in the Upanishads- 11/15-11/17. A weekend of Philosophy and Conversation with Dr. Douglas Brooks. No previous experience is expected or required: all you need bring is yourself, an open mind, and willing heart. For more info contact From the Heart Yoga Center 714 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids. 616-336-9642. Loving Kindness Meditation- 6:15-7:30pm. Join Carol Hendershot from the Grand Rapids Center for Mindfulness at HJWC as she guides participants through a blessing/meditation practice. This practice is an inter-spiritual practice that supports all theologies. Donations only. Heart’s Journey Wellness Center, 6189 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16
Healthseekers Free Class- 10:30-11:15am. There is a high level of vitality and healing beyond merely being pain-free. Learn how homeopathy & chiropractic are a perfect fit, restoring balance & optimizing functioning of your entire system down to the cellular & vibrational level. www.AngelTouchFamilyChiropractic.com. 231-670-0179. 4265 Grand Haven Road, Suite 203, Muskegon.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17
West Michigan Spirit Faire- 11:00am-5:00pm. Alternative Health Practitioners & Products, Intuitive Readers, Jewelry, Aura Photos, Massage, Energy Tuning, Drums, Candles, Books, Angel Messages, Labyrinth Speaker, $3 entry & Door Prizes. Plainwell Comfort Inn, exit 49A off US-131 between GR & Kazoo.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18
Discount to Police Officers- 11/18-11/29. Schafer Chiropractic and Healing Spa is proud to be offering to police officers a 25-minute massage for only $25 (regularly $35), or a 55 minute for $50 (regularly $65). Schafer Chiropractic and Healing Spa, 1801 Breton Rd, Grand Rapids. 616-301-3000. Fibromyalgia and Diet- 5:30pm. Gain a baseline understanding of what you can do with food to improve energy, sleep and decrease pain and brain fog. $15 at the door or $10 pre-registered. Holistic Nutrition Center, 90 West 8th Street, Holland. 616-355-5333.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19
Pressure-Free Life - 7:00-9:00pm. Performance Coach Elle Ingalls presents tools for time management and life design to help you create a less stressfull, more optimal life. $75 or $199 for three Tuesday nights. Register at www.Pressure-Free.com or call 269-832-3573. 6174 Halbert Road, Battle Creek.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20
Relaxation, Problem-Solving and Stress Management- 6:00-9:00pm. Learn how stress causes disease and discuss tools to help you manage the stress that occurs in your life. You’ll learn about journaling, creative visualization and tapping techniques to change stress and anxiety into calm, peaceful functioning. Presented by Bob Huttinga. Call to register, 616-754-7706. $59. Braman Center in Greenville.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22
A Yoga of Engagement: Responding to the Challenges of our Time- 11/22-11/24. With Betsey
Downing. 4 or 5 classes - Friday evening, Saturday morning and afternoon (for teachers) and Sunday morning and afternoon. Engaging the world from a spiritual perspective, Asana and Meditation as well a special afternoon for teachers. Expressions of Grace, 5270 Northland Dr., Grand Rapids. 616-361-8580. Energy Balancing Weekend Retreat- 11/2211/24. Located on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Huron. Each guest enjoys Yoga, Massage, Reiki, Reflexology, 2 brunches, free lodging and entire use of our lake house (including kitchen). $250/person. Call 989-739-5498 or visit expressionsofhealth. com for more info. Expressions of Health, 6170 Ridge Rd., Oscoda. What is Yoga Therapy?- 6:15-7:30pm. Join HJWC owner, Dr. Sue Dilsworth, as she explains what Yoga Therapy is and how it can affect your life on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and have discussion during this informative session. Donations only. Heart’s Journey Wellness Center 6189 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Colds and Flu: Let’s Make Couch Syrup- 5:30pm. Prevention, diet, and kitchen remedies. We will make a non-toxic but wickedly potent cough syrup. $15 at the door or $10 pre-registered. Holistic Nutrition Center, 90 West 8th Street, Holland. 616-355-5333.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Thanksgiving Eve Communion & Candlelight Service- 7:00pm. Join us for this sacred service of gratitude, singing, communion and candlelight, led by Rev. Jennifer L. Sacks, with music by Ray Gordon and Chuck Piccard. All are invited to attend. Love Offering. Unity of Grand Rapids 1711 Walker Avenue NW, Grand Rapids.
savethedate January 10 & 11, 2014 Living Well – Grand Rapids Show Mark your calendars for West Michigan’s only health and wellness show is coming back to DeVos Place for its second year. If your business focuses on health, fitness, or wellness, don’t miss being part of West Michigan’s only show that’s completely devoted to improving all aspects of health. Exhibitor brochures are available at www.showspan.com/lwg/brochurerequest.aspx
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ongoingevents Note: Visit www.NaturalWestMichigan.com for guidelines and to submit entries. Events must be re-submitted each month by the 15th of the month. Events subject to change, please call ahead.
Sunday Spirit Space Sunday Worship - 10:30am. Join us for inspiring messages called Reasonings. Spirit Space is an inner-faith spiritual enrichment center. Take a virtual tour at www.spirit-space.org. Free. 3493 Blue Star Hwy, Saugatuck.
Monday Intermediate Hatha Yoga with Mitch Coleman6:15-7:30pm. All levels. Drop-ins welcome. Visit WhiteRiverYoga.com for more information. Classes meet at White River Yoga Studio, 8724 Ferry St. Montague. 231-740-6662. A Course In Miracles Healing Circle - 7:008:30pm. Space to feel; space to heal. An ACIMbased support/study group. All are welcome. Prior experience with the Course unnecessary. Free. Fountain Street Church, Grand Rapids. 616-458-5095.
Tuesday A Course in Miracles- 10:30am. Experience peace and freedom by awakening from illusions. Join Rev. Manzel Berlin and other like-minded souls and be guided in living the holy moment together. Love Offering. Unity of Grand Rapids 1711 Walker Avenue NW, Grand Rapids.
Wednesday
real food menus and shopping lists for families that are healthy and kid-approved. Visit www. integrativenutritionaltherapies.com or 616-3659176. Grand Rapids. Discussion and Meditation- 6:00pm. Come, Let Us Reason Together every at Spirit Space. The evening starts with light refreshments, followed by a discussion from 6:30-7:15pm, ending with silent meditation till 8 pm. Spirit Space is an inner-faith spiritual enrichment center. Visit www.spirit-space. org. Free. 3493 Blue Star Hwy, Saugatuck. Creation’s Lessons for Living- 7:00pm. 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. Creation desires to help us grow, mature, evolve. Connect with Creation’s wisdom through the teachings and ceremonies of the shamanic Sweet Medicine SunDance Path. Donation. Call 616-856-4957 for more information. NE Grand Rapids.
Thursday Advanced Hatha Yoga with Mitch Coleman6:15-7:30pm. Drop-ins welcome. Visit WhiteRiverYoga.com for more information. Classes meet at White River Yoga Studio, 8724 Ferry St. Montague. 231-740-6662.
Saturday Sweetwater Local Foods Market- 9:00am-1:00pm. Hackley Health at the Lakes building on Harvey Street. We are indoor if the weather is bad. We are a double up bucks and bridge card market. Hesperia. 231-861-2234
$20 off BioMeridian Assessments- Food allergies, environmental allergies, organ function and
classifieds To place a Classified Listing: Email listing to Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com. Must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publication. $1.00 per word; must be pre-paid.
CLASSES Energy Healings and Training, Reiki & Urevia Healings/Classes - held near Hastings at Subtle Energies w/ Ken & Dana Gray. Learn a variety of techniques that can heal your life. Reiki I & Urevia Practitioner classes are eligible for NAN 20% discount. Visit www.reikiconnect.com for more information.
FOR SALE Hardy Dam/Muskegon River near - 80 acres, 6 bedroom home, outbuildings; garage, barn. Fishing and hunting area. Robb Breen: 1-231327-1147. robbreen@sbcglobal.net Northwest Grand Rapids Commercial Building - 1058 Richmond NW, Grand Rapids, MI. Current use is a full service salon on the main floor and a spacious 3 bedroom apartment on the 2nd floor. Great location on Richmond with steady traffic and across from the popular Richmond Park. Only $130,000! Call Jeff Blahnik at Five Star Real Estate 616-791-1500 or visit JeffBlahnik.com for more information.
HELP WANTED Inside Sales Associates Wanted to set up appointments for Natural Awakenings Sales staff. Must have professional phone voice and good communication skills. Computer knowledge a plus. All leads provided. Work from home, parttime on your own schedule. Fixed fees paid for appointments scheduled, meetings completed plus bonus paid on final sale. Email resume to info@na-pr.com. Nail Tech and Massage Therapist wanted for growing Day Spa in the Holland area. Lakeshore Natural Skin Care. 231-557-3619.
OPPORTUNITIES Holistic & Green Business Owners Wanted for Health Network- NAN, the Natural Awakenings Network, is a green and healthy living network that will allow members to enjoy discounts on products & services focused on wellness, green/ sustainable living and healthy lifestyles. If you are interested in becoming a provider (a business or organization that offers discounts to members) in this innovative network or want more details, contact Natural Awakenings at 616-656-9232 or Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com. Participating as a Provider is FREE for the 1st year.
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NaturalWestMichigan.com
thenaturaldirectory
TRICIA E. GOSLING
...connecting you to the leaders in natural health and green living in West Michigan. To find out how you can be included in The Natural Directory log-on to www.NaturalWestMichigan.com/advertising.
BODY APPLICATIONS SALLY DERSCH
Frequency Apps Wellness Center 12505 Northland Dr. Suite A6, Cedar Springs, MI 49319 616-755-8446 www.FrequencyApps.com We are the leader in new generation homeopathic body applications known as the Frequency App! 50+ varieties of Apps including hCG, Weight Loss, Hormone, Sleep, Detox, Supplements, MSA Testing, Food/Environmental Allergy Analysis, Ionic Foot Baths.
BODY CARE PRODUCTS SÉRENDIPITÉ ORGANIQUES, LLC 959 Lake Dr SE, Suite 2, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-419-8115 www.SerendipiteOrganiques.com facebook.com/SerendipiteOrganiques
*NEW LOCATION! A retail store exclusively offering organic non-toxic makeup, skincare & other products for your body, home, & pets! Products must score ‘Low Hazard 0-2’ on ewg.org/skindeep, or they simply won’t be considered!
BODYWORK LIGHTRAYS
CranioSacral Therapy (CST)/Reiki Master Jamie VanDam 4456 Miramar Ave. NE Grand Rapids, 49525 616-365-9113
Reiki Master, CranioSacral Therapist uses light touch to release restrictions and ease pain in the body addressing many physical ailments in adults, children and pediatrics. Adding Essential Oils optimizes mental and emotional health.
WHOLISTIC KINESIOLOGY HEALTH SERVICES, LLC Barbara Zvirzdinis, WK, CMT 616-581-3885 www.WKHealthServices.com
Certified Massage Therapist offering Therapeutic, Hot Stone & Matrix Massage. Certified Wholistic Kinesiologist, Certified Matrix Energetics Practitioner, Reconnection Healing Practitioner, Certified Herbalist, Certified Acutonics Practitioner, and a Certified Reflexologist. See ad page 11.
Natural Health & Healing Center 723 Kenmoor SE Grand Rapids 49546 616-481-9074 www.holisticenergytherapies.net Offering an advanced clientcentered dimension of colonics: gentle, safe and effective. Eliminate toxins and enhance well-being. 16 years of experience. Also offering Quantum Biofeedback sessions. I-ACT certified Instructor.
CHIROPRACTIC CARE DYNAMIC FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Ronda VanderWall 4072 Chicago Drive, Grandville 616-531-6050 www.DynamicChiro.com
Family owned and operated in the heart of downtown Grandville, Dynamic Family Chiropractic focuses on lifestyle improvements through living a maximized life. A safe and natural approach to health through the combination of exercise, nutrition, detoxification and chiropractic care.
SCHAFER CHIROPRACTIC AND HEALING SPA
Dr. Andrew Schafer 1801 Breton SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-301-3000 www.GRChiroSpa.com
Tr e a t i n g m u s c u l o s k e l e t a l conditions, but specializing in b ac k p a in , n ec k p a in , an d headaches. Also offering physical therapy, massage therapy, and postural awareness. Most insurance accepted. Breton Village area. See ad page 7 & 30.
DENTISTRY / HOLISTIC DENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER
Dr. Kevin P. Flood DDS 616-974-4990 www.FloodTheDentist.com Comprehensive Holistic Dental Services – Amalgam Removal & Replacement. Bio-Compatible, metal-free materials, Low-Dose Digital X-Rays, Gentle Anesthesia, Dentistry for Diabetes, TMJ, Chronic Head & Neck pain and Non Surgical Perio. See ad page 48.
ENERGY HEALING AMA~DEUS®
Elizabeth Cosmos Grand Rapids: 616-648-3354 ElizabethCosmos@sbcglobal.net www.Ama-Deus-International.com
CLEANING PRODUCTS
AMA-DEUS energy healing method is a hand mediated technique. Love is the basis for this healing technique, which helps to enhance our spiritual growth, expand our awareness, and promotes physical & emotional healing. See ad page 21.
NATURAL HEALTH 4 TODAY, LLC
Clara VanderZouwen, NORWEX Consultant 616-481-8587 claravz@sbcglobal.net www.NaturalHealth4Today.com Imagine cleaning with only water! Improve the quality of your life with Norwex products by radically reducing the use of chemicals in personal care and cleaning. Save Time & Money.
COLON HYDROTHERAPY HARMONY ’N HEALTH
Mary De Lange, CCT. CMT. 1003 Maryland Ave, N.E., Grand Rapids 616-456-5033 www.HarmonyNHealth.net Certified therapist since 1991 offering colon therapy in a sterile and professional environment. Using a holistic approach, colonics relieves constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloat, poor digestion, back pain, body odor and more. See ad page 5.
MATRIX ENERGETICS
Barbara Zvirzdinis, WK, CMT 616-581-3885 www.WKHealthServices.com Matrix Energetics is a system used to heal, transform and create new possibilities in your life. Using the principles of quantum physics and subtle e n e rg y d u r i n g a M a t r i x Energetics session we are able to enter into different realties and download new possibilities for your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual selves. See ad page 11.
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ESSENTIAL OILS
HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTERS
BE YOUNG ESSENTIAL OILS
THE HEALING CENTER
Clara VanderZouwen 616-481-8587 claravz@sbcglobal.net www.NaturalHealth4Today.com
Learn how to address issues of Pain, Stress, Hormone Imbalance, Weight Management, ADD, Allergies, Diabetes & more with Essential Oils, Ionic Foot Baths, BioEnergy scans, Nutritional & NEW Earthing products! Free monthly classes.
HAKOMI THERAPY KEN PORTER CST, CHT 534 Fountain NE, Grand Rapids MI 49503 616-262-3848 www.BodyandSoulGR.com
Bob Huttinga PA-C & Rev. Barbara Huttinga 332 S. Lincoln Ave, Lakeview 989-352-6500 www.TheHealingCenterOfLakeview.com
HOMEOPATHY
MASSAGE THERAPY
332 S. Lincoln Ave Lakeview 989-352-6500 www.TheHealingCenterOfLakeview.com A Certified Physician Assistant since 1976, specializing in naturopathic and homeopathic care. Family care. Also, certified Silva Method instructor. We use Clinical Homeopathy to assist traditional medications. We take most insurances. See ad page 26.
THE WELLNESS FORUM
INSTRUCTION / CLASSES
Educational programs for personal health improvement Workplace wellness programs Wellness Forum Foundation focused on school nutrition and children’s health - National conferences.
HEAL YOUR LIFE
Katrina Ryan 269-214-4432 KatrinaLRyan@gmail.com www.IDeserveGood.com Based on the philosophy of bestselling Author Louise L. Hay’s 9 points of Philosophy. Led by Licensed Heal Your Life Facilitator Katrina Ryan. Call Katrina today to host your very own Heal Your Life workshop!
HEALTH FOOD STORES AFFORDABLE NUTRITION
Joel D. Manning, CNC®, Owner 4693 Wilson Ave. SW Suite I, Grandville 616-667-1346 Joel@Affordable-Nutrition.com
INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICES ALIGN DESIGN, LLC
Affordable, natural approach to better health. Certified nutritional consultant with 22 years experience. Offering select, high quality vitamins, minerals, herbs, children’s products, essential oils, homeopathics, weight loss and more. Professional discounts and senior pricing. www. Affordable-Nutrition.com.
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West Michigan Edition
Barbara Zvirzdinis, WK, CMT 616-581-3885 www.WKHealthServices.com
Certified Wholistic Kinesiologist, Certified Matrix E n e rg e t i c s P r a c t i t i o n e r, Certified Massage Therapist, Reconnection Healing P r a c t i t i o n e r, C e r t i f i e d Herbalist, Certified Acutonics Practitioner and Certified Reflexologist. Specializing in muscle testing, massage, energy medicine, nutritional counseling, lectures and classes. See ad page 11.
HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER 4990 Cascade Road, Grand Rapids 616-430-2291 www.WellnessForum.com
WHOLISTIC KINESIOLOGY HEALTH SERVICES, LLC
Affordable, natural approach to better health. Certified nutritional consultant with 22 years experience. Offering select, high quality vitamins, minerals, herbs, children’s products, essential oils, homeopathics, weight loss and more. Professional discounts and senior pricing. www.affordablenutrition.com. See ad in page 26.
BOB HUTTINGA PA-C
Hakomi Therapy can truly change your life. It’s a mindfulnessbased, experiential therapy for transforming the unconscious patterns that keep you from the love, joy, and fulfillment you deserve. Offered with exquisite care and attentiveness.
KINESIOLOGY
Shawn Merkel, ASID, IIDA 616-916-1071 shawnmerk@gmail.com www.Aligndesigngr.com
NaturalWestMichigan.com
Align your space to be a true reflection of who you are. Specializing in Wholistic design, repurposing and Feng Shui. Full service Residential and commercial Interior design. See ad page 11.
DYNAMIC FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC & MASSAGE THERAPY
Jaci Timmermans, MT 4072 Chicago Drive, Grandville, MI 49418 616-531-6050 www.DynamicChiro.com. I offer Swedish massage with Integrated Te c h n i q u e s , c h o s e n specifically to your unique body. Relieve those tired and sore muscles and rejuvenate! Call for ongoing monthly specials and discounts.
HANDS ON HEALING PROFESSIONAL MASSAGE THERAPY LLC Pattie Kooy, CMMT, CMT, HTP 5286 Plainfield NE Plainfield Twp, MI 49525 616-648-7217
Professional massage therapist offering Medical Massage, Manual Therapy, Hot Stone, Healing Touch Therapy, Essential Oils, Infrared heat lamp, Bio-energetic Therapy, Hot castor oil packs, Chinese herbal liniments & Detox Massage. Mention ad for $10 off hour massage.
HARMONY ‘N HEALTH
Mary De Lange, CCT., CMT. 1003 Maryland Ave NE, Grand Rapids 616-456-5033 www.harmonynhealth.net Over 21 years of professional experience and trained in a complete range of modalities. Whether you are seeking relaxation, renewal, or treatment for a specific condition, Mary will help find an approach that is helpful for you. See ad page 5.
SANATIVE TRANQUILITY WELLNESS SPA
0-11279 Tallmadge Woods Dr. Grand Rapids, MI 49534 616-791-0472 www.SanativeTranquility.com Wellness spa for massage, bodywork and skincare therapy. Offering a wide diversity of style to encompass the mind, body and spirit of today’s lifestyle. Come in and enjoy our stress free spa environment today.
SCHAFER CHIROPRACTIC AND HEALING SPA
Sheri Beth Schafer, CMT, Ayurvedic Bodyworker, Reiki Master 1801 Breton SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-301-3000 We have multiple certified massage therapists offering relaxation, prenatal, deep tissue massage, and medical massage. We also offer Reiki, chakra balancing, and Ayurvedic bodywork. Breton Village area. www.grchirospa. com. See ad page 7 & 30.
MIDWIFERY FULL CIRCLE MIDWIFERY SERVICE, INC. Patrice Bobier CPM Hesperia: 231-861-2234 www.FullCircleMidwifery.com
In private practice since 1982 specializing in homebirth. Over 1200 births attended. Offering midwifery care that maintains a family-centered safe birth experience. Empowering women to stay healthy during pregnancy, give birth naturally and parent in the best ways.
PERSONAL CHEF RELISH, A PERSONAL CHEF SERVICE Rachel Johnson, Owner and Chef 616-610-2596 Rachel@RelishYourFood.com www.RelishYourFood.com
Creating healthy and delicious meals for busy families in Holland and the surrounding areas to enjoy in the comfort of their homes. From menu planning to grocery shopping and meal preparation, Relish has you covered. See ad page 25.
PERSONAL TRAINING
SCHOOL / EDUCATION INSTITUTE OF SANATIVE ARTS
iTRAIN CONSULTING LLC Aaron & Heather Cobb 616.541.5438 itrain4it@gmail.com www.itrain4it.com
The only personal trainers in Grand Rapids offering a 100% Money Back Guarantee, no tricks, no gimmicks, just results. See ad page 27.
RETREAT CENTER EXPRESSIONS OF HEALTH
Martha and Jeff Gottlieb 6170 Ridge Road Oscoda, MI 48750 989-739-5498 www.ExpressionsOfHealth.com
0-11279 Tallmadge Woods Dr. Grand Rapids, MI 49534 616-791-0472 www.SanativeTranquility.com State licensed school for massage and bodywork. Offering high quality, affordable massage certification courses as well as NCBTMB continuing education courses for the experienced therapist. Located conveniently to Grand Rapids, Standale, Walker and Allendale.
NATUROPATHIC INSTITUTE OF THERAPIES & EDUCATION
Lake Huron Retreats! Great energy, sunrises, and miles of beach. Free lodging and entire use of our lake house (maximum six guests). Pay only for services and classes. Call or visit our website for details. See ad page 20.
SALON SERVICES CJ’S STUDIO SALON
503 East Broadway St. Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858 989-773-1714 www.Nite-mtp.com
Educational Programs Offered: Natural Health Program - Four Years (one weekend a month); Massage Therapy Program - One Year (two weekends a month); Holistic Doula Practitioner Program - Six Months (one weekend a month). Individual classes available. See ad page 2.
WEIGHT REDUCTION
5286 Plainfield Ave., NE Grand Rapids 49525 616-364-9191 www.CjsStudioSalon.com
SALLY DERSCH
I am an award winning Hair Stylist with 30 years Advanced Education. We use and sell Organic Hair Care Products, including Organic Hair Color. We also offer Ionic Detox Foot Baths.
Frequency Apps Wellness Center 12505 Northland Dr. Suite A6, Cedar Springs, MI 49319 616-755-8446 www.FrequencyApps.com
LONDON STUDIOS SALON Ashley Woods: 616-443-9583 Jessica Willis: 616-460-0902 Sherry Minott: 616-633-5251 Sally Loew: 616-299-1796
A variety of natural items for your weight loss goals! Frequency Apps patches including hCG, Weight Loss/Power Workout, Appetite Suppressant. Also Supplements including Diatrix (for Diabetics), Green Coffee Bean, and African Mango, MSA Testing, Food/ Environmental Allergy Analysis.
Specializing in Organic Colour Systems. Ammoniafree, professionalo n l y, p e r m a n e n t , salon exclusive hair color with 100% certified organic ingredients, natural plant extracts, amino acids, natural anti-oxidants and nutrients that produce the healthiest, richest, colors. www. LondonStudiosSalon.com or Facebook.com/ LondonStudiosSalon. See ad page 23.
Look for this symbol throughout Natural Awakenings for Natural Awakenings Network (NAN) providers offering savings to NAN members. natural awakenings
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NaturalWestMichigan.com