December 2016 Natural Awakenings Peace River

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

feel good • live simply • laugh more

FREE

LOVING GREEN LARGE Holiday Décor

GORGEOUSLY Goes Eco

P L A N E T

Scientists Say We’re All Connected

MERRY MUNCHING Sugar-Free Treats Kids Love

December 2016 | Englewood • North Port • Port Charlotte • Punta Gorda • Venice | PeaceRiverNA.com

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE BACHELOR'S DEGREE

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 11.21.16

JANUARY 9 FALL 2017 CLASSES START WINTER CLASSES START

COURSES INCLUDE: – _ – – – –

Ayurvedic Medicine Nutrition and Aging The Herbal Medicine Chest Introduction to Chiropractic Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbology and Botany

Additional degree programs and online shifts are available SCAN HERE

LEARN MORE 2

Peace River Edition

RECENT RECOGNITION

U.S. Green Building Council and Everglades University are weaving the principles of sustainability, green building, nutrition, and environmental consciousness into its undergraduate degree programs.

SARASOTA 866.907.2262 TAMPA 844.297.1715 www.peaceriverna.com

Turn Your Passion Into a Business

Own a Natural Awakenings Magazine Our publishers ranked us among the highest in franchise satisfaction for our Training, Support, Core Values and Integrity!*

As a Natural Awakenings publisher, you can empower yourself and others to create a healthier world while working from your home earning an income doing something you love!

No publishing experience is necessary.

You’ll work for yourself but not by yourself. We offer a complete training and support system that allows you to successfully publish your own magazine.

Natural Awakenings publishes in over 90 markets across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (listed below).

Contact us about acquiring an existing publication FOR SALE highlighted in RED or starting a magazine in an open territory.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• Meaningful New Career • Low Initial Investment • Proven Business System • Home-Based Business • Exceptional Franchise Support & Training

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Huntsville, AL Gulf Coast AL/MS* Phoenix, AZ* Tucson, AZ East Bay Area, CA San Diego, CA Boulder/Ft. Collins, CO Denver, CO Fairfield County, CT Hartford, CT New Haven/ Middlesex, CT Washington, DC Daytona/Volusia/ Flagler, FL NW FL Emerald Coast Ft. Lauderdale, FL Jacksonville/ St. Augustine, FL Melbourne/Vero, FL Miami & the Florida Keys Naples/Ft. Myers, FL North Central FL Orlando, FL Palm Beach, FL Peace River, FL Sarasota, FL Tampa/St. Pete., FL Treasure Coast, FL* Atlanta, GA Hawaiian Islands Chicago, IL Chicago Western Suburbs, IL* Indianapolis, IN Baton Rouge, LA Lafayette, LA New Orleans, LA Boston, MA Ann Arbor, MI East Michigan Wayne County, MI Western MI Minneapolis/ St. Paul, MN* Charlotte, NC Lake Norman, NC Raleigh/Durham/ Chapel Hill, NC

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bergen/Passaic, NJ* Central, NJ Hudson County, NJ Mercer County, NJ Monmouth/ Ocean, NJ North Central NJ South NJ Santa Fe/Abq., NM* Las Vegas, NV Albany, NY* Buffalo, NY Central NY* Long Island, NY Hudson Valley W., NY Manhattan, NY* Westchester/ Putnam Co’s., NY Central OH Cincinnati, OH Toledo, OH Oklahoma City, OK Portland, OR Bucks/Montgomery Counties, PA Chester/Delaware Counties, PA Harrisburg/York, PA Lancaster/Berks, PA Lehigh Valley, PA* Philadelphia, PA Pocono, PA/ Warren Co., NJ Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre, PA Rhode Island Charleston, SC Columbia, SC Greenville, SC* Chattanooga, TN* Austin, TX Dallas Metroplex, TX Dallas/FW Metro N Houston, TX San Antonio, TX* SE Texas Richmond, VA Seattle, WA Madison, WI* Milwaukee, WI Puerto Rico Dominican Republic

* Existing magazines for sale

For more information, visit our website NaturalAwakeningsFranchise.com or call 239-530-1377

natural

*Natural Awakenings recently received the prestigious FBR50 Franchise Satisfaction from Franchise Business Review. awakenings Award December 2016 3

letterfrompublisher

H

contact us Publisher Janet Lindsay Managing Editor Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer Contributing Writer Juliette Jones Calendar Editor Cheryl Hynes Design & Production Susan Jones Social Media Manager Amy Hass To contact Natural Awakenings Peace River Edition: 941-564-0885 publisher@nasrq.com

appiest of holidays to all our wonderful readers! This time of year fills me with excitement, gratitude, anticipation and pure delight. But, while I’m sure many of you feel the same, this season can also cause physical, mental and emotional stress as we find ourselves managing various obligations––from planning get-togethers and hosting family members to decorating our homes and shopping for that perfect gift. With all these mounting responsibilities, it’s common to lose sight of what makes the holidays festive to begin with.

This issue of Natural Awakenings is intended to restore balance and enjoyment in every area of your life, so you can approach this season mindfully and cherish the time spent with those people who matter most. On this note, our feature article “Loving Large” offers insight on staying connected to your relationships––even in the midst of hectic circumstances.

Also, take the guesswork out of what refreshments to serve at your next seasonal gathering with our “Healthy Holiday Libations.” These vibrant––and guilt-free––drinks are sure to spread cheer among all your guests. And who could forget dessert? “Merry Munching” will motivate you to bake sugar-free treats that even the kids will approve of. Finally, for a fresh and eco-friendly take on festive décor, consider bringing the outdoors into your home with inspiration from “A Gorgeously Greener Holiday.”

Hopefully, these tips will keep your stress levels to a minimum throughout this month, so you can embrace the “most wonderful time of the year.” As always, please email any comments or questions to Publisher@NASRQ.com, and from our Natural Awakenings family to yours, we’ll see you again in 2017!

© 2016 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.

Cozy Up To Your Natural Match

the largest database of Join health-conscious and ecominded, spiritual singles for FREE and manifest an extraordinary relationship!

Printed on 100% recycled paper Natural Awakenings is printed on 100% recycled paper with soybased ink.

4

Peace River Edition

Join for FREE at NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com www.peaceriverna.com

contents 10 6 newsbriefs 10 healthbriefs 12 globalbriefs 14 ecotip 18 healingways 12 19 fitbody 20 wisewords 21 naturalpet 22 inspiration 24 healthykids

14

26 greenliving 27 calendar 29 classifieds 31 resourceguide

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 941-564-0885 or email Publisher@ nasrq.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

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.

16 LOVING LARGE

Scientists Say We’re All Connected

by Linda Sechrist

HEAL ADRENAL FATIGUE NATURALLY Practical Ways to Regain Vitality

by Linda Sechrist

19 FITNESS 2017

by Aimee Hughes

20 KRISTA TIPPETT ON OUR EVOLVING SPIRITUALITY Why it Evokes Hope

by Randy Kambic

21 FETCH, STRETCH,

DANCE

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@nasrq.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month.

22 LIVE AS YOUR

Email Calendar Events to: calendar@nasrq.com. Deadline for calendar: the 12th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS

19

New Year’s Resolutions that Stick

Make Your Dog an Exercise Buddy

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS

16

18

21

by Sandra Murphy

HEART LIVES

by Lyric Benson Fergusson

24 MERRY

MUNCHING

Sugar-Free Treats Kids Love

Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 941-564-0885. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

by Judith Fertig

NaturalAwakeningsMag.com

by Avery Mack

26 A GORGEOUSLY GREENER HOLIDAY

Fresh Thinking About Décor natural awakenings

24 December 2016

5

newsbrief Pearl Cream by Dr. Anna Anti-Aging Seminar

O

n December 9, 1 p.m., Dr. Anna Baker, DOM, will present a seminar, showcasing Pearl Cream

by Dr. Anna, her revolutionary antiaging serum made from real pearls and Chinese herbs without any preservatives. Pearls contain amino acids that retighten muscles and slowly return the face to its younger look with daily use. Dr. Anna will show photographed results of people from all different ages and face types. Pearl Cream by Dr. Anna is also available as a muscle-tightening body lotion, men’s anti-aging line and sports performance line.

YOU’RE THE

AR TIST

Location: 2721 Mall Dr., Sarasota.

Hours: Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call 941-9212662 or visit PearlCreamByDrAnna. com.

AGE 32

Forget Botox! Get an All Natural Facelift for $300 Buy 5 bottles of Pearl Cream Plus and get the 6th bottle FREE! Dr. Anna will personally review your results with you.

Before

After 4 Bottles AGE 43

Before

After 4 Bottles AGE 50

Before

After 7 Bottles AGE 60

Before

After 4 Bottles AGE 66

Before

After 4 Bottles

K.J., Age 58, Englewood, FL

Please join us for an Anti-Aging Seminar with Dr. Anna Baker, D. O. M.

BEFORE

AFTER 5 PLUS

Friday, December 9th at 1:00 PM

4900 Pearl Cream Original $59 00 Pearl Cream Plus

No Preservatives • ALL Natural

Made Fresh from Pearls, Chinese Herbs & Vitamin E No Preservatives • ALL Natural

$

(with fermented soy and yam)

941-921-2662

2721 Mall Drive, Sarasota, FL

WINNER Natural Choice Awards Favorite Anti-Aging Practitioner

To learn more please visit our website at www.pearlcreambydranna.com 6

Peace River Edition

www.peaceriverna.com

JAN

Coming Next Month Affordable Complementary Care Featuring: Health & Wellness Our Readers Are Seeking Providers & Services for Affordable Care & Integrative & Natural Healthcare Providers/Weight Loss

7733 HOLIDAY DRIVE • SARASOTA, FL 34231

WANT TO CONNECT WITH OUR READERS? THREE-MONTH EDITORIAL CALENDAR AND MARKETING PLANNER

Health & Wellness Issue

J A N

plus: Affordable Complementary Care Readers Are Seeking These Providers & Services: Acupuncture • Alternative Healing • Chiropractic Energy Healing • Fitness Centers/Gyms • Herbalists Holistic Dermatology • Integrative & Natural Healthcare Providers • Massage Natural/Organic Foods • Physical Therapy Weight Loss • Wellness Trainers • Yoga ... and this is just a partial list!

Conscious Dying

F E B

plus: Children’s Dental Health

Readers Are Seeking These Providers & Services: Alternative Pediatric Physicians Earth-Friendly Burial Services • Estate Attorneys Estate Auction Houses • Faith & Charitable Ministries Family Counselors • Financial Planners • Florists Holistic Dental Care • Hospice & Care Facilities Orthodontists • Periodontists • Sacred Dying Doulas ... and this is just a partial list!

Food Sensitivities

M A R

plus: Holistic Eye Care

Readers Are Seeking These Providers & Services:

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

941-564-0885

Allergists • Cooking Classes Co-op Marketers • Dietitians & Nutritionists Garden Supplies • Health Food Stores Healthy Restaurants • Herbalists • Homeopathy Natural Eye Care • Natural Health/Vision Supplements Senior/Sports Eye Care Specialists ... and this is just a partial list!

Contact us to learn about marketing opportunities and become a member of the Natural Awakenings community at:

941-564-0885 natural awakenings

December 2016

7

found a place for the imminent birth of their child in a stable through the kindness of a stranger. Then, shortly thereafter, they were forced to escape a terrible calamity to save the life of their unborn child. What guided them and attracted their good? Spiritual realization and powerful faith in God.

Give Peace a Chance

by Juliette Jones

Peace on Earth

A

s I reflect upon the traditional affirmations of the holiday season, I find myself preparing to resonate with the idea of “Peace on Earth.” We are supposed to be giving some consideration to these thoughts, aren’t we? Maybe even putting them into practice? Easier said than done; for many people, the holidays trigger an elevated level of stress or depression. Whether due to negative memories, missing family members, increased pressure to perform obligations, the loss of employment or unmet expectations––whatever the cause––the holidays can be challenging.

Yet the core values and history behind most holidays are meant to invoke the opposite of tension and negativity.

Certainly, there is room for solemnity, introspection, and the opportunity to strive for inner peace, joy and celebration.

However, in my view, becoming over-involved with material expectations and all that hype which dances before our eyes during this season can engender a common cultural trance known as the “holidaze.”

How long have we humans inhabited the earth?

Estimates range far upward from about 6,000 years. The advent of industrialization began only a few hundred years ago, yet technology moves at the speed of light. Still, the art of living peacefully has not evolved much––if at all. More and more people are now asking themselves, “Is a paradigm shift really possible to accommodate world peace?”

As individuals, we can contribute to a peaceful world in numerous ways, but many circumstances are beyond our control which often feels both confusing and shocking.

If we are to find peace, we must look first to the inner life––processing wounds, tensions and disappointments; cultivating clarity and discipline in the face of challenges; showing respect and care for ourselves; eliminating stress wherever possible; prioritizing our connection with the “kingdom within”; and simply taking one day at a time.

Spiritual accomplishment comes to the fore during times of tumult and danger. For example, consider the circumstances surrounding the “first family” of Christmas.

These poverty-stricken refugees, who were living on the road,

8

Peace River Edition

www.peaceriverna.com

Over the years, I have found a number of ways to avoid “holidaze.” For example, procuring gifts for friends and loved ones can be accomplished throughout the year––not at the last moment. Whenever I find something that would make a special gift for someone, I purchase it on-the-spot. Then, I immediately wrap, tag and store it. This mediates several types of stress including last-minute rush and financial strain come January. Some gift ideas even work well across-theboard. As a beekeeper, I know that raw, natural honey is a good choice. It’s sweet, supportive of health, traditionally related to celebration, and almost everyone is thrilled to receive some.

Holiday get-togethers are not always possible and definitely not pleasant for everyone. So, find a surprising and unexpected way to approach difficult situations that promotes peace and harmony––even from a distance. Avoid guilt, project love and protect your internal tranquility.

Finally, give yourself a special gift involving self-care–– whether a spontaneous day-off, a walk on the beach, a massage or an overnight getaway at your favorite hotel.

Perhaps even invite a close friend to join you. Allow yourself to indulge in whatever activity lifts the spirit and renews a sense of well-being.

The Stars Are Brightly Shining Since ancient times, evergreen trees have been regarded as sacred symbols, but the tradition of the Christmas tree is thought to have emerged as the creation of sixteenth-century Protestant reformer Martin Luther. One clear winter night, as he walked through the snow covered forest, reflecting on thoughts of God, he became awestruck by the brilliance of the stars as they appeared from underneath evergreen boughs.

In order to convey the power of this transpersonal experience to his family, Luther cut down an evergreen tree, wired its branches with candles and gave it a place of honor inside his home.

While no one knows how Luther’s family reacted to this highly inspired fire hazard, the power of that transpersonal moment in the woods ultimately gave birth to this timehonored tradition. Christmas trees are powerfully symbolic and have a magic about them. I keep a living tree in the backyard and care for it year-round, then bring it inside for the holidays adorned with lights and ornaments.

“Personal experience is the only way to gain wisdom.

It is also the only way to know something without a shadow of a doubt.”

––Jack Schwarz There’s no question that a powerful, direct revelation within the light of mind can become a life-changing experience and gift of grace. Light contains information, and luminous events appear in many forms––dreams, visions, synchronicities, out-

of-body or near-death experiences, and other unique events. Although sometimes difficult to explain to others who have not undergone a similar experience, these awarenesses convey gnosis and information about our spiritual nature, connecting us to deeper levels of consciousness.

The Peace that Passes All Understanding The most profound and lasting realizations of peace come from “gifts of grace” conferred through transpersonal experience.

Two decades of service to hospice have taught me that spiritual peace makes itself known to people in many ways.

During her eighty-eighth year, my mother was admitted to a hospice program under the assumption that she might have a limited number of weeks to live. She was never a church-goer but professed her faith through unconditional love and forgiveness.

Her single theological message was succinct and simple, “Christ is real.”

At the time, my work responsibilities were heavy, but my mind was always with her. One morning, as I passed through that “twilight zone” which lies between sleep and wakefulness, I had a vivid, lucid dream wherein Christ stood before me with his mother at his side. His message was simple and transmitted telepathically, “Today I come for your mother.”

Upon awakening, I felt myself absolutely overwhelmed with bliss, and for a time, I even possessed a powerful awareness of sacred knowledge. “Let not your heart be troubled” had profound penetrating significance, and I understood the depth of what it meant––unshakable, even in the face of my mother’s death. I was honored to be present with her as she passed from the physical realm late that afternoon, and for eight days afterward, I felt divinely guided and almost entirely free from grief––something which would have been unimaginable. That is the power of a genuine transpersonal experience.

“You can’t expect anyone to trust revelation if he hasn’t experienced it himself. Those who haven’t only know reason. And since revelation is a thing apart, and cannot be accounted for reasonably, they never will believe you.

This is the great division of the world and always has been. When reason and revelation run together, then you have something great, a great age.”

––Mark Halprin, Winter’s Tale

Resistance to Change: Been Everywhere, Done Everything

by Dr. Paula Koger

I

notice how easily we get accustomed to the same routine. Even when it no longer works in the larger context of our lives, it’s difficult to desire for a situation to change. The same is true for disease and patterns that cause disease. They become familiar, so we choose not to relinquish them.

Sometimes, they also have a payoff which is difficult to replace. For example, one woman I worked with to heal her back pain still decided to undergo surgery the surgery because she thought her doctor was “good looking.”

The same is true for healing any disease. We get accustomed to that disease and, therefore, can’t visualize how life would unfold without its constant presence. I have numerous clients who have “been everywhere and done everything.” However, none of those treatments have worked, they tell me.

When we expose the truth matter, they discover that, deep in the subconscious, they hadn’t been willing to participate in the actual healing process.

Most people will declare, “I want to. I have been everywhere and done everything. Don’t tell me I don’t want to.” So, I respond by explaining the conscious mind does not always know about the blocks, limiting beliefs and patterns of the subconscious. That is why I have Biofeedback software such as NES, Zyto, Heart Quest and Neurointegrator to test for those obstructions. This technology can assess any subconscious blocks, release them and move on.

Most people believe only a doctor can heal, so they don’t accept their own power and ability to remove what is causing the disease. According to Hippocrates, the founder of modern medicine, the doctor’s job is to teach the patient to heal himself. Therefore, I desire to help you find your power to activate your life force to clear away those blocks. I remember a story of one woman who, upon receiving an x-ray of her lung tumor, told her doctor, “Give me an x-ray for a healthy lung.” She then took that x-ray home, displayed it on her window and observed that image for hours each day. As a result, she completely healed the tumor.

I just treated a man whose fifth chakra is blocked due to early childhood beatings––the pain of which he internalized and still manifests. He suffers from headaches, insomnia, brain fungus and mucus in his throat, causing unusual swallowing and belching symptoms. He has spent both time and money trying to eliminate these issues. When I told him exactly what the problem is, then offered the remedies and affirmation to release the block and restore the function of that autonomic regulatory center, he refused on the grounds that he could not afford treatment.

I told him, “You are simply resistant to getting well. If you do get well, you will have to deal with expressing all the amazingness that you are.” He smiled in recognition and replied, “I’ll be back.” Of course, he must accept this in his own time. First, he must begin to imagine life without these self-imposed limitations. In fact, we all must learn the path to healing, rather than about the disease that has compromised our well-being. That’s why I focus on the prognosis instead of the diagnosis.

For more information, call 941-539-4232 or visit WealthOfHealthCenter.com. natural awakenings

December 2016

9

esearch published in the Journal of Marketing Research links bright light to healthier food choices.

The study observed 160 diners at four separate metropolitan locations of a chain dinner restaurant between 6 and 8 p.m. Two of the restaurants used bright lighting (250 lux luminance) and the other two locations had dim lighting (25 lux luminance).

The researchers found that diners at the well-lit locations were more likely to choose healthy options such as baked or grilled fish and chicken than the patrons at the dimly lit restaurants.

These results were replicated in a laboratory test of 700 college students where scientists attributed students’ healthier choices to the alert feelings that being in a bright room elicits.

He who has not

Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith

10

Peace River Edition

esearchers from Northumbria University, in England, have discovered that drinking peppermint tea can improve working and long-term memory. After 180 healthy adults filled out questionnaires about their mood, they were selected at random to consume one of three drinks—peppermint tea, chamomile tea or water—and then rested for 20 minutes.

The subjects were then tested for memory and other cognitive factors and given a second mood questionnaire. Those that drank peppermint tea exhibited improvements in both types of memory and were more alert than the other two groups. The participants that drank chamomile tea displayed reductions in both memory and attention functions compared to the others.

Researcher Mark Moss, Ph.D., notes, “The enhancing and arousing effects of peppermint and the calming, sedative effects of chamomile observed in this study are in keeping with the claimed properties of these herbs and suggest beneficial effects can be drawn from their use.”

Fracking Linked to Asthma Attacks

R

esearchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health have found that individuals living close to a natural gas hydraulic fracking site have a significantly higher occurrence of asthma attacks. The study examined health records from the Geisinger Health System, a healthcare provider in Pennsylvania, where the fracking industry has experienced incredible growth of more than 9.000 natural gas wells in the past decade.

The records of more than 35,000 Geisinger asthma patients between the ages of 5 and 90 were studied between 2005 and 2012. Patients that reported attacks were mapped and studied in relation to the fracking well locations, and the results compared with other patients not reporting attacks in the same year. The researchers discovered that those that lived in close proximity to multiple or larger active natural gas wells were 1.5 to four times more likely to experience asthma attacks.

Brian S. Schwartz, a medical doctor and a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Services at the Bloomberg School, in Baltimore, Maryland, was the senior author of the study. He states, “We are concerned with the growing number of studies that have observed health effects associated with this industry.

We believe it’s time to take a more cautious approach to [fracking] well development with an eye on environmental and public health impacts.”

www.peaceriverna.com

bubutu/Shutterstock.com

R

Chones/Shutterstock.com

Bright Lights A Cup of Peppermint Tea Boosts Alertness Encourage Healthy Eating R

LubaShi/Shutterstock.com

healthbriefs

Why Some Kids Grow Up with Fewer Allergies

Cranberries Reduce Urinary Tract Infections

C

matka_Wariatka/Shutterstock.com

ranberries, a staple on most holiday tables, can help women reduce their risk of urinary tract infections (UTI). A recent study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research tested the impact of consuming whole-cranberry fruit powder on women that had experienced two or more UTIs in the previous 12 months.

Of the 182 study participants, 89 were given 500 milligrams of the cranberry powder daily for six months. The remaining 93 women ingested a placebo. The cranberry group reported significantly fewer infections than the placebo group. In addition, it took the women in the cranberry group more time to develop a first UTI than the women in the control group.

A

esearchers from the University of São Paulo Medical School, in Brazil, have found high levels of tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing in the ear, and hearing loss in adolescents that use ear bud speakers. They examined the hearing of 170 students between the ages of 11 and 17 and asked them about their experiences with tinnitus in the previous year. More than half of the respondents had experienced the condition.

The principal investigator for the study, Tanit Ganz Sanchez, an associate professor of otolaryngology at the medical school, notes that the prevalence of tinnitus among adolescents should be viewed as an early warning of a serious hearing loss risk. She says, “If this teenage generation continues to expose themselves to very high noise levels, they’ll probably suffer from hearing loss by the time they’re 30 or 40.”

Duplass/Shutterstock.com

Claudia Paulussen/Shutterstock.com

Teens Hooked on Ear Buds Prone to Tinnitus

R

study in the journal Pediatrics, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, has found that the common childhood habits of thumb sucking and nail biting can reduce the risk of adolescent and adult allergies.

Researchers followed more than 1,000 individuals from 5 through 32 years old, monitoring these two habits at ages 5, 7, 9 and 11. The subjects were tested for allergies at 13 using a skin-prick test and again at 32. Of all participants, 31 percent were frequent thumb suckers and nail biters, and those children had a lower incidence of allergic reactions than the others.

These results support a hygiene hypothesis suggesting that early exposure to microbial organisms reduces the risk of developing allergies.

natural awakenings

December 2016

11

2017

editorial calendar JANUARY

health & wellness

plus: affordable complementary care FEBRUARY

food sensitivities

plus: holistic eye health APRIL

eco-yards

plus: medical massage MAY

natural pregnancy & childbirth plus: women rising JUNE

chronic pain remedies

plus: hybrid vehicles update JULY

natural detox options plus: true prosperity AUGUST

rethinking cancer

plus: reframing autism SEPTEMBER

graceful aging

Bye-Bye Birdies

plus: yoga OCTOBER

North American Species at High Risk

diabetes prevention & reversal

plus: holidays

12

Peace River Edition

The 2016 annual Audubon Great Backyard Bird Count in February (Audubon. org/content/2014-great-backyard-birdcount-summary) and a report compiled by the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (StateOfTheBirds.org/2016) show that more than a third of all North American bird species are at risk of becoming extinct unless significant action is taken, especially ocean and tropical birds. The governments of Canada, the United States and Mexico created the North American Bird Conservation Initiative in 1999.

More than half the species that rely on oceans and tropical forests are on a special watch list because of small and declining populations, limited ranges and severe threats to their habitats. The report pinpoints invasive predators such as rats and cats on nesting islands, as well as overfishing, pollution and climate change.

Ways to address the problem include removing predators, expanding protected marine areas and reducing the amount of plastic products that end up in the ocean and can trap or choke birds.

Many species such as long-distance migratory shore birds in coastal, grassland and arid habitats are declining steeply. The main causes are rising sea levels, coastal development, encroaching human activity and oil spills.

www.peaceriverna.com

Dima Oana Gabriela/Shutterstock.com

transformative travel

uplifting humanity

2016 was a mixed year for whales and dolphins and by extension, humans.

Marine Biologist Sylvia Earle states the importance of ocean health this way: “With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you’re connected to the sea. The ocean is the blue heart of the planet. There’s still time, but not a lot, to turn things around.”

Scientists have discovered a new, black-colored species of whale that’s onethird the size of a Baird’s beaked whale. Yet to be named, it’s rarely seen, feeding in deep canyons in the Bering Sea.

The oldest-known orca whale, Granny, at 105, swims Washington’s coastline.

Wild orcas usually live 60 to 80 years; captives, 40 years at most. Iceberg, the only known adult white orca, age 22, was spotted in Russian coastal waters earlier this year.

In 2013, a Korean marine park retrained five dolphins to feed naturally and released them into the sea, where they rejoined their original pod. Recent sightings found them thriving, affording hope for the 2,900 dolphins in marine parks, aquariums and zoos worldwide.

Pink dolphins in Hong Kong’s bustling harbor remain endangered. In 2003, there were 158; by 2014, only 61. The Baiji River dolphin, only found in China, has been declared extinct. Vaquitas, small porpoises in the Gulf of California, declined from 97 in 2014 to 60 this year, most drowned in commercial fishing nets; it may be extinct by 2018.

alekss-sp/Shutterstock.com

Sea Mammals Update

plus: children’s dental health MARCH

plus: silent retreats DECEMBER

News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Ocean Watch

conscious dying

plus: chiropractic NOVEMBER

globalbriefs

Vladimir Zhoga/Shutterstock.com

Good Move

Officials Urge Chinese to Cut Meat Consumption

iurii/Shutterstock.com

Chinese officials have announced dietary guidelines designed to reduce the country’s meat consumption by 50 percent. The campaign includes a series of billboards and advertisements featuring American celebrities Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron.

“China’s move to cut meat consumption in half would not only have a huge impact on public health, it is also a massive leadership step towards drastically reducing carbon emissions and reaching the goals set out in the Paris agreement,” says Cameron.

Source: EcoWatch.com

Solar Sidewalk

Extinction Scenario

Missouri is rolling out a set of energy-generating photovoltaic pavers along a section of the iconic Route 66 highway in a sidewalk pilot project—the first on a public right of way—in the U.S. The street pavers were developed by Solar Roadways, a company created by inventors Scott and Julie Brusaw, which raised more than $2.2 million in crowdfunding in 2014 to bring their technology to market.

The Brusaws claim that replacing all of America’s roads and parking lots with their solar pavers would generate more than three times what the country consumed in electricity in 2009.

The Missouri Department of Transportation considered their own crowdfunding campaign to support their energy experiment; plans called for the hexagonal solar panels to be fully installed and operational by the end of this year.

The UK-based nonprofit Global Challenges Foundation’s annual report on global catastrophic risk (Tinyurl.com/ GlobalExtinctionReport) has found that the risk of human extinction is higher than we might expect. The Stern Review (Tinyurl.com/The-Stern-Review), the British premier government report on the economics of climate change, estimates a 0.1 percent risk of human extinction every year.

“We don’t expect any of the events that we describe to happen in any specific 10-year period. They might—but on balance, they probably won’t,” says Sebastian Farquhar, director of the Global Priorities Project.

United Nations-approved climate models estimate that temperatures might rise six to 10 degrees Celsius, which pushes the probability of extinction beyond 3 percent, even with a considerable decrease in carbon emissions.

Nuclear war, natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, genetic engineering gone awry and pandemic plagues figure in too, but the biggest threat might be the ever-increasing human population. According to a paper published in the journal Nature by Elizabeth Hadly, a professor of environmental biology at Stanford University, such growth has followed the trajectory of a typical invasive species and suggests there may be a looming global population downturn. Still, humans are capable of exponentially growing their population several times over through the invention of new technologies and cultural shifts, regardless of Earth’s natural carrying capacity.

Humans an Endangered Species

courtesy of Solar Roadways

Missouri Debuts Energy-Generating Pavers

Greening Planet

Satellites Reveal Unexpected Plant Growth The study Greening of the Earth and its Drivers, published by an international team in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows significant greening of a quarter to onehalf of the Earth’s vegetated lands based on satellite data from the past 33 years. This represents an increase in leaves on plants and trees that produce sugars using sunlight energy to mix atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) with water and nutrients from the soil.

These sugars are the source of food, fiber and fuel for life on Earth. More sugars are produced when there is more of this greenhouse gas in the air in a process called CO2 fertilization.

About 85 percent of the Earth’s land is free of ice and covered by vegetation, currently encompassing 32 percent of the planet’s total surface area. Lead author Dr. Zaichun Zhu, a researcher from Peking University, in China, states, “The greening over the past 33 years reported in this study is equivalent to adding a green continent about two times the size of mainland USA, and has the ability to fundamentally change the cycling of water and carbon in the climate system.” The effect may serve as a carbon sink to help counter climate change.

Source: Boston University

Somchai Som/Shutterstock.com

Source: NBC

natural awakenings

December 2016

13

globalbriefs

ecotip Eco-Toy Story

Ivan_Sabo/Shutterstock.com

Safe, Fun Gifts for Kids

Wise Woodsmen

Norway Bans Deforestation Products The Norwegian Parliament Standing Committee on Energy and Environment has pledged that the government will follow a deforestation-free public procurement policy, meaning that any product that contributes to deforestation will not be used by the country as part of an Action Plan on Nature Diversity. Rainforest Foundation Norway was the main lobbying influence behind this recommendation and has worked for years to bring the pledge into existence.

“This is an important victory in the fight to protect the rainforest,” says Nils Hermann Ranum, head of policy and campaign for the committee. “Over the last few years, a number of companies have committed to cease the procurement of goods that can be linked to destruction of the rainforest. Until now, this has not been matched by similar commitments from governments. The Norwegian state is now following suit and making the same demands when it comes to public procurements.”

Deforestation is estimated to comprise about 15 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change and disrupting natural cycles and livelihoods, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Removal of trees can disrupt a region’s water cycle, resulting in changes in precipitation and river flow that also contribute to erosion.

kavring/Shutterstock.com

Source: EcoWatch.com

During the holiday gift buying season, it’s good to recall the days of old-fashioned toys. Simple, wooden toys made with non-toxic paints are far safer than those sprayed with varnishes and paints containing lead and volatile organic compounds.

Plastics can emit unhealthy chemicals used during manufacturing, which also produces environmental pollution.

Pieces can break off, possibly injuring soft skin, or be consumed by toddlers with dangerous results. A recent report

by Environment California, a research and policy center, found that products designed for babies and young children, such as soft plastic teethers, bath accessories and others, contain phthalates. Many toys require batteries containing heavy metals like mercury and cadmium.

ChasingGreen.org recommends eco-conscious makers of toys available at GreatGreenBaby.com, including organic cotton stuffed animals; BabyBunz.com, featuring sustainably harvested cherry wood rattles and organic Egyptian cotton animals; and GreenToys.com, with play meal cookware and serving pieces made from bioplastic, consisting of a corn and starch resin. Here are other factors to consider.

Educational toys can “enhance language, conceptual understanding and numerical and spatial cognition,” according to a study in the journal Mind, Brain and Education.

Six-to-8-year-olds can gain an appreciation for archaeology playing with Smithsonian toys available at Barnes & Noble and BarnesAndNoble.com. PristinePlanet.com sells wood puzzles, solar-powered robots and board games from the Golden Gate National Park Conservancy. The Discovery Channel Store has safe toys and books for kids.

Follow age guidelines in choosing gifts, advises Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Toy Industry Association.

“Age-grading has nothing to do with how smart a child is— it’s based on the developmental skills and abilities at a given age and the specific features of a toy.”

Practice conservation while saving money by canvassing thrift and consignment shops for classic card and board games.

14

Peace River Edition

www.peaceriverna.com

America Outdone Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com

Venezuela Bans GMOs

Venezuela has passed a law that imposes some of the world’s toughest regulations on genetically modified organisms (GMO) and patenting of seeds in order to consolidate national food sovereignty, regulate the production of hybrid seed, reject the production, distribution and import of GMO seeds and ban transgenic seed research. Canada’s Centre for Research on Globalization describes it as one of the most progressive seed laws in the world.

The country intends to establish a national seed system to implement the new law. The group will monitor and sanction any agricultural violations, with a focus on the protection of traditional seeds.

Patient Pets

Hospital Allows Cats and Dogs Pet dogs and cats are visiting with their seriously ill owners, reducing stress and improving morale, at the Juravinski Hospital, in Hamilton, Ontario. The Zachary’s Paws for Healing program, the first of its kind in Canada, was founded by Zachary Noble and his aunt, Donna Jenkins.

Before each visit, the animals are thoroughly cleaned so as not to introduce harmful germs, and brought in on covered, wheeled carts away from all other patients during their one-hour weekly visits. The all-volunteer program plans to offer foster care to pet owners that enter the hospital for treatment.

Learn more at ZacharysPawsForHealing.com.

Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

Source: gmwatch.org

Cozy Up To Your Natural Match Join for FREE at NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com

natural awakenings

December 2016

15

LOVING LARGE Scientists Say We’re All Connected

by Linda Sechrist

T

rue love is not something reserved exclusively for soulmates, couples, children, friends or family. Observations by sages for millennia and by enlightened scientists more recently are increasingly aligned with the point of view articulated by renowned meditation teacher Jack Kornfield that true love and awareness—a sense of universal connectivity and the idea that divinity, or the sacred, is found in all things—are indistinguishable.

Scientific View

This state of being, generally denoted by strong feelings of love or acceptance toward others, brings us into contact with universal energy which connects all of humanity with the natural world.

Clues to our united commonality are explored in two 21st-century books, Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become, by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D., and A General Theory of Love, by medical doctors Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini and Richard Lannon. These authors explore the brain science that’s related to love and awareness.

16

Peace River Edition

Although trying to grasp love intellectually may be like eating soup with a fork, the authors of A General Theory of Love cite feelings as a good starting point. Fredrickson describes love as “the momentary upwelling of three tightly interwoven events: a sharing of one or more positive emotions between you and another; a biochemical synchrony between your and the other person’s biochemistry and behaviors; and a reflected motive to invest in each other’s well-being that brings mutual care.”

Fredrickson, director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, believes love is a complex physiological response; a “positivity resonance.” She describes key factors in love’s ability to biologically transform us as oxytocin, a hormone active in social bonding and attachments, and the vagus nerve deep within the brain stem that connects with numerous organs, including the lead “character” in this relationship, the heart.

The neural synchrony of positivity resonance between the brains of two individuals is a connected oneness that

www.peaceriverna.com

Cosmic View

During their 30-year friendship, Bob Staretz collaborated with astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Sc.D., the lunar module pilot on Apollo 14 and founder of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, to research and write “The Quantum Hologram and the Nature of Consciousness,” published in the Journal of Cosmology. Their scientific theory explains how all of creation learns, self-corrects and evolves as a selforganizing, interconnected holistic system through love.

“Without exception, everything in nature exists and works together in total balance, resonance and harmony, interacting as one. From this perspective, Edgar and I reached the obvious conclusion—the organizing principle of the cosmos is agape love, an ultimate form of unconditional love that accepts all things existing in nature without regard to conditions, expectations, shortcomings, flaws or faults,” explains Staretz.

The former executive director of Eternea, an organization focused on spiritually transformative experiences and the study of consciousness, Staretz says individuals that undergo such an experience attest that loving one another and all

images by tai11/Shutterstock.com

Fredrickson notes is far more ubiquitous than previously thought possible.

Her research shows that it requires only connection, not the intimacy or shared history that comes with any special bonds.

Micro-moments of the connected oneness we feel as life-giving reverberations occur via shared smiles or laughter, a common compassion or an engaging story. Humans all hunger for such moments. The prerequisites are perceived safety and authentic sensory connection with another, even if it’s fleeting. In Fredrickson’s perspective, such neural coupling is a biological manifestation of oneness in which a habitual focus on “me” expands to a life-expanding “we”.

of nature, of which we are a part, is the central reason for our existence.

Anita Moorjani’s latest book, What If This Is Heaven? reiterates the life lesson she learned from her dramatic near-death experience in which she identified herself as a state of pure consciousness connected with everything in the cosmos. She clearly heard: “Your only work is to love yourself, value yourself and embody this truth of self-worth and self-love so that you can be love in action. That is true service, to yourself and to those who surround you.”

This message continues with her, and she explains that by not loving ourselves, we are denying the part of God that expresses itself through us. An overarching insight from her life-changing journey is, “Unconditional love is a state of being, not an emotion.

It’s not just one side of the coin— it’s the whole coin.”

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. ~William Blake

How-to Resources Interest in this deeper perspective led The Shift Network, which offers online transformative education, to host a recent Advanced Teachings for Truly Loving Yourself with Margaret Paul, P.h.D., co-author of Do I Have to Give Up Me to Be Loved By You?

Many others are working to spread the word about a larger sense of life-giving love, including Cleveland, Ohio, intuitive psychologist Debra L. Reble, Ph.D., author of Being Love: How Loving Yourself Creates Ripples of Transformation in Your Relationships and the World. She says, “Our soul’s purpose is to be and express love. We dream of love, yearn for love and make love, but rarely do we realize that we are love, a source of divine energy.”

Reba Linker, a New York City life coach and author, hosts a Leaders in Self-Love Facebook page and the Paint Yourself into The Picture online coaching show. Linker’s philosophy on love resembles that of New Thought leader Michael Beckwith, minister, author and founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center, in Culver City, California—

to discern that our true nature is love is to know that we are created in the very image and likeness of love, the essence of life itself.

Gary Sinclair, author of Healing Memories in Seconds, views his life from an altitude of oceanic oneness.

His 35 years of study in a field that uses energy to heal spirit, mind and body led him to develop Soul Link, a memory energy therapy. His work is changing the face of therapy for those with post-traumatic stress disorder and led to the revelation, “Love pulls whatever it touches to its highest potential.”

Teaching what he knows “beyond a shadow of a doubt” helps to shift his students’ worldview. “All of creation is made up of electromagnetic energy vibrating at different frequencies. We are energy beings who can learn to manage our energy to heal ourselves.

We are all connected by omnipres-

ence, the energy of love, a heart connection of life. Consciously choosing this awareness allows us to be ‘love living life.’”

Kamini Desai, director of education for the Amrit Yoga Institute, in Salt Springs, Florida, lends her yogic perspective to love. “We are each a wave on the ocean of existence. Even though we are separate waves, we carry the essence of the same ocean.

When that essence manifests in us as spirit, its quality is a healing force of love surrounding our cells, causing our heart to beat and regenerating our organs. This intelligence guides and directs the universe in the same manner that it heals and maintains our body. In yoga, we learn to listen to its subtle voice so that we can follow its urges and energetic impulses to the source from which it springs.”

The perceptions of California’s HeartMath Institute founder Doc Childre, dedicated to helping people access their intuitive insight and heart intelligence, are generally aligned with those of Fredrickson. Both approaches recognize how order and balance in the nervous system and smooth, harmonious and coherent heart rhythms enhance our ability to clearly perceive a far larger universe of experience.

The ensuing connections widen the windows of perception to view ourselves as no longer separate, but part of a unified whole. Accumulated micro-moments of love communicated through synchronized gazes, touches and vocalizations forge a shared subjective appreciation of connection and oneness. We feel ourselves embodying positive resonance and experience easier and more immediate rapport in familial, familiar and even new relationships. We discover abundant opportunities to feel love, loved and loving as we make ourselves available to them.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

natural awakenings

December 2016

17

xavier gallego morell/Shutterstock.com

healingways

Heal Adrenal Fatigue

NATURALLY Practical Ways to Regain Vitality

F

by Linda Sechrist

atigue due to physical or mental exertion is common in those beleaguered by stress, poor eating habits and insomnia, struggling to balance the needs of family and career and too often using caffeine and other stimulants to artificially rebound energy. James L. Wilson, Ph.D., a doctor of chiropractic and naturopathy, educates medical professionals about an even more serious health issue he identifies as “adrenal fatigue”; it’s characterized by below-optimal adrenal function induced by an overload of such stressors. Our two walnut-sized adrenal glands, one atop each kidney, produce vital hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and many other functions, including how the body deals with stress.

Identifying the Core Issue

In his book, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, Wilson sheds light on the scope of the problem.

“The fact that adrenal fatigue is unrecognized by conventional medicine has left millions of people suffering from an untreated problem that interferes with their ability to function normally and capacity to enjoy life. For those whose adrenal glands are ‘running on empty’, even something as basic as happiness seems almost out of reach,” comments Wilson, who resides in Tucson, Arizona.

Individuals suffering from adrenal fatigue are most concerned about their low moods, energy, mental acuity and libido, for which conventional medicine typically prescribes antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs. These medications do nothing to revive adrenal functioning.

This faulty condition also affects weight gain and a propensity toward the development of some diseases, including fibromyalgia. “Your resiliency, energy, endurance and very life 18

Peace River Edition

www.peaceriverna.com

depend on the proper functioning of the adrenals,” Wilson says.

We’ve inherited our sympathetic nervous system and its stress response of fight-or-flight from our prehistoric ancestors. It hasn’t evolved to differentiate between an acute threat to survival and the chronic threats from looming deadlines, financial pressures and other modern-day worries.

“The adrenal stress response to physical danger or any perceived psychological threat is identical—the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine responsible for cascading physiological reactions,” explains Dr. Vijay Jain, who treats fatigue from an integrative perspective at his Mind Body Wellness Center, in Palm Coast, Florida.

Suggested Treatments

Adrenal fatigue is mainly a self-induced health problem that doesn’t just appear. It results from an accumulation of ongoing choices that we can change.

Jain applies ayurvedic principles to reestablish balance in the body’s three prominent mind-body types that influence personal well-being. These are known as vata, pitta and kapha. For people primarily characterized by vata and pitta typology, fatigue is the result of being overactive and burning the candle at both ends. For those with kapha constitutions, fatigue is the outcome of a sedentary lifestyle with insufficient movement and eating the wrong foods for them.

He further recommends getting more sleep with regular bedtimes, practices such as yoga nidra meditation, pranayama (yogic breathing) and a slower-paced yoga practice with longer-held meditative poses, as well as massage and a diet designed to restore our biological energies, or doshas, to a balanced state. “Depending on a patient’s constitution I advise some to slow down and burn 50 percent less of their candle, while I tell others to increase their physical activity and improve their diet.”

Jain also recommends a type of ayurvedic purification and detoxification treatment that involves a series of five therapies including massage and herbal treatments. Performed in sequence, these allow the body and mind to drop into a state of peacefulness. Acupuncture treatments are also helpful, along with a regimen of adaptogenic herbs such as ginseng, schisandra and ashwagandha, according to Jain.

In Happy Healthy Thyroid: The Essential Steps to Healing Naturally, author Andrea Beaman writes about how she recovered naturally from adrenal fatigue. To restore energy and vitality to the body, she further recommends the healing practices of hatha yoga, qigong and tai chi. “These modalities build energy, whereas power yoga, and cardiovascular exercises drain energy in fatigued individuals,” advises Beaman. She notes that it can take six months to two years to restore desired energy levels.

Beaman counsels individuals with behavioral characteristics that make it more challenging to burn less of their candle. She grabs their attention with the critical nature of their situation. “‘You are in and out of life in a blink. If you’re exhausted at age 48, how are you going to live a vibrant, happy and exuberant life right up to the finish line?’

That generally works,” she says.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings.

Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

FITNESS 2017 New Year’s Resolutions that Stick

by Aimee Hughes

E

very January, we rally our hopes, vowing that this time our New Year’s resolutions will finally stick.

However, “If you don’t have a plan, plan to fail,” says Kansas City, Missouri, personal trainer Jake Albracht.

We can make our health and fitness goals for 2017 a reality instead of just wishful thinking.

Find a good trainer. “A personal trainer provides a helpful base of knowledge because the hardest part for most people is a lack of planning and diligence in following up. Trainers can step in to help a client achieve their goals,” says Albracht.

Jeanne Rankin, assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington, adds, “A personal trainer can also help you set lofty goals that you wouldn’t have considered on your own due to fear of failure in achieving them.”

Secure personal attention. Individual attention is invaluable. Albracht notes, “There’s nothing like the instant feedback with technique, information and support that one-on-one training provides.”

Rankin adds, “In ongoing individual evaluation, a personal trainer can see exactly what’s going well and what

isn’t, providing a better assessment than in a group.”

“Group settings can also be positive and mimic a team environment, but a one-on-one relationship allows for a deeper bond of trust. Sometimes that can make all the difference in the world,” Albracht explains.

Ask questions. If engaging a personal trainer isn’t in our available budget, they are often willing to answer a few burning fitness questions. Most of us have had volunteer teachers at some point in our lives that expected nothing in return because they loved sharing what they know. It’s a slower process, but can be a viable option.

Set realistic goals. “I tell clients that structuring a program of specific goals will always trump a non-structured program,” says Albracht. “They need to fill out a goals sheet and develop a personal model that is repeatable, sustainable and successful. We use the SMART acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.” Sometimes writing things down is just what’s needed to make them actually happen.

“When you look at pictures of famous people in magazines, realize

Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com

fitbody

that the images have been Photoshopped. They also have access to the best and most expensive resources in the world, and looking good is their job,” reminds Rankin. “Set a goal, and then set a bunch of small, achievable, measurable and quantifiable steps along the way that’ll push you towards that bigger goal.”

For example, If the goal is to lose 50 pounds in a year, then maybe shoot to lose 30 pounds in the first six months and 20 in the second six months.

“Breaking it up into what feels doable for you is key,” says Rankin.

Establish intentions. Krysten Clark, a Los Angeles personal trainer, yoga teacher and founder of Yogva Nutrition, uses the SMART elements along with establishing an intention for each session. She states, “It’s important to recognize what ‘being healthy’ means to you. I always have my clients set an intention for their workout in the moment, which allows them to be fully present with what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. Connecting with their ‘why’ proves powerful in a day-to-day practice.”

She also strives to bring mindfulness into any fitness workout that evolves from a mind-body connection.

The accompanying sense of self-compassion furthers progress in the never-ending process of personal growth and healthy living.

Acquire a fitness posse. An accountability partner can be a friend or a personal trainer—someone that’s only a phone call away. Rankin observes, “If you know that you are letting someone down by not working out, then you are more likely to stick to a plan, especially if you’re paying that person.”

Hit the reset button if needed.

“Set a deadline to attain a goal and work backwards from there to achieve it,” advises Albracht. “If the goal is missed, reassess and plan again.” Be patient and forgive yourself as often as necessary if slip-ups occur. The ultimate results of feeling good and healthier provide their own payoff.

Aimee Hughes, a freelance writer in Kansas City, MO, is a doctor of naturopathy and consultant for the Yandara Yoga Institute. Connect at ChezAimee@ gmail.com.

natural awakenings

December 2016

19

wisewords

Krista Tippett on Our Evolving Spirituality Why it Evokes Hope

by Randy Kambic

K

rista Tippett helps us ponder the meaning of life as host and executive producer of On Being, the award-winning weekly radio program and podcast produced in Minneapolis for more than 400 public radio stations. The bestselling author of Einstein’s God: Conversations About Science and the Human Spirit has been acclaimed for thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.

Her latest book, Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living, reflects upon how spirituality intersects with science, technology, health, art and politics.

This daughter of a Southern Baptist minister first launched her show, originally titled Speaking of Faith (also the title of her first book), on Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media in 2003. Today, Tippett continues to discuss faith, spirit, inner growth and what it is to be human with leading authors, thought leaders and pioneering change makers. She also hosts online classes and a blog.

How has On Being evolved to reflect existing dimensions of spirituality that have proven surprising?

I am fascinated with how spiritual life and religious identity have evolved in the last decade. This part of life is more fluid than it’s ever been in human history. We are the first generation that didn’t inherit religious identity like we 20

Peace River Edition

do a hometown. We craft our spiritual lives and choose our faith, even if it’s the faith of our families.

In many that don’t claim a religious affiliation, especially Millennials, I encounter a spiritual curiosity and ethical passion akin to religion at its best. Because seekers dwell both inside and outside of traditions, my life of conversation stretches beyond boundaries in ways I did not expect when I began.

I also never imagined that I’d interview physicists, evolutionary biologists and neuroscientists exploring territory previously reserved for theologians and philosophers. Together, they are illuminating the ancient questions related to our place in the cosmos; the nature of human freedom and consciousness; even beauty and the reality of mystery.

Which guests do you feel have resonated the most with listeners and why?

A show that seems to have touched more people most deeply is my interview with the Irish poet, philosopher and author John O’Donohue just before he died in his early 50s. He radiated such an unusual combination of qualities: wisdom, tenderness and playfulness; mysticism, theology and a raw Celtic earthiness. He’s someone who could speak of God with great wildness, strangeness—and authority. He inspired with his vision of beauty as a human calling and somehow embodied it for

www.peaceriverna.com

the listener. I meet all kinds of people that keep that show on their playlist and listen again and again.

In general, my favorite guest is the most recent person interviewed.

At the moment, it’s Jimmy Wales, the Wikipedia co-founder, who stunned me with his insistence on kindness as the virtue that’s made this nonprofit’s ethos and accomplishments possible. Another is civil rights veteran Ruby Sales, who wisely works to uplift the human drama of our political/social moment, like the way we must come to be as articulate about what we love as about what outrages us.

How do you see people’s awakening sensibilities influencing local and global issues?

I am drawn to the notion that we are in the adolescence of our species. The globe right now is like a map of the teenage brain, prone to recklessness and destruction in places and simultaneously possessing vast potentials for creativity and advances. So many are relentless in telling the story of destruction that it seriously colors how we tell the story of our time. I stand among those shining a light on the abundant beauty, goodness and courage in our world so these become more visible and evident at a global level.

Are you optimistic about the future?

I am hopeful about the future. My life of meaningful conversation has led me to re-imagine the meaning of hope. It has nothing to do with wishful thinking, but rests on the lives of beauty and goodness I see everywhere I turn. It’s a choice—a more exacting and courageous choice than cynicism or resignation. The pain and fear alive in the world surface as anger and violence, and some of us are called to be calmers of fear.

We must create the world we want our children to inhabit and do so together. Hope isn’t an option on this path; it is one of our primary resources for getting there.

Randy Kambic is a freelance writer and editor in Estero, FL, and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings.

naturalpet

Fetch, Stretch, Dance Make Your Dog an Exercise Buddy

Sean Nel/Shutterstock.com

M

an and woman’s best four-legged friend can activate and energize even the most reluctant couch potato or exhausted owner, making the family dog an excellent exercise buddy. Regardless of how lax we may be, everyone feels better after some kind of workout. A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology confirms that working up a sweat outdoors affords an appealing boost of energy, enjoyment and improved state of mind.

Dogs love routine, so they’ll be waiting by the door for their daily walks.

Make each outing mindful by letting the pet choose the route and pace. While they stop to sniff, do hamstring stretches by leaning against a wall, fence or tree. Once the warm-up portion is completed, add sprints to burn more calories. Ask for a sit, pick a goal a short distance away and then give the cue to run together fast. After arriving at the goal, ask for another sit.

“Our favorite time to go is before 7 a.m. to avoid cars and when the asphalt isn’t too hot for his paws,” says Monica Weintraub, a food and travel blogger currently working from Beijing, China.

“Carl loves the burst of energy, and we both build muscle.”

A backyard agility course can complement or even substitute for walks.

It’s easy to make with weave poles, jumps and tunnels. Vary the order of the obstacles and run alongside the dog to call out each one. When it’s excessively wet, cold and icy or hot outside, create an indoor agility course. Use blankets and upturned chairs for tunnels, cardboard boxes to designate a weaving trot and a hula hoop for jumps. Set it up on top of rugs that foster firm footing.

Balance can also be improved with exercise balls. While some dogs only see a soccer game, others try to balance on the ball, strengthening core muscles like their humans.

Learning doga, or yoga for dogs, incorporates a canine’s natural trainability, flexibility, mimicry of human moves and desire to please. Kristen Corral, who’s also certified in animal massage, teaches Anima yoga fusion classes for people and pets of all ages in Las Vegas.

“Anima means an expression of one’s true inner self,” she explains. “We work on balance and never force the dogs into poses. They’re excited during the first sessions, but as you move and breathe

Barna Tanko/Shutterstock.com

by Sandra Murphy

together, it becomes a calming and relaxing activity.”

Floor exercises with the help of a dog also helps strengthen core muscles.

Do leg lifts and teach the pet to walk under a raised leg to ensure it stays raised for the proper amount of time.

Incorporate fetch games with sit-ups; throw the toy when sitting up and accept it back while reclining. Alternate arms—the dominant one has better aim, while the other one adds steps for the dog as it runs to fetch an errant toss.

For chair exercises, use a toy to lure the dog under the chair, moving it from side-to-side, simultaneously working the waistline. Fetch lets the dog chase the toy before dropping it in front of the chair, giving the owner’s core muscles a workout when bending to pick it up each time.

Dogs love to play hide-and-seek.

It’s easy with two people; one holds the dog while the other hides. If solo, teach the pet to sit until a timer goes off before starting the hunt.

“I ask Felix, my mixed-breed dog, to hold a sit-stay while I go hide,” says Chantelle Wallace, a professional writer who volunteers to exercise animals at Skyline Pet Care and Fitness, in Austin, Texas. “Hide and seek activates both mental focus and physical exercise.”

Dancing to favorite tunes expends lots of energy. Dogs may perform obedience moves to the beat or, like humans, dance like nobody’s watching.

Scientists at the University of Missouri are among those that have found that music improves moods, too.

Teaching a dog to help around the house impresses everybody and takes advantage of bad weather to catch up on chores. They can tour a laundry basket to bedrooms, pick up trash or place items for recycling in a bin. Select individual items to be carried up or down stairs for a muscular workout. Take some tips from Jesse, a most helpful dog, at Tinyurl.com/HouseholdHelpPooch.

When our will to exercise is wavering, an eager dog will help keep an exercise routine interesting and on track. The dog’s goal is always to have fun with their favorite person.

Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com.

natural awakenings

December 2016

21

Our New Menus Are Here!

New Smoothies, Juices, Gluten-Free Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner items

For more details:

visit CafeEvergreen.net or Facebook

801 Tamiami Trail S. | Nokomis, FL 34275

941.412.4334 | cafeevergreen.net

inspiration

Live as Your Heart Lives

by Lyric Benson Fergusson

W

here your mind wavers, your heart overcomes.

Your heart can tame any monster, your heart can devour any fear.

Your heart’s chivalry is incomparable.

Your heart’s genius outsmarts what’s written on parchment or etched on stone tablets.

See What Planting A Seed Can Accomplish

Your heart sees an ogre as an angel, Just waiting to be born… (with a soft kiss).

Are you brave enough to pucker up?

Your mind would rather run from sleeping tigers that had, several decades ago, promised to eat you, than face the unknowns of life.

Start with one ad in a Natural Awakenings magazine. Next, place several ads in a region. Later, place

your ad in all of our magazines - watch your campaign grow to the size of a national forest.

Natural Awakenings is published locally across the nation in over 90 markets, enabling you to reach your target audience with multi-market and multimedia campaigns.

Together we will create the ideal package for all of your marketing needs.

Your Healthy Lifestyle Multimedia Resource in Print, Online and Mobile

FOR RESULTS: Call 941-564-0885 22

Peace River Edition

www.peaceriverna.com

Your heart knows that overwhelming darkness is a miracle waiting to happen.

Which lens do you choose to see this world through?

Your heart or your mind?

Baby, it’s all about perspective.

Source: French Kissing God, a collection of poems by Lyric Benson Fergusson (FrenchKissingGod.com).

Chinnapong/Shutterstock.com

Healthy Food for a Healthy Life

You Need Detoxified Iodine Now More Than Ever!

Dietary Intake Isn’t Always Enough For Preventing Thyroid-Related Health Conditions Once a rare problem in the Western world, iodine deficiency is on the increase in North America. This could be related to radiation, environmental pollutants and modern, industrial agricultural practices causing a decrease of minerals in the

soil. This results in poor iodine content in foods. The answer is simple: Taking Natural Awakenings’ Detoxified Iodine in the right dosage can rebalance thyroid function and restore health to the thyroid and the rest of the body.

A few drops of Natural Awakenings’ DETOXIFIED IODINE daily has been reported to give relief from: • Hyperthyroidism • Depression • Low Energy • Brain Fog • Fibromyalgia

• Hypothyroidism • Bacteria/Viruses • Swelling • Radiation • Weight Gain

Order today, available only at

ShopNaturalAwakenings.com

$34.99 1 oz.

December 2016 23 $19.99 ½ oz. (plus $5 shipping) or call: 888-822-0246natural awakenings

healthykids

inspired by The Nutcracker’s Sugar Plum Fairy.

Sugar-Free Treats Kids Love

W

by Judith Fertig

hen sugar was a commodity only the wealthy could afford, “visions of sugarplums” danced in the heads of children ensconced in Clement Moore’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Now, cheap candy is everywhere and not all that special. What is special is making memories aligned with contemporary traditions while enjoying naturally sweet, healthy treats that kids will remember helping to create.

“It’s important to limit sugary snacks, even during the holidays,” says Claire McCarthy, a Boston Children’s Hospital pediatrician, Harvard Medical School assistant professor of pediatrics and senior editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is also a mother of elementary school kids. “We need to use the opportunity—any opportunity these days—to teach children and families about eating healthy.”

Healthier Holiday Snacks Mothers Amy Roskelley and Natalie Monson, of Provo, Utah, agree that raising healthy kids is a challenge. Dealing with picky eaters, getting family members to exercise and sourcing organic baby care products are all in a day’s work for them. It’s why they founded SuperHealthyKids.com. Subscribers have access to meal plans, recipes and healthy parenting tips. Recent advice includes ditching prepackaged popcorn (listing unpronounceable ingredients) and instead making the treat at home— popping kernels in coconut oil and topping the result with maple snickerdoodle flavorings.

Many moms turn to online boards for party ideas. Fun photos posted there guide kids in creating naturally sweet treats, such as fresh fruit skewers shaped like elves or magic wands

Natural Awakenings recommends using organic and non-GMO (genetically modified) ingredients whenever possible.

24

Peace River Edition

www.peaceriverna.com

“Building a gingerbread house is a time-honored tradition for many families,” says Jacquie Fisher, a Kansas City, Missouri, mom who masterminds the educational blog and kid-friendly adventure postings at KCEdventures. com. Learning to construct the edible structure is intriguing fun.

“Testing out how to balance the walls, construct a roof and put together a fun little structure is the perfect intro to some basic physics principles,” she notes. Because she’s not a fan of sugar icing and candy add-ons, Fisher’s kids connect over how to make Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’s stable with whole-wheat graham crackers “glued” together with a homemade maple caramel mixed with coconut milk. They decorate using dried fruit, nuts, dry cereal and flaked coconut.

Christmas Stocking Stuffer and Hanukkah Gelt For healthy alternatives to sugary candy, savvy parents source sweet treats made with 100 percent fruit juice and fair trade chocolate available at health food stores and markets.

Registered Dietitian Abbie Gellman, in New York City, reinvents the Hanukkah gelt, or foil-wrapped chocolate coins, that Jewish children traditionally receive. She flattens dried apricots with a kitchen mallet, dips them in melted dark chocolate and then sprinkles the treats with sea salt.

We can always make wonderful memories true to the spirit of holiday traditions, and do it today in a healthier way.

Judith Fertig writes cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS (JudithFertig.com).

Gina Smith/Shutterstock.com

MERRY MUNCHING

Kzenon/Shutterstock.com

Gingerbread House Update

Sugarplums Update photo by Stephen Blancett

Healthy Sweets for Kids Apricot Gelt

Yields: 12 servings (6 pieces per person)

Fruit Skewer Elves

1½ lb dried apricots 1 lb dark chocolate chips 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt

Yields: 12 servings

12 cocktail sticks or short bamboo skewers 12 seedless green grapes 12 strawberries, hulled 1 firm banana, peeled and cut into 12 thin rounds 1 mozzarella stick, cut into 12 rounds

Using a heavy skillet or mallet, flatten apricots to ¼-inch thickness and set aside.

Popcorn: 1 tsp coconut oil, melted ½ cup popcorn kernels

Dip each apricot in chocolate, coating ½ to ¾ of the apricot. Place on wire racks set over parchment or wax paper and sprinkle with sea salt. Let stand until set.

Maple Snickerdoodle Topping: 1 Tbsp coconut oil 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup ½ tsp cinnamon Sea salt to taste

Transfer apricots to baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate until firm. The gelt may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

Heat the coconut oil in a medium saucepan, with a lid, over medium heat. Add 3 kernels of popcorn and wait for them to pop. Once the test kernels start to pop, add the rest, cover and allow to pop, shaking occasionally until popping slows to a near stop.

Adapted from a recipe by Abbie Gellman, SPECertified.com/blog/view/ apricot-gelt-recipe.

Yields: About 5 cups

For each skewer, thread a green grape to the bottom of the skewer to create the elf face. Top with a round banana slice to make the pale trim around the hat, then an upside-down hulled strawberry to form the pointy hat. Add a mozzarella round to make the pompom at the point of the hat. Serve right away.

photo by Stephen Blancett

Maple Snickerdoodle Popcorn

Place chocolate in the top of a double-boiler over simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted.

Holiday Fairy Wands Yields: 12 servings

12 long bamboo skewers 24 seedless green grapes 12 chunks of fresh pineapple 12 strawberries, hulled 2 starfruit (carambola), cut into 12 slices

Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and set aside.

Serve immediately making additional sea salt available.

Courtesy of Amy Roskelley and Natalie Monson, SuperHealthyKids.com/ maple-snickerdoodle-popcorn.

iuliia_n/Shutterstock.com

For the topping, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon, until well combined. Pour over the popcorn and mix well. Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of sea salt, mix again and taste.

For each skewer, thread a green grape 3 inches from the bottom of the skewer, leaving room to hold the wand. Next, thread a chunk of pineapple, then another grape. Thread a strawberry, pointed end up. Add a slice of starfruit to make the star on the end of the wand.

Serve immediately.

Courtesy of Jacquie Fisher, KCEdventures.com/blog/healthygingerbread-house-ideas.

natural awakenings

December 2016

25

greenliving

“alternative Christmas trees” at Pinterest. com for more ideas.

Another option uses hedge-like plants in lieu of a tree. Consider an English or Japanese boxwood plant or evergreen lilly pilly, and then trim to the desired size and shape. Plant it outdoors as weather and climate permit.

Galina Grebenyuk/Shutterstock.com

The Table

A Gorgeously Greener Holiday Fresh Thinking About Décor

by Avery Mack

N

ature’s holiday decorations can transcend cliché pine wreaths or farmed trees to make highly personalized indoor décor that supersedes traditional greenery. Yet mistletoe, holly leaves and berries, eucalyptus,

ul: f i t u a e B Naturally!

European Hair Designer

specializes in: All Nutrient Organic Hair Color/ Products Contemporary hair cutting/shaping techniques

Helix USA design cuts by Jutta Call 941-629-0074 Today for your professional consultation withJutta

The “Vines” Shopping Center 701 JC Center Court, Unit 10 Port Charlotte, FL www.europeanhairdesigner.com 26

Peace River Edition

poinsettias, tree needles, acorns and a cut tree’s water reservoir can be harmful to both pets and children. Here are some better choices.

The Tree

For smaller spaces or to make a statement, try grouping topiary trees of varying heights draped with solar twinkle lights and small ornaments or fresh flowers to create a focal point in a bay window.

“A lemon-lime cypress lends another burst of unexpected color on an entry hall table,” says freelance floral designer Janet Corrao, in Nutley, New Jersey. “It smells good, too.” Plants six inches tall work well. Corrao suggests setting the pots in colorful, inexpensive metal buckets from craft stores for added glamour.

Unless deemed a hazard to active kids or pets, set up a mid-sized stepstool on a table or open a six-foot ladder in a corner and hang ornaments down the center space; add garlands and lights and set potted flowers and small gift boxes on the steps. Search

www.peaceriverna.com

“While we were working on a photo shoot, the photographer decided to include a Christmas scene. I was able to add fresh greenery from the property to the red ornaments and white orchids that I’d brought along. It made a striking centerpiece running the entire length of the table,” says florist Angie Zimmerman, of Angie Zimmerman Designs, in El Dorado Hills, California. “For the fireplace mantel I used branches with red berries to add height on either side of the central mirror and then duplicated the centerpiece design between them.”

A festive table can be dressed with appealing edibles. Use a bread wreath as a base and stud it with skewered basil leaves, cherry tomatoes and small balls of fresh mozzarella cheese for an easy, self-serve, Caprese appetizer. A colorful dish of balsamic dressing or another dip in the center, along with small plates and holiday napkins, completes the offering.

For a sit-down dinner variant, place a few Caprese skewers in small, clear, glass vases along the table with individual finger bowls of dip. Flatleafed green parsley sprigs add another special touch. Zimmerman further suggests using deep-red Roma apples, cored, as candle holders.

Make living place cards with small pots of herbs. Chalkboard paint identifies the plant and guest seating. Also consider colorful painted pots sporting a small cactus.

Transform oranges into aromatic pomanders by scoring the rinds with a citrus stripper in a spiral, circle or other pattern. Use a small nail to make holes and stud the fruits with whole cloves.

Adding seasonal greenery and sterilized pine cones makes a beautiful and fragrant centerpiece.

The Front Door

“I love to use pine cones for center-

calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 12th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email publisher@nasrq.com for guidelines. No phone calls or faxes, please. Visit NASRQ.com to submit online.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 photo courtesy of Angie Zimmerman Designs

Kayak Shell Creek – 9am-2pm. Your guide, Master Naturalist Rick Fried, lives on this pretty creek in Charlotte County, well worth visiting again and again. Participants must provide their own watercraft and be able to swim. Voluntary donations to the Sierra Club gratefully accepted.

Reserve 941-637-8805.

pieces,” Corrao says. “Our weather is cold enough that I don’t have to worry about bugs when collecting cones in the neighborhood.” For warmer climates, bake the pine cones for 30 minutes in a 200-degree oven to melt excess sap, kill insects and fully open them.

Sold online or in kitchenware stores, a bay leaf wreath offers cheer at the door. After the holidays, hang it in the kitchen for easy access. “Kumquats, lemons, tangerines, small oranges and crabapples add color to green wreaths,” notes Corrao.

Garlands

For many, Christmas demands the smell of fresh pine boughs. Spice up the traditional greenery with carnations or other light-hued flowers colored with the juices of fresh, canned or frozen fruits and veggies—red from cranberries, beets and cherries; yellow and orange from yellow onions and carrots; purple from blackberries; green from spinach; pink from strawberries; and blue from red cabbage or blueberries. Freshly cut the flower stems and put them in the liquid from crushed produce or the can to absorb color. Hang garlands out of reach of young children and pets.

Navjot Kaur, of Navjot Designs, in Chicago, says, “We all have greenery in our yard or patio gardens that can be used for the holidays. It’s fun to alter the design based upon what is available.”

Imagination and inspiration can spark new, greener traditions.

Connect with the freelance writer via AveryMack@mindspring.com.

Intuitive Healing – 11am-6pm. With Adam “Way” Wawrzyniak, an intuitive healer, Reiki master, minister of Universal Ministries with a healing modality strongly connected to his heart. Energy touch in contact with your internal multi-dimensional structure which directly affects physical body, emotions, mind balance, connection with inner child, heart opening, connection with your higher self, and adjustment to new multi-dimensional collective consciousness.

Adam uses knowledge of sacred geometry and multi-dimensional holographic consciousness. $80. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-3719333, ccosl.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6 Intuitive Healing – 11am-6pm. With Adam “Way” Wawrzyniak, an intuitive healer, Reiki master, minister of Universal Ministries with a healing modality strongly connected to his heart. Energy touch in contact with your internal multi-dimensional structure which directly affects physical body, emotions, mind balance, connection with inner child, heart opening, connection with your higher self, and adjustment to new multi-dimensional collective consciousness.

Adam uses knowledge of sacred geometry and multi-dimensional holographic consciousness. $80. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-3719333, ccosl.com.

Awakening Your Throat Chakra – 6-7pm. Join us for this fun & informative workshop. This week we will discover the importance and unique ability of the Throat Chakra. We will learn the color, note, sound, element and location of this very important chakra. $10. Angel Ministries, 2269 Tamiami Trl, Venice. Rev Patricia Charnley 941-492-4995. AngelMinistriesfl.org.

Connecting to Source Sessions – 7-9pm. Abdy has an ancient, indescribable gift which allows people to attune to the vibration they need to receive for themselves. “There is no name for what you receive.” Abdy. Bring a yoga mat or a blanket and a pillow, and dress comfortably to lie on the floor. If your body can’t lie comfortably, chairs available. Bring your own water bottle. $50. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333. Abdy. info. Book online AbdyIsBack.splashthat.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 Experience John of God, Crystal Light Bed Sessions – 9am-6pm. Michele Denise, authorized by John of God, offers crystal light bed sessions and tours to visit John of God in Brazil. She has been traveling there for over 10 years and was told by him on her first tour to bring a crystal light bed back to the U.S. to help others. The crystal light bed aligns the chakras leaving the person emotionally, physically and spiritually balanced. Also available blessed John of God crystals and jew-

elry. $35/half hour, $65/hour. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. For appt, 828-423-1482 or email Michele@CrystalHealingBed.com.

Activating the Crystalline Grid – 7-9pm. A powerful evening with Saryon, Dixie and their Crystal Alchemy Singing Bowls. Come hear the latest update on our planetary awakening. Learn about the Crystalline Ascension Grid of the New Earth.

Experience the Earth’s Healing Currents through sacred sound. Join with a very high level of Angelic Energy that is working through this grid to awaken and unify humanity for Earth’s Ascension.

These specially activated bowls carry the energy of all the spiritual portals they have been played in throughout the world and will bring us into a state of unity consciousness to open the prayer field. $20.

Discounted package rates for Weds, Thurs, Fri/$50.

All events + Sat Workshop/$165. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. Reservations, 941-371-9333, SaryonIsBack.splashthat.com.

Keys of Enoch – 7-9pm. With Kim Converse, explore how The Keys of Enoch works directly with the spiritual truths of our past, present and future.

Through music, sacred expressions, higher education and prayer, we will develop a deeper understanding of our cosmic birthright and our ability to co-participate with our spiritual counterparts connected with the Divine. $7. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 Experience John of God, Crystal Light Bed Sessions – 9am-6pm. Michele Denise, authorized by John of God, offers crystal light bed sessions and tours to visit John of God in Brazil. She has been traveling there for over 10 years and was told by him on her first tour to bring a crystal light bed back to the U.S. to help others. The crystal light bed aligns the chakras leaving the person emotionally, physically and spiritually balanced. Also available blessed John of God crystals and jewelry. $35/half hour, $65/hour. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota.

For appt, 828-423-1482 or email Michele@CrystalHealingBed.com.

Guest Reader, Deborah Chadwick – 10:30am5:30pm. Using a deck of regular playing cards, Deborah is able to communicate with her guides and angels, quickly receiving very specific information for her clients. Throughout her readings, Deborah brings forth humor and healing to aid her clients in achieving a higher level of understanding and focus. 15mins/$30; 30mins/$60; 45mins/$80. Elysian Fields, Midtown Plaza, 1273 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota. 941-361-3006, ElysianFieldsOnline.com.

Portals to Peace with Saryon – 7-9pm. Building on the energy of the previous evening, we will enact a sacred prayer to direct our healing intentions towards opening Portals to Peace. Step into your roles as conduits with us to channel the power of the One Heart. Dixie will play the bowls and the Angels and Masters will be chiming in to add their frequencies. After a space of sacred silence, we will hear messages through Saryon’s Channel. Come willing to be purified with a sound bath, and leave feeling touched by the spiritual presence of your guides. $20. Discounted package rates for Weds, Thurs, Fri/$50. All events + Sat Workshop/$165. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws,

natural awakenings

December 2016

27

Bldg G-2, Sarasota. Reservations, 941-371-9333, SaryonIsBack.splashthat.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 Guest Reader, Sherry Lord – 10:30am-5:30pm.

Sherry is a Reiki Master, ordained reverend, teacher, psychic intuitive and deeper trance channel. She can see angels, guides and auras as well as channel loved ones who have crossed over. She is a versatile channel who can answer your questions, both business and personal, and help you on your spiritual path. 15mins/$40; 30mins/$75; 60mins/$125. In Deep Trance Channel sessions, Sherry allows Namara, a group of non-physical beings of pure love & light, to speak through her, 50mins/$175. Elysian Fields, Midtown Plaza, 1273 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota. 941-3613006, ElysianFieldsOnline.com.

Starflower Medicinal Apothecary Grand Opening and Christmas Party – 5-9pm. Come and celebrate the season and Starflower Spathecary’s five-year anniversary. Medicinal herbal education and yummy organic food and drink provided. Starflower Organic Spathecary, 415 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota. Starflower.com.

Women’s Full Moon Meditation – 6:30pm doors open; 7pm doors close, meditation begins. Ordained in Thich Nhat Hanh’s order, Ruth Fishel: Buddhist Mindfulness Practice, uses mindfulness techniques to gently observe the activity of the mind. Through personal stories she summons experiences that resonate with the group. The Circle meets on the New and Full Moons for a guided meditation led by a senior member of the community. $10/ donation to Rising Tide for use of the center. 5102 Swift Rd. Info, Jo Mooy 941-355-1414, JoMooy@gmail.com.

Talking Stick Circle – 6:30-7:45pm. Join us bi-weekly for this new experience. When was the last time you felt heard? When was the last time you felt safe enough to give voice to something deep & truthful without fear of judgement or shame? $10. Angel Ministries College, 2269 Tamiami Trl, Venice. Rev Patricia Charnley 941-492-4995. AngelMinistriesfl.org.

Entering The Violet Ray with Saryon – 7-9pm.

Ascension teachings from the Masters, Angels, and Arcturians. Open your inner senses to the invisible world as Saryon’s presentation illuminates your connection to a wider multidimensional reality with clarity, humor and wisdom that transcends the ages.

We are entering the Age of the Violet Ray and it’s time to reach a new understanding of our place in the unfolding plan for humanity’s awakening. Saryon will offer Q&A for part of this presentation. $20.

Discounted package rates for Weds, Thurs, Fri/$50.

All events + Sat Workshop/$165. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. Reservations, 941-371-9333, SaryonIsBack.splashthat.com.

Weekend Ashaya Yoga Workshop – Dec 9-11.

Align your body and awaken your heart with this beautiful system of Hatha Yoga. Yogis of all levels are invited to learn from the founder of Ashaya Yoga, Todd Norian. Garden of the Heart Yoga, 2888 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota. 941-341-9781. GardenOfTheHeartYoga.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 Breakthroughs in Channeling, Healing and Clearing with Violet Ray – 10am-5pm. If you have ever been interested in learning how to channel or work with the energies of The Violet Flame, the Violet Ray and the Ascended Masters and Angels, Saryon is an expert teacher. He and partner Dixie will facilitate the group with their special set of Activated Crystal Alchemy Singing Bowls that carry the energy of the Earth’s Portals, as well as the Masters and Angels that bless the bowls as healing instruments. Bring sack lunch or join us at

28

Peace River Edition

the deli next door. $125. Discounted package rates for Weds, Thurs, Fri/$50. All events + Sat Workshop/$165. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. Reservations, 941-371-9333, SaryonIsBack.splashthat.com.

Community HU Chant – 11am-noon. Come experience for yourself, with others, how your days can be enhanced by chanting the word “HU” for 20 minutes from your heart to God. You can also do this on your own at any time. It is for everyone of any background or religious beliefs. Light refreshments follow. Free. Jacaranda Library, Youth Activities Rm, 4143 Woodmere Park Blvd, Venice, 941-358-0325, Meetup.com/EckankarInSarasota.

ESP for Understanding Energy – 3:30-5:30pm.

Learn to see and feel energy between you and others. Learn to do “off-body” healing. Learn about the chakras and how to implement them for yours and others’ benefit. On the spot Psychic Reading. $20. Angel Ministries College, 2269 Tamiami Trl, Venice. Rev Patricia Charnley 941-492-4995. AngelMinistriesfl.org.

Viento Azul: Blue Wind Concert – 6pm Doors open. 7pm Concert. Chilean singer-songwriter and performer Loreto Lorca accompanied by Chilean guitarist Yayo Duran. $20 advance, $25/door. Rising Tide International, 5102 Swift Rd, Sarasota.

Tickets, 941-993-9994, Chris@RisingTideInternational.org, RisingTideInternational.org.

Spirit of the Holidays Messages Party – 7-9pm.

Five top psychic mediums, one holiday evening.

Come celebrate the Spirit of the holidays. Mark your calendar, this is one event you don’t want to miss! All guests will receive a personal message from a top psychic medium. Dinner Buffet, Wine, Desserts, Gift Baskets Raffle, Music and Fun. Space is limited (overflow capacity last year); reserve your place early. $60. The Spirit University, 373 Braden Ave, Sarasota. 941-544-5874, Light@ VictoriaAckerman.com, TheSpiritUniversity.com.

The Shift of Consciousness and Your Dormant DNA – 6-9pm. Learn About the Shift of Consciousness on Planet Earth, Ascension, The Awakening of Planet Earth, The Future of Humanity and your dormant DNA. Receive powerful and potent live transformational sacred energy healing and dormant DNA activations. This will be a powerful and potent evening full of consciousness expansion and live transformational energy healing based on your requests. By Donation. No one turned away. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdw, Bldg. G-2, Sarasota. 941371-9333. 866-388-5115.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 12 Channeled Anchoring Light Meditation – 7:45pm. Serving the Ascension of our planet with the Ascended Realms as Anchors of Light, with Rev Sharon-Elizabeth James since July 16, 2007.

Love Offering. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota.

941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13

Free Dinner with Dr Dower – 6:30pm. Learn how exogenous ketones relate to the treatment of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Beckham’s On the Trail, 8579 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, Reservations, 941-924-1227.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14 Paddle from Ponce De Leon Park – 10am-2pm.

Explore mangrove tunnels and the shoreline of Charlotte Harbor with Florida Master Naturalist Helen Buonviri and Bill Schuyler. Facilities available. Participants required to wear a PFD. Bring your kayak/canoe (no inflatables), water, bug spray, lunch/snack. Donations to the Sierra club

www.peaceriverna.com

gratefully accepted. Reservations, Helen 941-4670974, Bill 941-763-9248.

Special Love Offering Event – 7-9pm. Come spend an evening with Saryon and connect with spiritual keys and insights from the Angels, Arcturians and Ascended Masters. This is an opportunity to ask questions and receive personal guidance, as well as hear inspiring information about our evolutionary potential. Ask anything you want about the invisible realms, spiritual guidance, channeling, or history’s potentials. This should be an enlightening evening of spiritual exploration. Love Offering. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15 Yoga – 9am. With Pauline Dimitry, awakening the Heart-Body-Mind. All ages and experiences welcome. Accepting new students. $10. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-822-0263.

Intuitive Healing – 11am-6pm. With Adam “Way” Wawrzyniak, an intuitive healer, Reiki master, minister of Universal Ministries with a healing modality strongly connected to his heart. Energy touch in contact with your internal multi-dimensional structure which directly affects physical body, emotions, mind balance, connection with inner child, heart opening, connection with your higher self, and adjustment to new multi-dimensional collective consciousness. Adam uses knowledge of sacred geometry and multi-dimensional holographic consciousness. $80. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

Neuropathy and Pain Relief with Laser Therapy – 7-8pm. Understand the research on therapeutic laser and find out when and how it can help relieve pain. Presented by Dr Eric Winder. Free.

Gentlebay Chiropractic, 3131 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota. RSVP 941-957-8390. GentleBay.com.

Mary Magdalene’s Mystical Teachings of Enlightenment – 7-8:30pm. Awakening to the Power of the Sacred Feminine with Rev Lea Chapin.

Mary Magdalene brings forth her powerful, mystical teachings of enlightenment. She will awaken all to the power of the divine feminine energy that has emerged upon this planet at this time. These teachings are powerful, direct and life altering for the serious spiritual seeker who truly desires to help humanity and Mother Earth shift into the Golden Age of enlightenment. $25. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

St Peter’s Message of Attunement – 7-8:30pm.

Rev Thomas McQuade brings forth inspired messages from St Peter, awakening the Divine Self to bring clarity of thought and focus of awareness to Seekers of Light. His teachings of conscious thought will assist the Initiate to become more centered, to change his perception, and re-remember their true being and purpose! $25. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. Register 941-228-3703.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16 Ganesh, The Remover of Obstacles – 7pm. Dr Raj Markos who will take you through a nine week mantra to the Hindu deity Ganesh leading up to new year’s day annual mantra for an auspicious new year of 2017. If you have obstacles to remove in your life, come join this powerful mantra prayer group for 9 consecutive Fridays and see miracles happen in your life. Love Offering. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com

classifieds SUPPORT HELPING PARENTS HEAL. At Unity of Sarasota on second Wednesday each month, 7–9pm. $5 donation. Sandi Crea 814-449-7481.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 Intuitive Faire with Readings – 11am-4pm. A monthly event with Intuitive and Mediumistic Readings, Spirit Artist, Palmistry, Astrology and Numerology Reports, Aura Pictures and Biofeedback. Something for everyone. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. Call to schedule your favorite reader 941-371-9333.

Special Christmas Gift of Comedy and Spirit Messages – 7pm. Metaphysical Comedian Connie and internationally acclaimed Psychic Medium Martin Jordan will show you how they were able to turn the devastation of losing their son into celebration and build a new relationship with him on the other side, finding joy and laughter all along the way. They will create a bridge between the audience and their transitioned loved ones raising your vibration one laugh at a time. Love Offering. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

Rumi: A Night of Poetry & Mystic Celebration –7:30pm. With Sufi Whirling. Love Donation. Rising Tide, 5102 Swift Rd, Sarasota. dHarps@juno.com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19 Nature Walk in Shell Creek Preserve​– 8:3011am. Join Florida Master Naturalists John Phillips and Jamie Reynolds for an easy walk in pine flatwoods, scrub and hardwood hammock habitats.

Voluntary donations to Sierra Club gratefully accepted. Info 941-639­7468.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20

Monthly Anchoring Light Channeled Meditation Charlotte County – 6:45pm. With Rev Sharon-Elizabeth James, serving the Ascension of our planet with the Ascended Realms as Anchors of Light every Monday since July 16, 2007! Port Charlotte Beach Park, Room A, Port Charlotte.

Love Offering. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21 Full Moon Winter Solstice at South Lido Beach State Park – 4:30pm. Ceremonial drumming, singing and meditation with international teacher Patricia Walsh. On the longest night, candles will be lit to coincide with the setting sun and lanterns released into the sky. Men, women and well-behaved children welcome. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, battery candles and flashlights. Donation tax deductible; checks made payable to Mayor’s Feed the Hungry Program. Info, Jo Mooy 941-3551414, JoMooy@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22 Intuitive Healing – 11am-6pm. With Adam “Way” Wawrzyniak, an intuitive healer, Reiki master, minister of Universal Ministries with a healing modality strongly connected to his heart. Energy touch in contact with your internal multi-dimensional structure which directly affects physical body, emotions, mind balance, connection with inner child, heart opening, connection with your

higher self, and adjustment to new multi-dimensional collective consciousness. Adam uses knowledge of sacred geometry and multi-dimensional holographic consciousness. $80. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23 Paddle Myrtle Slough – 9am-1pm. Trip is conducted by certified guide and Florida Master Naturalist, Jim Story. Depending on weather conditions the trip can proceed up Myrtle Slough to Lake Surprise and/or downstream to Shell Creek, navigating up to the 400-ft wide water fall at Punta Gorda reservoir. Kayak and PFD required. Limited to 12 people. Reserve early, 941-505-8904.

Ganesh, Remover of Obstacles – 7pm. Dr Raj Markos will take you through a nine week mantra to the Hindu deity Ganesh leading up to New Year’s Day annual mantra for an auspicious new year of 2017. If you have obstacles to remove in your life, come join this powerful mantra prayer group for 9 consecutive Fridays and see miracles happen in your life. Love Offering. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24 Community HU Song – 11am. Come experience for yourself, with others, how your days can be enhanced by singing the word “HU” for 20 minutes from your heart to God. You can also do this on your own at any time. It is for everyone of any background or religious beliefs. Fellowship and light refreshments. Free. Mid-County Regional Library, Meeting Rm B, 2050 Forrest Nelson Blvd, Port Charlotte. 941-358-0325. Meetup.com/EckankarInSarasota.

Christmas Eve Candle Lighting Service – 6pm.

Beautiful music and service honoring the re-birthing of the Living Christ Spirit. Love offering. Unity of Sarasota, 3203 Proctor Rd. Info, 941-955-3301, UnityOfSarasota.org.

Special Christmas Eve Candlelight Service – 8pm. Come and share your Light with others in celebration of Christmas, a time of remembering the Light that came to the world over 2000 years ago. A holy and beautiful candle Light service ending with Christmas Carols. Love Offering. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS Eckankar Worship Service – 10-11am. Learn to Love Yourself. You are important because you exist and God loves you. Why not have a good opinion of yourself? La Quinta Inn, 5931 Commercial Way (W of I-75), Sarasota, 941-358-0325, Meetup.com/ EckankarInSarasota.

Christmas Restoratives – 1-3pm. Give yourself the best holiday gift ever this year; join Eva Saunders in celebrating the beauty of Restorative Yoga. Take time to replenish yourself this holiday season. $30. Garden of the Heart Yoga, 2888 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota. 941341-9781. GardenOfTheHeartYoga.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27 Intuitive Healing – 11am-6pm. With Adam “Way” Wawrzyniak, an intuitive healer, Reiki master, minister of Universal Ministries with a healing modality strongly connected to his heart. Energy touch in contact with your internal multi-dimensional structure which directly affects physical body, emotions, mind balance, connection with inner child, heart opening, connection with your higher self, and adjustment to new multi-dimensional collective consciousness. Adam uses knowledge of sacred geometry and multi-dimensional holographic consciousness. $80. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota.

941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28 Paddle Shell Creek – 9am-2pm. This is one of the most scenic waterways in Charlotte County.

Your guide, Florida Master Naturalist Rick Fried, intimately knows this creek because he lives on it. Must bring your own watercraft and be able to swim. Voluntary donations to the Sierra Club gratefully accepted. Reservations, 941-637-8805.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29 Guest Reader, Deborah Chadwick – 10:30am5:30pm. Using a deck of regular playing cards, Deborah is able to communicate with her guides and angels, quickly receiving very specific information for her clients. Throughout her readings, Deborah brings forth humor and healing to aid her clients in achieving a higher level of understanding and focus. 15mins/$30; 30mins/$60; 45mins/$80. Elysian Fields, Midtown Plaza, 1273 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota. 941-361-3006, ElysianFieldsOnline.com.

planahead SUNDAY, JANUARY 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017 Illuminations Yoga One-day Retreat with Vision Boards – Rediscover what you value and enjoy. $59. Faith Lutheran Church, 7750 Beneva. Reserve your space, 941-724-9922.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13 Women’s Full Moon Meditation – 6:30pm doors open; 7pm doors close, meditation begins. Starting the 11th year for this circle, Patricia Cockerill, co-founder of the Women’s Meditation Circle, ushers in the New Year by opening to the divine feminine through love, joy and unity. The Circle meets on the New and Full Moons for a guided meditation led by a senior member of the community. $10/ donation to Rising Tide for use of the center. 5102 Swift Rd. Info, Jo Mooy 941-355-1414, JoMooy@ gmail.com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 26 Channeled Anchoring Light Meditation – 7:45pm. Serving the Ascension of our planet with the Ascended Realms as Anchors of Light, with Rev Sharon-Elizabeth James since July 16, 2007.

Love Offering. Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdws, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941371-9333, ccosl.com.

natural awakenings

December 2016

29

ongoingevents sunday Sunday Services Cosmic Center – 10am Hands on Spiritual Healing. 10:30am Open Arms Metaphysical Spiritualist Service: Inspirational lectures and messages from your loved ones and friends on “The Other Side”. Reverends Thomas & Mary Linn Clarke. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdw, Bldg G-2, Sarasota.

941-371-9333. ccosl.com.

Silent Retreat – 10am-3:45pm. 2nd Sun. Venice Mindfulness Community. Come to all or part.

Silent brown bag lunch Noon-1:30pm. Venice Holistic Community Center, 714 Shamrock Blvd, Venice, RSVP 941-615-7613.

Sunday Worship Service – 10:30am. Start your week renewed and encouraged. Join the CMF for a morning of inspiration, spiritual healing, inspirational talk, special music and Spirit messages.

Fellowship period follows the service. Center for Metaphysical Fellowship, 2044 Bispham Rd, Sarasota. 941-266-8435. cmfSarasota.org.

Sunday AM Service – 10:30am-Noon. Join us for a free chair healing, singing, inspiring spiritual church messages and, after service, messages from Spirit with our Psychic/Mediums. Love Offering Welcome. Angel Ministries, 2269 S Tamiami Trl, Venice. Rev Patricia Charnley, 941-4924995, revpat@angelministriesfl.org, angelministriesfl.org.

Chess – 11am-3pm. The Cultural Center of Charlotte County, 2280 Aaron St, Port Charlotte. Info & sign-up 941-625-4175.

A Cosmic In-Service Gathering of Lightworkers – 12:15pm. A call to Planetary World Servers to Anchor Light and work with our Family of Light to bridge Heaven and Earth.

Reverend Sharon-Elizabeth James. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdw, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333. ccosl.com.

Open Heart Divine Healing Service – First Sunday. 12:15pm. Through the Gathering of the faithful, experience and co-create the Anchoring of Powerful Divine Healing Energies within the Sacred Circle. Expect miracles! Reverend Sharon-Elizabeth James. The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdw, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333. ccosl.com.

ploring the barrier islands that surround the North Jetty. Great opportunity to see dolphins, manatees and other wildlife. $25. N Jetty, Nokomis. 941-2344311. SUPEnglewood.com.

lightening experience. Love Donation Appreciated. Angel Ministries, 2269 S Tamiami Trl, Venice.

Rev Patricia Charnley, 941-492-4995, revpat@ angelministriesfl.org, angelministriesfl.org.

Gentle Mixed Yoga – 9:30-11am. Gentle mixed level yoga. All levels and bodies welcome. $10. 238 W Tampa Ave, Ste 250, Venice. 941-468-0403.

Debbie Downing Yoga – 5:45-7:15pm. Gentle mixed level yoga. All levels and bodies welcome. $10. 238 W Tampa Ave, Ste 250, Venice. 941-4680403.

Sunlight Yoga – 9:30-11am Mon, Tues, Thurs.

5:45-7:05am Wed. With Debbie Downing. Gentle flowing hatha yoga for range of motion, balance, relaxation. Mixed level. $10. The Power of One, 238 W Tampa Ave, Venice Centre Mall/KMI Bldg, Rm 250. 941-468-0403. SunLightYoga@verizon.net.

Slow Flow Kripalu Yoga with Angelena Craig – 4-5:15pm. A gentle, yet energetic approach to traditional yoga, suitable for beginners or the more advanced. First time student special $15/ first class, second one is free; $55/5 class packages. Circusoul Yoga Studio, 4141 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota. 941822-9620, ANewAgingMovement.com.

tuesday WSLR Peace & Justice Show – 9-10am. Tune in to 96.5 on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays of the month for The Peace and Justice Report. Submit any event announcements for the show to Info@wslr.org.

Gentle Mixed Yoga – 9:30-11am. Gentle mixed level yoga. All levels & bodies welcome. $10. 238 W Tampa Ave, Ste 250, Venice. 941-468-0403.

Transformative Yoga – 5:30-6:45pm. The literal translation of Nidra is sleep. However, Yoga Nidra is a dynamic state, not the unconscious sleep of nighttime. It has the ability to alter your unconscious programming. You tap into creative powers beyond the ego-mind and have access to healing on physical, mental and emotional planes. First class complimentary, $10 thereafter. Venice Holistic Community Center, 714 Shamrock Blvd, Venice.

Register, Facilitator Rick Rabalais 941-539-9149.

The Greater Charlotte Harbor Group of the Sierra Club – 7-9pm. 3rd Tuesday monthly. Open to the public, this is a wonderful opportunity for you to discover what your local Sierra Club is all about.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Building, 1532 Forrest Nelson Blvd, Port Charlotte. Info, 941-4232713, AllainHale@hotmail.com.

Sunday PM Service – 6:30-8pm. Join us for a free chair healing, singing, inspiring spiritual church messages and, after service, messages from Spirit with our Psychic/Mediums. Love Offering Welcome. Angel Ministries, 2269 S Tamiami Trl, Venice. Rev Patricia Charnley, 941-492-4995, revpat@ angelministriesfl.org, angelministriesfl.org.

Anchoring Light Channeled Meditation Charlotte County – 7:45pm. 2nd Tuesday monthly.

Reverend Sharon-Elizabeth James. Serving the Ascension of our planet with the Ascended Realms as Anchors of Light since July 2007. Love Offering.

The Cosmic Center of Spiritual Light, 5041 Ringwood Mdw, Bldg G-2, Sarasota. 941-371-9333, ccosl.com.

monday

wednesday

Max T3 Interval Workout – 7:30am. Join Dr Dower; for all levels of fitness. Get fit before the holidays. Free. Dower Chiropractic, 2226 Gulf Gate Dr, Sarasota.

Yoga/Pilates Flow, Level One – 11am-12:15pm.

With Lata. Great for beginners and all levels. A flow of yoga postures and Pilates to strengthen, tone and stretch the entire body. Packages available. 3455 S Access Rd, Englewood. 941-473-0135. LovingLightYoga.com.

Paddleboard Lessons & Tour – 9-10:30am.

Learn how to stand up paddleboard while ex-

30

Peace River Edition

Free Healing Clinic – 4-6:30pm. Our Masters tap into the Divine Source of energy to balance and heal your being. Relax and enjoy this renewing and en-

www.peaceriverna.com

Max T3 Interval Workout – 6:30pm. Join Dr Dower; for all levels of fitness. Get fit before the holidays. Free. Dower Chiropractic, 2226 Gulf Gate Dr, Sarasota.

Sarasota Essential Oils Presents 8-Week Series – 6:30-8pm. Exciting, fun, informative classes on green, clean, chemical-free living. Different topics weekly. Join the Green Living Challenge where you earn Green Points to win prizes. We’re creating a safe and healthy environment for people, pets, plants and planet. 2700 Orchid Oaks Dr (1 blk north of Bee Ridge off Tuttle). $5/class or $25/ Three-for-Free with advance registration. Info and Registration, 941-203-1225, Facebook, SarasotaEssentialOils.com.

Square Dancing – 7-9pm. The Cultural Center of Charlotte County, 2280 Aaron St, Port Charlotte.

941-625-4175.

thursday Kundalini Yoga/Gong Meditation – 8-9:30am.

A blend of postures, mantra & gong meditation offering a technology that aligns with the ever-evolving universe. All levels. $15; $52/4; $88/8.

Moving Toward Stillness Wellness Center, Osprey.

941-812-8695.

Zumba/Yoga Class with Allison – 9-10am. Feel young & energetic on Venice Beach. Dance & relax. Donations. W Venice Ave, on the Beach, Venice. VeniceInformationCenter.com.

Englewood Farmers’ Market – 9am-2pm. Find a wide range of fruits, organic vegetables, fresh baked German breads, gourmet French foods, fresh seafood, bonsai plants, orchids, garden plants, kettle corn and much more! Olde Englewood Village, W Dearborn St, Englewood,EnglewoodFarmersMarket.org.

Gentle Mixed Yoga – 9:30-11am. Gentle mixed level yoga. All levels & bodies welcome. $10. 238 W Tampa Ave, Ste 250, Venice. 941-468-0403.

Deep Water Aerobics – 10-10:45am. Some swimming ability required. $3. S County Regional Park, 670 Cooper St, Punta Gorda. 941-629-0170, 941505-8686.

Awakening Spirit Kundalini Yoga – 11am12:15pm. Awaken spiritual energy with breath, movement and meditation, with Jana and Hannah. $10. Venice Holistic Community Center, 714 Shamrock Blvd, Venice. Register 941-488-1828.

Mindful Movement – Noon-1pm. Qigong with Daniele. $10. Sarasota Mindfulness Institute, 1530 Dolphin St, Studio 6, Burns Ct, Sarasota. Details SarasotaMindfulness.org/calendar.html.

Open Gym Basketball – 5-8pm. Drop in & enjoy a game of indoor basketball. Shoot some hoops.

Play 3 on 3, 5 on 5 or a pickup game with friends.

Times subject to change. $2/player. Tringali Recreation Ctr, 3460 N Access Rd, Englewood.

Gentle Restorative Yoga – 6pm. Unwind the body with this gentle restorative class. All levels. $15/ first class free. Moving Toward Stillness Wellness Center, Osprey. 941-266-6962.

Healing & Messages – 6:30-8pm. Join us for a free chair healing, singing, inspiring spiritual messages with our Psychic/Mediums. Love Offering Welcome. Angel Ministries, 2269 S Tamiami Trl, Venice. Rev Patricia Charnley, 941-492-4995, revpat@ angelministriesfl.org, angelministriesfl.org.

Law of Attraction Class – 7-9pm. Through December 15, this class takes you to the leading edge, working with the Principles of the Laws of Cause/ Effect or Sow/Reap. We are entering a study series of intention for living life as masterfully as we can, given our various quirks and preferences. $10. Unity of Sarasota, 3023 Proctor Rd, Sarasota. Rev Zan Benham, 941-922-7839. Zan@Woman-Spirit.com.

Woman-Spirit.com.

friday Max T3 Interval Workout – 7:30am. Join Dr Dower; for all levels of fitness. Get fit before the holidays. Free. Dower Chiropractic, 2226 Gulf Gate Dr, Sarasota.

Mindful Basics at SMI – 8:30-9:45am, Yoga Basics with Larisa, $10. Noon-1pm Sitting Meditation, Donation. Sarasota Mindfulness Institute,

1530 Dolphin St, Studio 6, Burns Ct, Sarasota. Details: SarasotaMindfulness.org/calendar.html.

Astrology Fridays at the Power of One – 11am3pm. Know thyself and know what’s coming in your future. New relationship, order a synastry chart. Accurate, affordable prices. Call for an appointment or stop by the store to talk. Ask for Astrology Bob. $35/Natal or Progressed chart. The Power of One Metaphysical Shop, 238 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 941-493-6096.

Green Door Organics Co-op – 1-5:30pm. Every Friday of the month. Premium organics, affordable prices, no cross-contamination. Four locations, 941-378-9036 or OrganicVeggies.net.

Private Readings Walk-in – 6-7:30pm. End your work week on a pleasant note, and with helpful guidance from your spirit guides and angels! Come and receive a 15-minute message from a loved one or guide from one of our gifted workers. Stop anytime during 6-7:15pm on Fridays, no appointments needed. Two workers available; minimum wait time, if any. $20 donation. Center for Metaphysical Fellowship, 2044 Bispham Rd, Sarasota. 941-2668435. cmfSarasota.org.

Friday Night Concert – 7-9pm. Join us in Downtown Venice for our Free Friday Night Concert series at the Gazebo in Centennial Park, 200 W Venice Ave, Venice. Info MainStreet.com.

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email publisher@nasrq.com to request our media kit.

MINERAL SPRINGS/SPA THE SPRINGS AT DAYS INN

18051 S Tamiami Tr., Fort Myers 239-267-7900 TheSpringsResortFL.com From over 1,000 feet below, warm mineral spring waters bubble to the surface and cascade from our large fountain beneath our domed pool. Even those with sun sensitivites can enjoy our local fountain of youth. Come and enjoy the healing and resorative powers of our high-mineral-content waters. Just 30 minutes away.

ORGANIC SALONS EUROPEAN HELIX HAIR DESIGNERS

Jutta Mestas, P.H.D. The Vines , 701 JC Center Court, Unit # 10 Port Charlotte, FL 33954 941-629-0074 Discover the “Magic” of Helix. Adds Volume, Body, Curls or Waves. We do with Scissors what others do with Chemicals.

PEST CONTROL GOOD NEWS PEST SOLUTIONS

saturday Punta Gorda Farmers Market – 8am-Noon. Voted the ‘Best Small Market in Florida’ and 15th in the USA, we have a large number of vendors offering fruits and vegetables, dried fruits and nuts, Italian bakery, fresh homemade pasta, kitchenware, cupcakes, beef and fresh seafood, fresh citrus, jewelry, candles and soaps, dip mixes, Florida arts and crafts, cheese, French bakery, baguettes and olives, homemade pies, orchids, organic produce, personalized pens, kettlecorn, coffee beans and drinks, native and exotic plants.Taylor St (across from Historic Charlotte County Courthouse), Punta Gorda. 941-391-4856. Info@PGDowntownMerchants.com.

Venice Farmers Market – 8am-1pm. Every Saturday morning, local farmers, fisherman, craftsmen, bakers, artists and others gather in the heart of historic downtown for a weekly celebration of the best of Venice where you can get fresh seasonal Florida fruits and vegetables direct from local farms. You can’t find any fresher shrimp or seafood. There’s incredible tasty homemade baked goods, trinkets, crafts, soaps, flowers, plants, locally roasted coffee, and more. Tampa Ave between Nokomis & Nassau. 941-929-5304. TheVeniceFarmersMarket. com.

Psychic Fair – 10am-3pm. 2nd & 3rd Saturdays.

Are you searching, questioning and seeking answers? Choose from some of the best Intuitive Artists in the area! See what your future holds! Complimentary refreshments. Private Readings $1/Min. Angel Ministries, 2269 S Tamiami Trl, Venice.

Rev Patricia Charnley, 941-492-4995, revpat@angelministriesfl.org, AngelMinistriesfl.org.

Free Sleep Consultation at Sleep Organics – 10am-5pm or by appt. 650 Central Ave, Sarasota, 941-312-5906, Sleep-Organics.com.

Silva Method (Level 1) – First Saturday each month. This 2-day workshop teaches specialized techniques. Covered topics include habit control, accelerated learning, intuition, healing. Angel Ministries, 2269 Tamiami Trl, Venice. Info, Tami Patzer, MA, CSMI, 941-421-6563. AngelMinistriesfl.org.

Dean Burnside, President Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice 941-371-1311 GoodNewsPestSolutions.com Go Green Plus 3 • Pest Control, Termite Control • Rodent Proofing and Trapping • Bat and Bird Exclusion • Mosquito and Mole Suppression • Bed Bug Control • Residential and Commercial.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Natural Awakenings Family natural awakenings

December 2016

31

A V OYA G E TO W E L L - B E I NG

MARCH 11 - 18, 2017

Join our 14th annual Holistic Holiday at Sea cruise for 7 nights on the luxurious MSC Divina, one of the most ecologically-friendly and elegant cruise liners on the seas. Bask in gracious Italian hospitality and service all while enjoying inspiring lectures and vegan natural foods prepared by our own chefs. Departing from Miami, FL and sailing to lush Ocho Rios, Jamaica; historic Georgetown, Cayman Islands; sunny Cozumel, Mexico; & the paradise of Nassau, Bahamas. Learn more about the classes, cuisine and itinerary at holisticholidayatsea.com.

Chosen by National Geographic Traveler as

ONE OF THE 1 00 BEST WORLDWIDE VACATIONS TO ENRICH YOUR LIFE

FEATURING WORLD-RENOWNED CHEFS, TEACHERS & HEALERS Co-author of The China Study and author of Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition; featured in the film Forks Over Knives

T. COLIN CAMPBELL, PH.D.

Physician, author, & internationally-recognized speaker on nutrition; founded NutritionFacts.org; spoke at Congress, on Dr. Oz, & the Colbert Report

MICHAEL GREGER, M.D. Creator of the popular vegan food blogs HealthyHappyLife.com and FindingVegan.com; author of two best-selling cookbooks

Best-selling author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease; starred in the film Forks Over Knives; featured on CNN’s special The Last Heart Attack

CALDWELL ESSELSTYN, JR. M.D.

KATHY PATALSKY

FOOD OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE - VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE, OIL-FREE AND SHIP’S MENU SWIM, SNORKEL AND KAYAK IN THE CRYSTAL WATERS OF THE CARIBBEAN AWARD-WINNING ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY SHIP DAILY YOGA, MEDITATION, PILATES, QI GONG, DO-IN, RUNNING, FITNESS & BODY BUILDING CLASSES 45 TEACHERS • 145 LECTURES & WORKSHOPS 11 COOKING & BOOTCAMP CLASSES CEU & CME CREDITS AVAILABLE

32

DANCING, SOCIALS & SINGLES EVENT VEGAN PIZZA & ICE CREAM PARTIES CANCER SUPPORT GROUP & RECOVERY PANEL PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS & TREATMENTS AVAILABLE Peace River Edition www.peaceriverna.com

Founder of the Physicians Commitee for Responsible Medicine; author of Food for Life & Power Foods for the Brain; active health advocate

NEAL BARNARD, M.D. Emmy Award-winning author of seven bestselling cookbooks; host of the television show Christina Cooks; health educator for 25+ years

CHRISTINA PIRELLO

LEARN MORE holisticholidayatsea.com info@holisticholidayatsea.com 1-800-496-0989 (Toll Free US) 1-828-749-9537 Holistic Holiday at Sea holisticholidayatsea.com/blog

BOOK TODAY Lorraine Travel bookings@holisticholidayatsea.com

1-877-844-7977 (Toll Free US) 1-305-443-0542 Option 1 for program information Option 2 for travel agent All reservations for our holistic group must be made through Lorraine Travel