Archive for the ‘Healthy Living’ Category

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Robert Butera, author of The Pure Heart of Yoga: Ten Essentials Steps for Personal Transformation Robert has studied meditation and yoga for over twenty-five years and is the founder of the YogaLife Institute in Devon, Pennsylvania, where he trains yoga instructors and publishes Yoga Living magazine.

Kala: Robert, thanks for taking the time to sit down with me for this interview. I enjoyed reading your book as it shares the philosophy that I’ve always aligned with, which I describe as the ‘essence of yoga’. You describe it as the ‘pure heart of yoga’. Can you define what yoga means to you?

Robert: Yoga is the spiritually infused life. Yoga is a path to a viribrant life and Yoga embraces all paths that lead to harmony of mind, body, spirit and environment. One classical definition of Yoga from The Yoga Sutras is that Yoga means cessation of the mind’s waves. (Yoga citta vritti nirodha). Thinking of Yoga in terms of the mind’s waves can be a good barometer regarding if an activity is yoga or not – simply ask yourself if that activity calms the waves of your mind. I am writing this with a smile, mind you!

Kala: In some parts of the US, yoga has become completely mainstream, and in other places, it is still being steadily introduced into communities. For beginners, who are just exploring the idea of yoga and are preparing to take their first class, what advice can you give to beginners?

Robert: Firstly, remember that each and every experience you have can be a source of learning. Finding your perfect style of yoga or the best teacher for you requires some investigation. So, learn from all classes and recognize that finding your perfect situation may take time as there is great variety amongst all the styles of yoga. If your first class is not a fit, remember to try another teacher as there is alot of variety. Be careful of absolutes. There are many physical body types and therefore many ways of doing yoga poses. Non-violence is a cardinal virture in yoga so make sure not to overdo anything or to stretch too far. At the start, read a few books to gain some perspective. In a beginner’s yoga class learn the breathing as it is noted as the top benefit for new students; relaxation is usually second and the interesting philosophy follows. Physical flexibility is often ranked fourth as a benefit to new students, while most think that flexibility would have been the first conclusion.

Kala: In your book, you share 30 main poses, what they represent and how to use them as tools to achieve physical and emotional balance. Can you discuss a few of these poses with us and how they help to create balance within the person?

Robert: As the book states, I recommend that everyone finds a teacher to meet at least once per week to avoid any mistakes. Then, perform a few minutes of a deep breathing exercises in a quiet place. Next, try a group of poses that move your spine in each of 5 directions; a reaching pose to elongate your spine; a twist to release tension; a sidebend for flexibility as the body rarely moves sideways; a forward bend to release stress and a back bend for energy. These exercise can be performed right at your desk during a short break during your workday. The final exercise for the busy person is to maintain the “Smile Pose” and attempt to navigate through the ups and downs of life realizing that the inner state of your mind is the ultimate pose!

Kala: The western world has a bad habit of taking an ancient philosophy and connecting to only a small part of the whole, in an attempt to bypass the full lengthy process and get quick results. For example, I studied Feng Shui for years, at first I studied the western version and I felt it was missing something at the core. I then studied traditional feng shui with two masters, one from China and one from Hong Kong. One of the masters referred to the western version as the McDonald’s version (fast food) of feng shui. I’ve seen this with some yoga practices as well, where it’s touted as exercise and skips over the core of yoga. What are your thoughts about yoga and how it’s practiced here in the west?

Robert: Well, Kala, you have hit a big issue that is a tough one. I went through a big let down in 1989 fresh off of the Yoga Ashram in India (theyogainstitute.org) when a friend gave me a popular yoga magazine. At the Ashram, men and women had separate dormitories, I wasn’t allowed to wear short pants… and the Yoga magazine had a scantly clothed model in a revealing posture on the cover. A point to remember is that the jewels of discovery are within yourself and not in the form of the body but in its essence. Many years have passed and one of my mentors mentioned the concentric circle approach to transformation. Whatever each one of us knows about life and reality can be honored. And however broad our knowledge, we can draw a larger circle around our present state. So, leave open the possibility to learn something new. What you know at this point can be honored and maintained as you circle your present experience with something new. Suffice to say, there is usually much room for authentic yogic wisdom to shine forth.

Ironically, when you learn the theory of yoga in more depth, the mind becomes more focused. This focus quiets the nervous system and actually improves the physical experience of life as well as the spiritual experience.

Kala: Describe for us what you call the body’s Energy Centers and how we can connect with these centers through a yoga practice…

Robert: These days most people have a fascination with the “Chakras” or energy centers in the body. Chakra means ‘wheel’ and in this case relates to a wheels of energy that converge at different areas in the body. The heart chakra is most easily perceived; a loving interaction brings warmth to the heart and sadness brings a constricted or cold feeling. After one performs the yoga poses for six months and understands how to breath and align the body in the poses, understanding the chakras helps go deeper in the poses. This is simply one area of discovery on the inner journey with yoga poses.

Kala: You mention 10 Steps that transcend yoga and connect it with spiritual and emotional growth. Share some of these steps with us…

Robert: Beginning with a spiritual Intention for your yoga practice is an important first step. Start with your first motive even if it feels shallow, say weight loss was your first reason for starting yoga. Then, go beneath that and align weight loss to improved health. Take your nutritional choices and align those with received love in your heart… pretty soon, you have moved into an intention on love that is at the core of weight loss. Another interesting approach is to try to gain an understanding of the attitude of a posture. Inherent in each posture is an expression of an attitude. Yoga poses also relate to archetypes whch is an interesting exploration. There are also the energy centers, concentration points and emotional transformation. The recommendation is to discover one new aspect of yoga poses at a time. If you are a beginner, stick with the alignment and breathing. And as your practice grows, explore the other areas one at a time.

Kala: I view yoga as a way of ‘being’, rather than as some people say that they, ‘take a yoga class’. For example, when I say I’m a dancer, it’s part of my essence and spirit, how often I dance is almost irrelevant, I am a dancer at heart. To me, yoga is the same, one lives and embraces yoga. What are your thoughts?

Robert: My original teachers say that yoga is a culture of consciousness. Yoga studies physical health in great detail as we have been discussing. What few people know is that Yoga also discusses how to work at your job and turn work into Yoga. There are equally detailed teachings on relationships, meditation, psychology, higher knowledge and practically every field of living. So, yes, any activity that is taken to its depth penetrates a person’s consciousness and is a “yoga.”

Kala: Let’s talk about yoga and meditation. Many people picture meditation as sitting in an uncomfortable position for an hour while trying to stop their mind from wandering. Each pose in yoga can be an active, moving meditation. Can you discuss the yoga poses in regards to what they can do for the mind body and spirit?

Robert: Refering back to the definition of Yoga as stilling the waves of the mind; each yoga pose can lead to stilling the mind. A lot of folks ask if stilling the mind is boring, they ask in passionate ways, “Bob, am I supposed to turn into an android?” Ironically, a clear mind is one that loves deeply, it’s a mind that is free of negativity and limiting thoughts. A quiet mind is able to laugh loudly and feel passionately.

Kala: Robert, where does yoga take us next? What do you see as the evolution of yoga?

Robert: I am seeing the maturation of yoga in terms of an increasing interest in all the points that this interview asks, what is further? How can I go deeper in my life? How can I love more, how can I be stress-free in my life? As those who take the time to improve their health physically begin to experience the joy of having a balanced mind, more and more people will look into the theory of yoga. Just as you are helping people access this information, I am seeing an interest in meditation and activities that quiet the mind! Thank You for spreading this information!

Kala: My pleasure Robert and a pleasure to speak with you, thanks for your time. More info on Robert and his book can be found at: PureHeartofYoga.com

Robert: Yes, Thank You Kala, it is always a treat to discuss the essence of Yoga.

What are the challenges and benefits of offering poetry to patients? Can the sharing of poetry expand the vision of practitioners and students in healthcare professions?  What is the role of poetry in community treatment programs? In shelters? In prisons? What can caregivers gain from writing and reading poetry?

On May 21 – 23, 2010, the Life Lines Conference will be held at Duke University, designed for those who have an interest in examining the place of poetry in caregiving.  Three panels of poets and health practitioners will present perspectives on the ways poetry can play a part in caring for patients and communities. Through discussion sessions, participants will have an opportunity to share experiences, to dialogue, to develop techniques, and to gain a deeper appreciation for poetry in the art of healing.

Highlights of the conference include Friday and Saturday evening talks by poets David Whyte and Jane Hirshfield. Ms. Hirshfield will also offer a master class in poetry writing on Sunday morning. More info at: http://www.duke.edu/web/lifelines/

In this column ‘Ask Kala’, intuitive and ancient wisdom teacher Kala Ambrose, invites you to email your probing metaphysical, spiritual, holistic, esoteric and paranormal questions. Due to the volume of email she receives, she won’t be able to answer back individual e-mails. Instead, she’ll choose interesting questions and answer them here on the Examiner. This week’s question is from P.J. in Manchester by the Sea, MA.

Hi Kala,
What do you think about earth changes? It seems like a lot of weird things are happening right now around the world, any thoughts? Thanks, PS; Enjoyed your article on mardi gras, hope to visit there sometime!

Hi P.J.

Recently, in my column on the Examiner, I wrote about the evolution of our aura body and the changes occurring in this energy field as well as in the chakras. In my work as an intuitive, I can see and work with the auric field around the body and in the same sense, I also connect with the Earth and experience when her field is at peace and in balance and when the elements become out of balance and disruptions in the earth occur. The greater the imbalance of the elements, the higher the likelihood of explosive weather patterns and earth changes grow.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve felt an uneasiness from the Mother, Earth that is, and have been observing the weather patterns and extreme variable changes, such as the bizarre whirling wind gust patterns, reaching up to 50 mph which dumped over 30 inches of snow in the NorthEast area of the US., which some meteorologists dubbed a ‘snowcane’.

Intuitively, my senses have been on overdrive recently and my dreams are focused on the ocean, the fish and other creatures living in these waters. In my dreams, they were communicating to me about the changes they are aware of from deep within the ocean’s crust, reporting that there were many fractured and open areas in the sea floor where the Earth was creating pressure and hot streams of water and gas were being released. This may indicate increased volcanic activity.

During my waking hours, I’ve noticed my dog being very agitated over the past couple of months and it’s increased significantly in the last two weeks. I’ve had friend after friend share stories with me about their animals who are on edge and have turned on each other and acted out aggressively in ways that have not been experienced before in their behavior.

In the news, reports of earth changes continue to occur, earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, and a giant iceberg breaking off in the Antarctic, to the surprise of many. Stories abound on aggressive animal behaviors as well, including the recent incident with the whale at Seaworld, the coyote attack at a park in Canada, enormous jellyfish attacks on boats off the coast of Japan, and too many other attacks from tigers, dogs and many other animals to mention.

Mother Earth is communicating through them. She is slowly awakening from a long slumber and is not pleased to see what her children have been doing to their home. As a teacher of the ancient wisdom teachings from the mystery schools, I’ve long described Mother Earth as a mother dog, who is supportive and loving to her puppies. I ask students to visualize a mother dog nursing her puppies with the milk from her body. The puppies push their way greedily in close to the mother, wanting their share of her milk and as they claw, fight and tumble amongst each other, she patiently lies on her side and generously feeds them all. This continues until she has had enough and with no warning, she rolls over and sends the puppies flying in all directions. This is similar to Mother Earth and when she has had enough, she stirs and rolls over, as seen in previous earth changes and movements in history.

Mother Nature has her moods, like we do and weather changes and climate can often indicate and reflect this mood. She is an energy body, and we are all connected to her. Perhaps the greatest travesty portrayed in the history of humanity, is the philosophy that we are somehow separate from nature and from each other. This is counter-intuitive to the philosophy of the ancient wisdom teachings, which I explain as, ‘We Are All One, One Energy, from One Light’. What we do to another is done unto us.

Gaia, Mother Earth, the planet, our home, has her own energy centers, ley lines, vortexes and chakra centers, many of which we refer to as sacred sites around the world. These sacred sites contain and at times, release tremendous energy. This is similar to what our chakras do within our body and throughout our energy fields.

We have experienced what havoc El Nino, the child, can cause with weather, imagine what happens when Mother Nature takes a stand. The earth is out of balance, pushed to the brink of tolerance with the mistreatment of animals and farming and dumping toxins in the ground and oceans. Most of humanity has long forgotten how to connect with the elements and the Mother. - the Divine Feminine. There is a tipping point, that we are nearing, and if that point is reached, it is very difficult to turn back.

In the ancient wisdom teachings, there is a hermetic axiom taught of ‘As Above, So Below’. In the briefest explanation possible, it means that what is done on the earth plane, is received in the other planes of existence and reflected back down. Our thoughts, words, actions and deeds on the earth plane are reflected outward. As author James Allen wrote… ‘He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass, environment is but his looking glass’. Our daily actions cause a direct reaction, the results of which can be seen all around us.

Take a look around at what’s occurring on the planet, the wars, the greed, the children suffering, the mistreatment of land and animals. A critical mass is being reached. As the children of the earth, we can make the changes needed to restore the balance to the elements of earth, air, fire, water and spirit, which bring balance to Mother Earth. The greatest danger lies within each person not realizing how important they are and how much of an effect their actions create on a daily basis.

As I write this article today, I am reminded of a typing class that I took in the ‘80s, back in the day of typewriters, before personal computers were invented. Look at all we have been able to achieve in such a short period of time and how we are now able to connect and communicate through the internet. We were given the ability to create and manifest and we can make a difference.

In that typing class back in the 80’s, we were taught to type one sentence over and over, for the range of motion that it gives one on the keyboard. That sentence is:

Now is the time, for all great men to come to the aid of their country.

Now, more than ever before, this statement is more prophetic than ever. Take action, help to create positive changes within you and where you live and it will spread around the world.

Dr. Deanna Minich is an internationally-known nutritionist with a unique approach to holistic health, food and nutrition. She combines the various facets of her background integrating her academic training in medicine with her study of energy work including shamanic healing practices, reiki, yoga and intuition, the results of which have been published in several books through Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari. Through her years of experience, she has uncovered the art and unification of what occurs when food is connected with spirit. Recently, I sat down to speak with Deanna to learn more about her practical applications and work to help people achieve what she describes as …‘bridging the gap between the earthly body of our being and the heavenly essence of our soul.

Kala: Deanna, wonderful to speak with you again. I enjoyed having you as a guest on the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show where we discussed your book, Chakra Foods for Optimum Health .Today, I’d like to speak with you about your book: Quantum Supplements; A Total Health and Wellness Makeover with Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs. Deanna, what prompted you to write this book?

Deanna: When we think about nourishment, it is important to think about everything that we ingest. Of course, everyone eats food, and with many people wanting to take control of their health, they are also taking dietary supplements in some form or another, whether it’s a daily multi-vitamin, vitamin C tablet, or Echinacea if they feel they are becoming unwell. In addition, an increasing number of health care practitioners are implementing nutritional therapy in their practices, prescribing dietary supplements such as omega-3 oils or probiotics. As a result, there is more awareness about using supplemental nutrients overall.

Kala: How does nutrition affect the chakra system?

Deanna: Everything we do, say, think, and eat impacts our well-being. It is all “information” for the body to digest and transform. We have our physical body, which uses the nutrients from food as energy to live. In the ancient spiritual texts in India, they refer to more subtle aspects of our being – an “energy body” – which will respond to our environment just like our physical body. Our being is wired with paths for this subtle energy to travel on. There are certain places in the body where these “energy highways” coalesce – these intersections are the “chakras” or main energy centers. In Sanskrit, “chakra” means wheel, and, thus, this term is used to refer to the nature of these energy centers – they flux energy in and out of our being. In Western medicine, we might say that they correspond to the major endocrine glands of the body. Essentially, the way that I see chakras is as subtle and symbolic. Each of them connect to a specific aspect of our being: structure, emotions, power, love, authenticity, intuition, and interconnectedness. There is no doubt that food, supplements, and eating hook into each of these aspects of who we are. For example, instead of expressing our emotions, we may stuff them down with food. Instead of telling someone you love them, we may make them a meal. Rather than say what we want to eat, we may let someone else determine what goes in our mouth. Therefore, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to connect foods/nutrients/eating to these aspects.

Kala: How can the vibrational properties of vitamins, minerals and herbs help to balance our body and restore energy?

Deanna: By being in tune with what we need, we can use vitamins, minerals, and herbs to get us into balance. Just like foods, each vitamin, mineral, and herb carries its unique energetic signature. Minerals will be more dense and physical (think of iron, zinc, and calcium), vitamins act as catalysts (B vitamins are used for metabolizing carbohydrates), and herbs contain inherent information for healing (think of the origins of aspirin, white willow bark). I think it is beneficial to tap into supplements as needed. For example, perhaps we are living a stressful life. We are over-committed, over-tasked, and overwhelmed. What may happen is that our physiology begins to “mirror” our surroundings. We may start to feel on overdrive from within – our blood sugar may be erratic, our insulin levels may be overextended. Taking the mineral, chromium, or supplementing with herbs such as extracts from bitter melon and cinnamon, may help to provide the vibration we need to rope ourselves back into balance mode.

Kala: Are supplements enough to bring the body back into balance? For example, the american diet is so full of processed food, can one continue to eat processed food and maintain balance with the use of supplements?

Deanna: I don’t believe in “quick fixes” or “silver bullets”. Supplements are one therapy on a palette of many other options. They are potent substances, but also need the support of healthy, vibrant eating, movement, thinking, and emoting. Without everything else in combination, they may not be as powerful as they truly could be. I believe that the first approach to becoming well and maintaining balance is to look at one’s lifestyle. Are you overworking? Are you passionate about what you do and how you live? If not, perhaps some changes need to be made. Eating nourishing foods will be helpful, and eating them in a mindful, loving way will be even better at assisting one in finding balance. An individual’s surroundings may be so stressful that he or she can eat all the nutrient-dense food they want, but they may need added protection. An example would be living in a polluted city. In this instance, a healthy eating regimen combined with appropriate supplements can be of value.

Kala: There’s a huge debate about vitamins, some say that cold pressed vitamins don’t have much nutritional value. What are your feelings on the best way to absorb nutrients?

Deanna: First of all, I think it’s important to examine the health of the gut. Is your gut in a healthy state? I believe it’s better to start here so you can absorb everything you need to optimally rather than focus on the other way around – find supplements that can be absorbed in an unhealthy gut. There are a number of ways to heal an unhealthy gut – the first is to remove the offending substances that you eat. Find out what you are allergic to by working with a healthcare practitioner. Note that most of your immune system is in the gut, so if you are eating foods that you are allergic to, you will be creating an immune response every time you eat. You may also need to examine whether you are stressed when you eat, whether you eat too much, and if you are eating the proper amount at times that your digestion is robust (like eating a larger meal in the afternoon rather than in late evening before bedtime). Supplements such as pancreatic enzymes, probiotics, and fiber may be important in helping to heal the gut. Regarding absorbing nutrients, make sure you follow the instructions provided on the label. If it states to take with food, it’s probably because it’s a fat-soluble substance or it needs food to facilitate its absorption. There may be other supplements that are best absorbed and used by the body when taken throughout the day rather than in one dose, like calcium. Since we only absorb 20-25% of calcium on average, it is better to take smaller amounts throughout the day rather than one huge pill.

Kala: You’re also the author of: An A to Z Guide to Food Additives: Never Eat What You Can’t Pronounce. Sadly, I think 80 percent of what we see in products in the grocery store contain label descriptions that are difficult to pronounce. Why are our foods filled with such complicated ingredients?

Deanna: Our foods are filled with these “unpronounceables” because the majority of consumers want food to be convenient, cheap, abundant, and good tasting. As a result, the food industry responds to this consumer demand by creating additive-laden foods so they can sit on the shelves longer at a low price. As Michael Pollan has said, “We vote with our fork.”

We need to take the responsibility as consumers to demand high-quality foods by speaking out, and by not supporting the purchase of the lower quality items. We put our energy where our money is. If we want to change, we need to start with our next food purchase, food selection in a restaurant, and, ultimately, with the next bite of food.

I would say that your best bet is to shop the perimeter of the store where there are more fresh foods rather than face the complicated foods in the “guts of the store” that are disguised in cardboard, metal, plastic, and Styrofoam.

Kala: Are there some additives that you’d like to attach a red light to and say Stop! Never eat these?

Deanna: Absolutely! There are some additives that don’t do you any good to eat, and, in fact, may cause deleterious effects when consumed over a long period of time. One of them is TRANS FATS. Trans fats were created by the food industry to stabilize fats in a food. Now we know that they are awful for our cardiovascular system. They increase our bad cholesterol and reduce our good cholesterol, so not a good effect overall. As of 2006, it became the law to list trans fat content on Nutrition Facts Labels. However, if the content of trans fats is less than 0.5 grams, the food manufacturer can list the content of trans fats as zero! Therefore, you need to read the ingredient list, and if you see anything that says “partially hydrogenated” on it, be advised that it most likely has trans fats in it. The other “never” ingredient is ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS. I think that if we are eating a healthy diet, we will find these substances to be too sweet, and they may encourage cravings. Aside from potential cravings, many of them may have side effects, often neurological ones like headaches and dizziness in some people. I would avoid them at all costs!

Kala: Any tips you’d like to share with us on how best to shop and prepare our meals?

Deanna: The best way to shop is to make sure that you are not stressed when you are making food choices. Use the grocery store as a sanctuary. Enter into it in a meditative, purely calm state so that you can listen to what your body truly needs. In preparing your meals, do the same. Ensure that you like your kitchen, that you want to be in it – paint it a color that makes you feel creative. Orange is the color for creativity so that may be a good place to start. Light some candles, play some music, and create your meal. Whether you are shopping, or preparing or eating food, the most important part of all is that you feel your body and soul are nourished.

Kala: Deanna, a pleasure as always. Thanks for taking the time to share information on having a healthier lifestyle!

Deanna: The pleasure is mine! I enjoy getting the word out about healthy eating. If your readers want daily tips, please have them sign up for the “Food and Spirit Facebook Fan Page” or they can sign up for my newsletter via my website at www.foodandspirit.com. Nourishing wishes to all!

Faith, Hope and Charity, is it possible that one small gift could give the recipient all of these things and more? In a world where what makes the news on a daily and hourly basis is the reporting of the failures and shadow side of humanity, we’ve lost our perspective on what is real in daily life. The fact is, on most any given day, something terribly devastating won’t happen to you and if that day does come, there are enlightened, compassionate human beings who stand ready to be of service and gather at your side.

With this thought in mind dear readers, we’ve reached the last and perhaps most important gift in our 12 Gifts of Enlightenment Series, which is: Give the Gift of Hope.

The Health Arts Network at Duke (HAND)  holds a vision of integrating the arts with healthcare and has been accomplishing this mission since 1978, offering literary, visual and performing arts to staff, visitors, patients and their families. HAND is recognized nationally as being one of most comprehensive hospital arts programs in the United States. On the HAND website, Kevin Sowers, CEO of Duke University Hospital states, ‘As we think to the future of the delivery of healthcare, more and more, we will be faced with the challenges of further understanding the mind, body and spirit connection. The arts draw on all three pieces; the mind, body and spirit. I believe advancement of our understanding of psycho-neuroimmunology and the impact and influence of the arts on healing and well-being will be an important component of the future of the delivery of healthcare’.

Offering an admirable array of services, HAND has an Artist in Residence program, where professional musicians perform at patient bedsides and waiting areas, maintains an inventory of over 2000 original artworks through the medical center, including placing original art in patient rooms, and features a touchable art gallery collection, accessible to children who are awaiting eye surgery.

Readily apparent at HAND is the outpouring of compassion and love in these programs. As a writer, I was particularly drawn to a program called the Write for You Literary Art program. Led by Grey Brown, the Literary Arts Coordinator for HAND, the program provides free journals to oncology patients, patients receiving bone marrow transplants, psychiatric care patients, high risk pregnancy mothers on long term bed rest, cardiology patients, recipients of organ transplants, family members of patients, and patients referred to the program by care givers. The program provides patients with the journals and organizes group sessions to write and read poetry and offers participants the opportunity to share their journaling if they feel comfortable doing so. According to Grey Brown, many patients are in long term care, spending their days in the hospital. One example of a therapeutic group exercise is ’seasonal journaling’, which allows patients who are indoors to connect with nature and the seasons through their writings,  sharing their emotions and memories with others.

The program reports that the journals can help patients and their families reduce stress, explore feelings they have associated with both their illness and their healing journey, express gratitude, track physical and emotional changes on a daily basis, make notes to discuss regarding their health care, record personal feelings, fears and prayers, as well as track their medications and treatment schedules.

When speaking with Grey Brown, what I felt strongly was that the journals offered the gift of hope. There is a power in writing and in sharing and expressing those thoughts with others. For many people, journaling allows them to step out of the fray and connect with their thoughts as they physically engage in the act of writing them down. During this process, the writing releases the emotions and allows for a healing process to begin. I asked Grey, who has run this program since 1998, why she chooses to do this work, for certainly, it takes strong character and an open heart to work with patients who are dealing with life threatening illness on such a personal level. Her reply was, ‘I’m doing what I know to do, I have an ease in the hospital, it makes me happy. What I love about the patients is that they are living in the moment, it’s a privilege for me to be in their midst’. Grey, who is also a poet, began the program offering journals to the pediatric bone marrow transplant patients and families and since then it has spread to serve the six other organizations mentioned above. Her future plans for the program include expanding to community settings creating groups which combine poetry, journaling and healing as well as providing journals to hospice programs.

HAND’s  Write for You journal program, is in need of your help. In the past, some publishers donated journals to the program, but with the decline of the economy hitting the publishing industry very hard, HAND is no longer receiving journals from the publishing industry. If the spirit calls to you, Give the Gift of Hope, contact Grey Brown at HAND and send a journal to their program or a donation to purchase journals. The very journal you send today, can be in someone’s hands tomorrow, bringing peace, comfort, and hope. Let’s change the news and change the world, one step at a time. Share the news with others about HAND and encourage friends, co-workers and groups to participate and send in journals and donations and lend a helping hand. In the words of my favorite poet, Maya Angelou, ‘I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver’.

Gentle readers, as we draw to the closing of the 12 Gifts of Enlightenment, my wish is that these gifts have encouraged you to try some of them in your daily lives as well as offered inspiration as gift ideas for the metaphysically inclined people in your life. May the new year bring you great blessings and joy.

If you’ve missed any of the featured 12 Gift’s of Enlightenment, click here to view each of the gifts:  One, Two, Three, Four, Five Six,  Seven, Eight, Nine,  Ten or Eleven.  Click on the subscribe button on the top section of this page, where you’ll be notified via email each time a new article by yours truly appears.

Hoping that your days are merry and bright,
Kala

More about Kala Ambrose:
Kala is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. Kala’s  book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings,  Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine). Kala’s Guided Meditations CD’s include Spirit of Hawaii and Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey.  More info: www.ExploreYourSpirit.com

Enjoyed this article? Kala welcomes your comments and reads them all. For more articles by Kala Ambrose, visit her main page at National Metaphysical Spirituality Examiner.

Book: Life Beyond 100
Author: Dr. Norm Shealy
Publisher: Tarcher

As the new year approaches, we’ll raise our glasses in a toast to health, wealth and prosperity. When we enjoy good health, all things are possible and we have the energy and vitality to create and manifest our goals and dreams. Continuing our 12 Days – 12 Gifts of Enlightement series, the countdown marches on as we’re moving on to Gift Number 7, which is: Give the Gift of Health and Vitality.

The awareness of a Body-Mind and Spirit cohesion, manifests the enlightened human in all forms – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. This connection has been taught in esoteric spirituality throughout the ages and now is recognized in the realms of science as quantum physics discerns that every cell carries energy and vibration and can be affected by conscious thought. In the new millennium, east and west philosophies are metaphorically shaking hands, agreeing to work together to blend contemporary scientific knowledge with ancient wisdom integrative practices from India, China and Egypt. Emerging from this partnership, is the return and renewal of holistic medicine, which focuses on pro-active patterns of creating and continuing to keep the body in a harmonic state of wellness, rather than having the body descend into a pattern of illness or dis-ease, in which attention is then turned to the body for repair.

As this transformation of awareness in the body occurs, a critical missing link has resurfaced — the importance of holistic nutrition to sustain and nourish the body from the cellular level onward to create harmony and vitality. Dr. Deanna M. Minich, a guest on the Explore Your Spirit show, is a nutritionist, researcher and counselor with a Ph.D. in medical sciences and human nutrition. Author of Chakra Foods for Optimum Health, her new book is : Quantum Supplements: A Total Health and Wellness Makeover with Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs.

Dr. Minich’s informational guide explains the concept of vibrational energy-healing in foods and reveals the life affirming properties of vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals including how they activate and balance the body’s natural energy centers and chakras. Of equal importance, she discusses contraindications, which explain how too much of a particular supplement can be harmful, which has been a much neglected area of study in the field of supplements. This go to guide will serve as a handy reference for years to come and makes a great gift for the holidays and new year. Imagine receiving a gift basket full of books on holistic health and healing, complete with a selection of organic foods and fresh fruits and vegetables, which verily abounds with good energy.

To create your gift basket of health, also add any of the works of Dr. Norm Shealy. Legendary neurosurgeon and holistic health leader, Dr. Norman Shealy was instrumental in creating The American Holistic Medical Association, which continues to emphasize the spiritual component of healing. Holding over ten patents for innovative discoveries and author of over 24 books, his latest is Life Beyond 100 – Secrets of the Fountain of Youth. Dr. Shealy discusses leading-edge therapies and breakthroughs in the science of longevity. By following commonsense habits, we can expect to achieve an average lifespan of one hundred years. The fountain of youth according to Dr. Shealy, includes a practice and awareness of mind and body techniques which contribute to active, vital healthy living. His interview on Life Beyond 100, can be heard here in the archives of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala show.

Another fine edition to add to the collection is from co-founder of the Chopra Center, Dr. David Simon. Dr. Simon is a mind-body physician and author of Free to Love, Free to Heal: Heal Your Body by Healing Your Emotions. He shares that negative emotions can be addressed and resolved, which can lead the body into healing. His book delves into why masking symptoms will never alleviate the root of the problem and discusses how to take responsibility for your illness but not take blame and why managed care is not working and what to do instead. For more information, listen to my interview with Dr. Simon here.

For the holistically connected metaphysician in your life, I highly recommend these books and studies as stimulating reading. Perhaps the best gift we have received in the 21st century is the revolutionary turn that the field of medicine is taking – as more and more physicians are speaking out about health and healing and sharing their revelations and new discoveries. A plethora of books are now available sharing the fascinating research ongoing with the body-mind-spirit connection. To find out about more leading edge research in this field, visit the Healthy Holistic Living archives of Explore Your Spirit and listen to a wide variety of interviews with the world’s leading doctors and researchers as they share their findings on this topic.

Perhaps the best gift we can give or receive is as the old adage states, “to stop and smell the roses”. Taking the time each day to adopt simple practices such as breathing deeply, creating ten minute mental breaks and gentle stretching can provide tremendous benefit to our well-being. After working for hours hunched over a computer screen, lean back and stretch! Stand up and slowly take a deep breath in and blow out. Stretch your arms over your head. Gently turn side to side and stretch your body slowly, feel each muscle as it is stretched, while breathing in a slow, relaxed manner. Be aware of your body, your neck, your shoulders, back, arms, and hands. Work your way gently down your body, stretching each part and while doing so, continue to breathe deeply and connect with your body, silently thanking it for all that it does for you.

This can also be done while sitting at your desk, sit back for a moment, relax your arms and stretch. A simple three minute break of stretching, combined with deep breathing and relaxing, can clear your thoughts and bring renewed energy to your body, making you feel better and create renewed clarity and focus to the project on hand.

Simple, yet highly effective, these gifts are easy and the rewards are long lasting. “Bona valetudo melior est quam maximae divitiae”. Translation: “Good health is worth more than the greatest wealth.”

Tune in tomorrow as we explore Enlightenment Gift Number Eight. If you’ve missed Gift’s One, Two, Three or Four, Five, or Six, click on the links here to visit the articles and click on the subscribe button on the top section of this page, where you’ll be notified via email each time a new article by yours truly appears.

Wishing you a new year filled with health and vitality,
Kala

More about Kala Ambrose:
Kala is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. Kala’s  book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings,  Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine). Kala’s Guided Meditations CD’s include Spirit of Hawaii and Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey.  More info: www.ExploreYourSpirit.com

Welcome to Day Two of the 12 Gifts of Enlightenment holiday gift list. Day One’s gift was: Give The Gift of Intuition and the Goddess

Today, I’m pleased to present the holiday gift idea of…

Enlightenment Gift Number Two:
Give The Gift of Light,  Illumination and Purification

One thing that almost everyone can agree on, is that no gift can compete with the beauty, simplicity and elegance provided by Mother Nature. From the uplifting scent of pine and balsam fir evergreen trees and garland boughs, to the glorious red, pink and white colors of pointsetta’s and amaryllis flowers, to the crackling sounds of the Yule log in the fire with chestnuts roasting, it’s a wonder filled natural holiday. The sights, sounds and scents of nature’s finest, renew the mind, body and spirit.

As we approach the Winter Solstice, which provides the shortest amount of daylight of the year, give your loved ones the gift of light and illumination. With this symbolic gift of light, it reminds us that no matter how dark the situation may appear around us, light and enlightenment will always return.  During the cold dark nights of winter,  we are given the opportunity to journey into dark recesses of our shadow selves, as ancient cultures did in ceremonial caves and temples. This personal journey is best taken with a light in hand, to guide us and remind us of the warmth, love and nourishment of the Divine, which is everlasting.

After careful thought and consideration, I believe that I’ve arrived upon the perfect natural gift of light and illumination – the Himalayan Salt Lamp.

The Himalayan mountains provide beautiful formations of rock salt crystals, which are now made into lamps and are available online and in many stores. The lamps are sold on a base and come fitted with a 40 watt bulb which is inserted inside the salt lamp. Once plugged in, the lamp emits a beautiful glow which can range from a deep orange red, to a soft pink, depending upon the color and density of the lamp that you choose. Beyond this stunning light, which softly illuminates a room, the salt lamp also emits negative ions, which are important for all beings.

Studies have shown that negative ions can assist with good health, especially to do with fatigue, headaches, and relieving stress. In addition, they can serve to purify the air and raise our vital energy. Perhaps most importantly, they counteract positive ions which when in too high of levels, can cause depression, insomnia, headaches and general fatigue. Positive ions are generated by pollutants in the air and electrical devices in the home. Natural ways in which we receive doses of negative ions include when we are near waterfalls, thunderstorms, where the waves of the ocean meet the shore and in powerful mountains areas such as in a dense pine forest. For most of us, who don’t live on the ocean or in a pine forest, a salt lamp can provide much needed relief as it releases negative ions into the home or office.

When giving this unique gift of illumination and purification, I highly recommend that you include a book which explains the expansive and valuable history of salt, as well as the unique properties of salt lamps and how best to use them. One of my favorite books which covers all of this information is: Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamps For Healing, Harmony and Purification by Clemence Lefevre. The book provides a wonderful overview of the history and properties of salt as well as covering the many benefits of negative ions, while also discussing the use of color through chromotherapy. Clemence provides a handy guide to salt lamps, from practical uses in the home, to how salt lamps are used in the paranormal sciences including: chakras, clairvoyance, crystal programming, dowsing, feng shui, magic, meditation, planetary consciousness, protection, purification, reiki, relaxation, shape waves, telepathy and visualization. This information alone makes the book a valuable resource for the metaphysically inclined loved one on your gift list.

During this peaceful, light-filled festival season of light, embrace mother nature, deck the halls with boughs of holly and give the gift of light, with a beautiful salt lamp and guide book to lead your metaphysically inspired loved one on a personal journey which can benefit the body, the mind and the soul.  And of course, don’t forget to hang a little mistletoe for a late night kiss. Thanks to the Celtic Druids for another fine custom that we can all enjoy!

Check back in tomorrow for Gift of Enlightenment Suggestion Number Three.

In the spirit of the season
*~Kala~*

More about Kala Ambrose:
Kala is an award winning author, intuitive and talk show host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. Her thought-provoking interviews entice listeners to tune in around the globe! Described by her guests and listeners as discerning, empowering and inspiring, she speaks with world renowned authors, artists, teachers and researchers delving into metaphysical, holistic and paranormal topics. Kala’s  book, 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled delves into the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mystery schools and explains their wisdom teachings. Kala lectures on Esoteric Teachings,  Developing Business Intuition, Working with Auras, Chakras and Energy Fields, and Wise Woman Wisdom (also known as the Divine Feminine). Kala’s Guided Meditations CD’s include Spirit of Hawaii and Egyptian Mystery Temple and Tibetan Mountain Journey.  More info: www.ExploreYourSpirit.com

The Medicine Within YOU—Personal and Planetary Healing is the theme for this year’s annual New Year’s Conference held at the international headquarters of Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E. in Virginia Beach, Va. This conference invites participants to rediscover the path of beauty that was once known to all our ancestors. Speakers include Ken “Bear Hawk” Cohen, author of Honoring the Medicine, who shares Native American sacred Earth teachings,  Mark Thurston, PhD, Judith Stevens, Henry Reed, PhD, and Peter Woodbury—all will explore personal and global transformation, living in harmony with the natural world and healing bodies, souls, and the planet.

Kenneth “Bear Hawk” Cohen, a health educator and practitioner of indigenous medicine, has trained with Native American and other indigenous elders for more than thirty years. His work is strongly endorsed by his adoptive Cree Indian family and elders from several nations. He was an apprentice to Rolling Thunder, Keetoowah, and other noted North American Indian medicine people and is a member of several medicine societies. In 2003, Ken won the leading international award in energy medicine, the Alyce and Elmer Green Award for Innovation and Lifetime Achievement.

Mark Thurston, PHD, is an educator, psychologist, and author of nineteen books about personal spirituality. He worked with the A.R.E. and Atlantic University from 1973 through 2008, and is a cofounder and course leader for the Personal Transformation and Courage Institute. Mark is now senior fellow at George Mason University’s Center for Consciousness and Transformation, in suburban Washington, D.C., where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on consciousness, meaning, and conflict transformation.

Judith Stevens, a former A.R.E. staff member who served as manager of the worldwide Search for God Study Group Program and originated A.R.E.’s Prison Outreach Program, has studied the Cayce readings for more than forty years and is the author of the forthcoming book Edgar Cayce’s Tools for Abundance. She will lead the New Year’s Eve meditation. Henry Reed, PhD, Director of the Edgar Cayce Institute of Intuitive Studies, is a visionary psychologist who has, for more than forty years, used his dreams and visions to create extraordinary experiences for others. Peter Woodbury, MSW, a Harvard University graduate and psychotherapist who focuses on the use of spirituality and faith as tools for transformation, is a popular A.R.E. tour leader and speaker on the Edgar Cayce perspective.

Ellen Cayce, who served on A.R.E.’s staff for fifteen years, will lead a special morning World Peace Meditation that has been celebrated every New Year’s Eve at A.R.E. for more than twenty years. Patrick Belisle, director of A.R.E.’s Office of Development and a longtime student and teacher of the Cayce material, will help you find your own path through joyful service to others.

Celebrate 2010 with an exciting New Year’s celebration featuring music, dancing, fellowship, food, and fun, followed by a peaceful midnight meditation to usher in the New Year. Special thanks to The Heritage Store for underwriting our New Year’s celebration.

Open to all, The Medicine Within YOU—Personal and Planetary Healing is scheduled for December 28-31, at Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E., 215 67th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451. Admission is $255, with special pricing for a single day or single presentations. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for this conference are approved by IACET and provided by Atlantic University. The conference is approved for up to 15.58 contact hours or 1.56 academic CEUs. For more information or to register, contact the A.R.E. conference registrars at 757-428-3588, ext. 7401, or go to EdgarCayce.org/conferences.

Held concurrently with the adult conference, there is also a youth track for this event. Teens, ages 13 to 17, are invited to attend Where Are YOU in the World? at the special tuition rate of $250 which also includes food and lodging. A residential program entitled The Cayce Principles: Inside and Out is open to young adults between the ages 18 and 25. Tuition of $250 includes food and lodging for four nights. Finally, a special $45 children’s one-day program, Making My Mark in the World, is open to kids ages 5 to 12.

More about the A.R.E…
Edgar Cayce founded the non-profit Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) in 1931, to explore spirituality, holistic health, intuition, dream interpretation, psychic development, reincarnation, and ancient mysteries—all subjects that frequently came up in the more than 14,000 documented psychic readings given by Cayce, who died in 1945. The mission of A.R.E. is simply to help people around the world change their lives for the better through the ideas and information found in the readings. The Virginia Beach headquarters is a popular site for locals and tourists with free daily lectures, a Health Center and Spa, the Cayce/Reilly® School of Massotherapy, an extensive metaphysical library, a meditation garden, a stone labyrinth, and a bookstore and gift shop. Visitors from around the world come to our conferences to hear expert speakers on subjects like ancient mysteries, holistic health, and spiritual development. A.R.E. also maintains an affiliation with Atlantic University. Through its many programs, services, publications, and membership outreach, Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E. provides individuals from all walks of life and a variety of religious backgrounds with tools for personal transformation and healing at all levels—body, mind, and spirit. For more information about Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E., please visit EdgarCayce.org.

What is Consciousness? I spoke recently with friend Eva Herr about this very question. In her experience as a radio host and author, she has asked more than fifty learned people to respond, scholars in the study of the mind and consciousness. She said that she received fifty different answers. But I have a short and concise answer that she just may not have heard uttered. I want to share this with you.

Today, as I cut the grass on a beautiful and warm Hawaiian day, I didn’t think of consciousness as I steered the riding mower around the couple of lawn acres, not thought of it at all until I had to trim along the fences with a self propelled hand mower which, on the uphill grades, is not always effortless. Then it hit me: To have two gas-powered machines, let alone the fact that one can be mounted like a horse and has a drink receptacle, was truly a gift. I could have had to push some old-fashioned reel mower which would have required days of effort and may have stressed my heart. Well, it came soon on the heels of that thought that just to be able to ponder such a question is another gift, just as is my stopping to view the beautiful fluffy white clouds in an azure Hawaiian sky. So, what is consciousness?

My friend Robert Bruce, author of Astral Dynamics, asked me a dozen years ago if I could fashion an appendix for his book. He wanted me, as a brain surgeon, to describe the location of consciousness and the seat of the soul. I did this for him, taking time to study the work of great scholars.

There were many guesses as to the location of consciousness, but none seemed to be correct. According to Gerald M. Edelman, “Consciousness is neither a thing nor a simple property.” Edelman has asserted that a fundamental property of consciousness is that it cannot be broken down into independent components. That is to say, consciousness is integrated within the brain, and involves many widely separated areas.

I began my study with the work of the famous neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield (Montreal Neurological Institute), who found that vast areas of the cerebral cortex can be removed without affecting consciousness. However, small areas of the brainstem, when destroyed, will seriously affect or abolish consciousness. Brain stimulation cases show that found that the “mind,” not the brain, watches and directs human cognition and function.

Thanks to Robert’s request for my opinion, I came across something that allowed me to finish my book, Medicine, Miracles and Manifestations as it seems to prove that we incarnate on Earth to follow a carefully crafted plan. That critical piece of information is the Bereitschaftspotential and as demonstrated by the work of Dr. Benjamin Libet, (University of California, San Francisco). Libet described it as a “readiness potential” that can be picked up by EEG electrodes (a la Libet) or in modern times, functional MRI studies. It is a brain signal that precedes a consciously-made motor movement by roughly 350 milliseconds and it indicates that what we seemingly do of our own volition is actually initiated in the subconscious mind. Although we feel we have made a conscious decision to do perform an act, it is not so.

I investigated the work of many other luminaries in the field and was left with the thought that can be best described by the following quotation:

On the surface of things, nothing appears as it is.

And yet, everything that appears unreal,

is more real than the surface of things appears to be.

Now, after having a few years to reflect on consciousness, to study the work of others and to listen to their learned discourses, I have reached a concise description of what consciousness is. Perhaps in a few years my thoughts will change, but for now, I will say this:

“Consciousness is a gift.  Consciousness is a miracle”.

Dr. John L. Turner was a guest on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show Listen to his interview here: http://exploreyourspirit.com/Media/shows8.shtml#TURNERMEDICINE

More About Dr. John L. Turner:
After graduating from the Ohio State University with a degree in engineering physics, Dr. Turner continued in graduate school at the Ohio State University, Department of Physics. Three years into the PhD program, he was given a book about Edgar Cayce, The Sleeping Prophet. This changed the course of his life! He was excited about the existence of a spiritual world and made immediate plans to attend the Ohio State University’s College of Medicine where he earned his M.D. He completed his internship year in general surgery and his first year neurosurgical residency at Ohio State University. He completed the remaining four years of neurosurgical training at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. For eighteen years, he served as the sole neurosurgeon on the island of Hawai’i, initially performing lifesaving procedures with a marginally trained staff and substandard equipment. By all measures, John L. Turner is a surgeon with classic western medical credentials. From his first day on call in Hilo, Hawai’i, metaphysical events appeared for his edification and continue to the present day.

Medicine, Miracles, and Manifestations, is the twenty-year story of Dr. Turner’s contributions to the field of neurosurgery through Integral Medicine. The concept of Integral Medicine has been written about by notable members of the medical community, including Andrew Weil, Larry Dossey, Deepak Chopra, Mehmet Oz and Dean Ornish. Each of these writers is a physician who specializes in internal medicine or surgery. What makes John Turner similar to these writers is that he, too, is a physician. What makes him different from these writers is that he is a neurosurgeon. In fact, he is the only brain surgeon to write of medicine from this perspective: hand’s on use of complementary techniques prior to, during and after surgery, and exploration of pathways that lead to the spiritual world. The tools of the surgeon normally have more immediate, measurable results on patients’ health and well-being. With the opportunity to study and operate on the brain, Dr. Turner was in a perfect position to explore the mind-body connection. Medicine, Miracles, and Manifestations reveals how metaphysical events such as remote viewing, telepathy, consciousness and life-after-death are verifiable manifestations of the manner in which the human brain interfaces with the universal consciousness that author Lynne McTaggart refers to as The Field. More info at: www.johnlturner.com

On Explore Your Spirit with Kala’s Bohemian Blog, we seek out innovative holistic practitioners who work with the Body, Mind and Spirit connection.  Join us as we meet up with bright souls who do what they love to assist each person back into balance on the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual level. On this path, we connected with Suzette Faith Foster, Energetic/Sound Holistic Practitioner and Wellness Consultant.

Kala: Hi Suzette, Thanks for joining us here on Kala’s Bohemian Blog. We’re featuring a special section on the Bohemian Blog entitled Holistic Healthy Living.  You work as an energetic sound holistic practitioner, certified reiki master, wellness consultant,and ordained minister. How long have you been in this line of work and how did it begin for you?

Suzette: I started exploring spirituality and energy work in 1998 and felt immediately drawn to it. It slowly progressed for 2-3 years before I realized that I had found my passion and life calling.  My goal is to share my message of hope and healing world wide.

Kala: You were thrown from your mountain bike and immediately paralyzed from the neck down, breaking your C2 neck vertebra into two separate pieces, which resulted in spinal cord edema. Most people with this injury die immediately and those that do survive are quadriplegics. Yet here you stand in good health and able to move freely. How did you recover from this debilitating accident?

Suzette: I fortunately had been immersed in the law of attraction, spiritual, and quantum physics teachings. I relate to everything through the eyes of energy. I knew the innate healing capacity of the mind, body, and spirit, and here on October 3, 2005 I had an opportunity to walk my talk.  I knew my body was pure energy, I knew my mind could connect to the consciousness of my body, and I knew I was connected to a higher power.

Einstein said “Intuition does not come to the unprepared mind”. When he discovered the theory of relativity, it came to him in a flash of intuition.  But only after he had studied and pondered the great mysteries of physics for years.  This preparation allowed him to observe things that would have gone unnoticed to the unprepared mind. I know my prior ‘spiritual preparation’ saved my life and gave me the belief and discipline to not limit Spirit working through me.  We are all on a journey of discovering ourselves in Oneness with a higher power/Infinite Intelligence. My story is here to inspire readers to redefine impossible, think bigger and reach higher for their dreams and journeys to wholeness.

Staying calm—I trusted even ‘this’ was in divine order. My beliefs created a field of ‘no resistance’, ‘allowing’ the healing energy in. Most people with this injury die at the scene because they stop breathing.  When I stopped breathing, using only my mind, I thought, “I refuse to accept this limitation, God is my Source!” And a lightening bolt-like energy went through me. I repeated that affirmation, another bolt of energy coursed through me, then I regained my breath. In the emergency room I announced several times, “This is temporary, see me dancing.”  I knew the healing I was after was an inside job, thus spent a lot of time meditating, visualizing dancing and wholeness and being in gratitude that it had already occurred. After surgery reconnected my C2, they told me I’d be in the ICU for 7-10 days, I told them I’d be out in 2 days; I was out in 2 days. They told me I’d be in the hospital a minimum of 3 weeks, I said I’d be out in a week; I was out in a week.

With a lot of prayers and support from friends and my Mom, I continued healing at ‘break-neck speed’. As I got stronger, I relearned everything that we take for granted; others had to shower me and dry my hair.  Today I am fully mobile, doing yoga, biking (just not the obstacles anymore!) and hiking.

Photo caption: Back for her first ride with friends from the Raleigh Ski and Outing club , nine months post injury.

Kala: You describe blockages of energy as obstructions which may include chronic or severe physical pain, a life threatening illness, a complicated disease, ‘accidental’ injuries, emotional issues or financial challenges, which can manifest as emotional and/or physical issues or symptoms.  Explain the holistic techniques that you use to remove the energy blocks and how this works to repair the body…

Suzette: I facilitate my clients back to wholeness through a combination of life coaching, energy healing and sound healing.  Life coaching allows my clients to see their problems from the perspective of, we are spirits having a human experience to expand our soul. As they understand that their repressed feelings, anger, resentment, etc are soul wounds here to heal and are causing the energy blocks associated with their illness or injury, they are more apt to deal with those emotions–the root cause of their illness; as they do, the symptoms go away. Medication and surgery suppresses the emotions; holistic healing expresses them allowing for non-invasive, health enhancing avenues to wellness. They heal the symptoms and expand their soul.

I offer hands on energy healing and sacred sound healing, both very powerful in dissolving energy blocks allowing life force to flow and symptoms go away

Kala: How important is it do you think to connect Body Mind and Spirit in all activities? Were you always connected with Spirit or did it occur later in life for you?

Suzette: I tended to always be a positive person, though when I was 40, 11 years ago, that I felt guided to explore spirituality, it felt so life affirming, that it easily became my life calling. Interestingly enough, my astrological birth charts shows the second half of my life in huge spiritual service.

I feel the more we embrace spirituality in all areas of our lives, the more ‘free’ we are. Being totally tapped into to this wonderful wisdom doesn’t mean ‘stuff’ doesn’t happen to you. It means you now have the tools to handle it with grace and move through it as easily as possible.

This perspective allows you to react from a position of awareness and less from fear or judgment. It allows you to learn to feel good no matter how others are showing up around you. You understand that you attracted that experience to grow from, to be a teacher to others with or just for fun.

Kala: Do you work with spirit guides, are you being guided as you work with each person? Would you describe your work similar to a medical intuitive who works with a physician or as a practitioner who is also intuitive?

Suzette: I allow myself to be the channel for the highest and best of non-physical doctors, ascended masters, Archangels and other energies to work through me for my client’s highest good. My ‘team’ differs depending on what my clients need. I am a Master Healing Facilitator that is intuitively guided. Even though I am a Reiki master, I no longer use any specific technique. I have learned to just allow the flow of healing energy through me. My intentions and my discipline to raise my own consciousness (healing my baggage, meditation, gratitude, exercise, and pure diet), allows me to attract purer healing energies for my clients.

My toning during the sacred sound sessions is definitely enhanced and magnified by ascended masters of sound toning through me.

Kala: You’ve studied sound healing with Jonathan Goldman and Tom Kenyon.  Sound healing is a particular interest of mine as I teach esoteric teachings from the ancient temples of Egypt and Greece where sound healing was used in conjunction with other modalities. Tell us how you use sound healing in your work…

Suzette: I use crystal bowls, and my voice in singing mantras and toning sounds. Ascended masters, Archangel Shamael, and The Hathors tone through me the frequencies that my clients need to be re-balanced. I become a channel for the right and perfect sounds to come through me.

Every cell and organ in our body has a vibration. Sound, resonance, brings the ‘out of tune’ vibrations back into balance. When that happens, the symptoms go away. Severe depression, cancer, pain…anything can be healed. Though, not every one is ready to be healed or their karma may have to experience illness for a higher purpose.  Please check my website’s testimonies to understand examples of people’s success.

Kala: How would you describe your personal spiritual path?  Do you feel that you are continuing the holistic work as it was presented in ancient healing temples or are you creating a new path?

Suzette: Interesting question. My intention every morning is to be of service for the highest good and be One with my destiny’s highest path. At some level, I must be ‘remembering’ the avenues used in ancient Egypt, though I don’t purposefully create that. In Source, there is no time or space, I am open to bringing forth from all dimensions of time and space, forward and backward.

Kala: How do you define whole health or holistic health?

Suzette: Whole health is embracing that our mind, body, and spirit are interconnected fields of energy, each one affecting the other, and each person affecting the greater whole.  Since we are mind, body, and spirit, let’s heal from that full perspective.  All sickness and disease is an expression of imbalances of these areas. We don’t catch cancer; we set up an environment for the cells to grow. As we honor how our diet, thoughts, programming, and the wounds our soul came here to heal, affect the physical body, we change that environment to one of wellness.

Kala: Besides sound healing, what other modalities do you use in a session?

Suzette: My mindset is seeing my clients whole and not limiting Spirit working through them or me. My sessions include life coaching, hands on energy healing as well as the sound healing which includes crystal bowls, drums, tuning forks and my voice.

Kala: Who is Suzette? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?

Suzette: Actual comments from friends and clients and participants: “Suzette is highly passionate about her truths and loves helping people.” “She says things in a way I really get, I could feel myself shift old emotional baggage while she was speaking. I don’t understand it, I just know it happened.” “You draw me and articulate the teachings of The Secret, and Echart Tolle in a more concrete, understandable and memorable fashion.”  “Suzette’s powerful message will resonate deep within your soul and is the answer you are seeking on how to live a life full of abundance.”  “You are an awesome person with a powerful connection to the universe that brings about tremendous healing results to those who are open and believe.”

Photo caption:  In the emergency room, Suzette said often, “See me dancing.”

Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their healing abilities and intuitive side?

Suzette: Know that these abilities are within everyone, available to be developed. Remember that your intentions, expectations, affirmations, and focusing on the end result of your desires starts to shift the universal energy fields to flow blessings and opportunities your way. Affirm” “Thank you Source, that I am being guided and blessed for my destiny path’s highest good. Show me the easiest and best way to connect with infinite wisdom and to be of divine service.”  I would encourage you to allow daily time for quieting your mind in meditation, a daily walk, or even shutting the car radio off to provide ‘connecting to Source’ time for gratitude and affirmations.

Raising your consciousness–a continual journey–will release blocks and allow more life force to flow through you for whatever purpose you seek. Specifically I encourage you to be gentle to yourself as you: clear your own ‘stuff’, meditate, receive energy healings to shift blocks from many life times, eat organic and as close to nature as possible (everything is a vibration, ideally, eliminating the denser, life draining vibrations of meat, dairy, fats, and preservatives etc from your diet. My website has a lot of Whole Health nutrition information on it.)

For healings, start healing your self, family, and friends. Surround yourself with a protection of White Light and affirm that you are connecting to only energies of the highest, purest consciousness. State, “Thank you that I am a clear channel for this person’s highest and best.” Then get out of your own way, know that you are worthy of this, and expect divine energy to flow through you. The more you practice, the better the results will be.

‘Out of the blue’ thoughts are intuitive guidance. Honor it. Be courageous and trust it, the more you follow it, the more you develop it. Get into a meditative place and ask for your highest divine wisdom to give you a message. Write down what you hear in your mind without judging it.

Kala: Beyond your work here Suzette, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?

Suzette: Ever since I was a kid, I enjoyed being ‘in service’. I love helping others and the feeling I get when they get their ‘groove’ back feeds my soul and inspires me to continue my own spiritual expansion.  My life and my work are truly melded together. Abraham-Hicks shares that contrasts helps us launch our desires, so much of my inspiration comes from seeing the need around us.  Even if I don’t physically act, I love the power of our prayerful intentions to help shift other’s challenges.

Dancing in my kitchen is something I can easily do that shifts me to higher vibrations. I love that feeling of freedom—dance like no one is watching.   As we go to higher vibrations we more easily hear the call of spirit. I am also inspired to be a good role model for my daughters, ages 21 and 22—show, not tell. They resist this information, so I’m leaning to not force it on them, just Be me.  That has been a big lesson for me. I explore my spirit, by regularly walking in nature, meditating twice a day, reading and watching spiritual books and DVD’s, continuing ed, and having discussions with friends. And we all grow as we help others. Besides private sessions I offer a twice monthly group class that is offered in-person or via tele-conference. The first half is law of attraction and spiritual teachings, through answering participants real life questions and concerns, the second half is clearing blocks in the way of our growth through sound healing. The fee is a Love Offering, let your heart decide what to pay. I invite you to sign up for my newsletter and receive two free class downloads.  www.suzettefoster.com

Thanks Kala for sharing ‘hope and healing’ through my work. I am intending greater blessings and shifting for all who are reading this.

Kala: Thanks Suzette, all the best to you.

– UPCOMING EVENT–

Suzette Foster will be speaking on Thursday, September 3rd 2009
at the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship.
Her talk is entitled: Paralyzed for Life, Over My Dead Body!
Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship is located at the Unitarian Fellowship Hall
on 3313 Wade Avenue in Raleigh, NC.
Doors open at 6:45pm,  Lecture from 7:15pm to 9:30pm.
Cost is $10 per person, seniors and students are $8.

More about Suzette Faith Foster:

Suzette lives in Cary, North Carolina and is an Energetic/Sound Holistic Healer, certified Reiki Master and Wellness Consultant, ordained minister, life coach, writer, and public speaker. She is presently writing her first book and creating her first Sacred Sound CD, a healing session in your own home. As a mother of two college age daughters, she also enjoys yoga, biking, and hiking. Her great appreciation for Mother Earth and the environment has led her to work with the Humpback Whales and Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins. More info at: www.suzettefoster.com