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Breaking Boundaries
Hot Trends in Wellness
People are looking for something new, something that rings true inside, and something that will stretch their boundaries and allow in more joy, more light. We want so much to be more than we have been led to believe we are. The circle of consciousness keeps growing by cosmic leaps and bounds. While some may bemoan the fact that New Age/spirituality/or wellness is becoming intertwined (and some might say “dumbed down”) in the mainstream, growth is occurring on all levels. There are not only more of us becoming open to non-traditional ideas everyday, but also there are more and more of us who have been exploring new concepts for awhile.
Hot, Hot, Hot
When something is “hot” it simply means that a lot of people are responding to it. A beloved teacher recently expressed the idea that, when we do reach that much sought after state of enlightenment, we will find ourselves among people whose paths were much different than ours, and we may even think, I didn’t know you could get there from here, but there they will be.
The most important aspect of this realm is that it is not static, but always changing, always growing, achieving new plateaus and then continuing to seek upward. No longer are schools, philosophies, and sects created that say this is the way and no other, and no longer do any of us really believe that we have discovered all there is to be discovered. Those who try to live in that space are overwhelmed by their own inertia.
Not everything will appeal to everyone – there is no one right way, no one and only truth. Instead, there are opportunities for us to grab on in a variety of ways, that fit with us, that call to us. In this way, no one modality or thought is competing with another, but rather are offering parallel tracks, different paths to a higher level of being and wholeness. The concept of wellness being about an overall level of vitality was, after all, the driving force behind the rise of the alternative/complimentary health revolution.
The New Age Backlash
The underlying cultural response to the rise of the New Age movement has been to dismiss ideas that have come out of groups that have a different way of looking at the world. We are called foo-foo, woo-woo, hippies, snake oil salesmen and women, unscientific, irrational, out of touch with reality, and frankly dangerous. We are dismissed by a culture that says: it can’t be any better than it is right now, there is no more than the eye can see, and we are being silly, naïve, or just plain stupid to think that achieving wellness can be as easy as “choosing joy”, “manifesting our true abundance” or clearing our auras (which have been scientifically proven to exist on several dimensions of being). How incredible it is, therefore, that so many of these ideas have begun to enter the mainstream, almost in spite of ourselves! So deep is our yearning for something more that we have been able to continue the search in spite of our own conditioning. Our entire societal structure and economy, after all, are geared towards our own disempowerment. The ultimate truth, however, is not found in engaging any of these ideas in a defensive way, but in the recognition that we have a choice whether or not they are true for us, and the fact that giving our power to others is also a choice.
I often have found that the modality or idea that I react the most strongly against is the one I need to investigate more closely. My response for or against something shows me that some nerve has been hit, that I am holding judgment or blockage in some area of my life. Only by delving into that situation can I ever hope to be set free of it.
The entire discussion around “energy”, when we look more closely at it, is a very interesting one. In Western culture, our lives are consumed with the pursuit of energy – whether it be oil, food, or power. We work jobs we hate for it, our entire economy revolves around it, and from the beginning of the civilized world, we have continued to go to war over the means to capture, hold, and control it! How interesting it is that when we discuss energy on a personal level it is dismissed as hokey by the very same people who live and die by the barrel! We turn on our TVs and receive satellite communications from thousands of miles away, and yet balk at the idea of long distance healing or communicating, or even the idea of intuition! Energy is energy is energy, in all of its many forms and faces.
In this space I am so honored to offer you practitioners engaged in the latest ideas and techniques emerging in the world of alternative health and wellness. These are people who have dared to step out into the unknown, continue to challenge themselves, and continue to seek – for the benefit of all of us. These people are passionate, their work engaging, alive and full – exactly the way we all strive to meet our own life. In the new model of wellness, there is room for emotion, joy, and absolute freedom.
Enjoy!!!!!
Photo Courtesy of Patrick Marsolek |
Intuitive Archeology: Science Meets Spirituality
Intuitive Exploration Reveals Meaningful Landscapes |
By Patrick Masolek
A small group of men and women walk slowly between the narrow limestone walls of Hellgate canyon in central Montana. The sound of the creek is loud in the close space and the air is cool. Around a corner of stone, a sunbeam illuminates red symbols drawn on a flat wall. The group pauses for a few moments in front of the prehistoric paintings. Each person finds a place to sit quietly, some enjoying the view while others turn their awareness inwards.
The group is exploring this ancient site using their intuition. As they sit, they are intentionally allowing more subtle senses and perceptions to come into their awareness. Periodically, as they are present with themselves, they put down some words or sketch an image on the note-pads they’re carrying.
After a half hour, several people in the group gather closer together, “How are you doing?”
“Fine! What an energy here.” One man replies.
Soon, they have all gathered together, and begin to share their perceptions. One woman says, “This was a place of spiritual significance to those who passed through, and still is.”
“I felt like I heard singing - a chant.” A man says. “I saw a dark complected male with long black hair.”
“I still hear whispering around me, I hear people walking through grass,” another says. They all pause a few moments and listen.
This group is practicing a simple form of intuitive archaeology as they develop and validate their skills of perception and communication. Books such as One White Crow by George McMullen and The Alexandria Project by Stephen Schwartz detail how psychics have worked with traditional archaeologists finding new sites beneath the ground and providing more information about known sites. The Intuitives mention in these books have worked successfully on sites from Egypt and Turkey to our own backyard in Montana.
For the last ten years I’ve accompanied groups to the Hellgate pictograph site. The intuitive capacities of participants has ranged from “no ability” to professional, natural psychics. All groups I’ve taken to this site have consistently reported being watched by men and feeling a sense of sacredness at the site. All participants have been able to open to some subtle impressions.
You can also tap into your intuitive sensing as you explore this summer. Here are some basic guidelines:
1 Keep an open, beginners mind. You are already intuitive!
2 Pick a special place you would like to visit and gather a small group of friends with similar interest. It’s important everyone is open to the idea of intuitive exploration.
3 Before going to your site, begin paying attention to all the senses, feelings, thoughts, and images that come into your awareness. Even though your perceptions may not mean anything to you, your attention will open the door to more subtle information.
4 Travel to your site consciously and intentionally. Give each other time to be quiet, to sense, to appreciate what you sense on the way. Take notes.
5 Park your vehicle and walk into the area you are interested in. Along the way, let your conscious mind relax. Pay attention to ALL the shifts or sensations you perceive. Write them down, draw, and describe what IS happening to you.
6 Then, after some time, share your perceptions with each other. Listen attentively to each other. Only reveal what is known about the site after each person has shared their individual perceptions. With this feedback, you will learn about yourselves and the site you are visiting.
Afterward such an experience, our perceptions continue to inform our lives. Leaving Helgate, one man comments, “I feel a heart warming sense leaving here, that the spirit of the place accepted me and is still with me.”
***
 You can read more about intuitive exploration and intention at Patrick Marsolek’s website - www.irfs.com. Also, see the intuitive/transformational workshops offered in the retreats and getaways, and education directory listings. You can reach Patrick at research@irfs.com or 406-443-3439.
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The Reconnection |
By Timothy Yuen
As a doctor, Eric Pearl ran a highly successful chiropractic practice for 12 years until one day when patients began reporting that they felt his hands on them – even though he hadn’t physically touched them. For the first few months, his palms blistered and bled. Patients soon reported seeing angels and receiving miraculous healings from cancers, AIDS-related diseases, cerebral palsy, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, birth disfigurements and other serious afflictions. All this occurred when Eric simply held his hands near them. And to this day, it continues.
Eric soon discovered that this phenomenon was not about him—that others with whom he interacted were able to facilitate these healings as well. He began to teach how not to get in the way of letting healing happen—that is, without spiritual and healing “techniques” that seemed only to limit and dilute the healings. By simply introducing a person to the new frequencies of light and information originally appearing with Dr. Pearl and remaining present in a state of curious, open possibility, a Reconnective Healing Practitioner is able to help initiate an experience that allows healing to happen. Reconnective Healing is not about diagnostic (determining what needs to happen) or treatment/therapy (on-going visits dependent on a practitioner)—Reconnective Healing is about empowering a person to take responsibility for their own, often life-changing and permanent HEALINGS. Reconnective Healing is an embodied, applied philosophy in that the attitude toward healing as well as the practical introduction of the Reconnective Frequencies to a person’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual (indeed, multidimensional) nature support each other in changing lives.
The Reconnective Frequencies also have another application—that referred to as The Reconnection or having your “personal” Reconnection. At some point in our distant history, humans became disconnected from their previously rapid rate of evolution; what we have had in our recent history as a connection to the planet and the universe (the meridians and energy centers of the body) are just remnants of what we once had before this “fall”. The Reconnection is a one-time process that brings in new axiatonal lines that tie the energetic systems of the body to the planetary grid and a universal network of light and information. By bringing in and activating these new lines, it allows for the exchange—beyond energy—of light and information, the reconnection of DNA ‘strands’, and the reintegration of ‘strings’ (simultaneous—or parallel—planes of existence). This process reconnects us on a more powerful and evolved level than ever before. Through the information exchange in this new multidimensional system, The Reconnection empowers a person’s life mission as well as triggers an evolutionary expansion of consciousness.
My life has changed in nearly every aspect since being introduced to Reconnective Healing and The Reconnection. I feel that my physical structure has changed significantly—that I am a different being than I once was; my work went from a corporate, technical job to that of Reconnective Healing Practitioner; my relationships with my wife, friends, and community became richer; my personal relationship with the divine continues to grow in many new ways; and I went from not considering having a child to realizing that it was part of my life path. I have seen others walk away from this work with physical healings, emotional and mental clarity, spiritual fuel, and a sense of wonder and ease with life. The experiential aspect that accompanies the healings can be one of the most powerful moments in a person’s lifetime. I have also seen changes that are apparent and very real, but difficult to describe—people are ‘different’ after encountering these frequencies.
I highly encourage everyone to encounter Reconnective Healing and/or The Reconnection—I feel that this is not only benefiting the individuals who make the commitment to come to this work, but that it brings healing directly to the planet as well. Those that choose to carry these frequencies are part of a larger evolutionary shift of consciousness and the awakening of the planet. I invite everyone to share in this global endeavor.
***
Timothy Yuen is a Certified Reconnective Healing Practitioner‚ at Whispering Lotus Healing Center (www.WhisperingLotus.com) in Boise, Idaho. Contact Timothy at 208-841-8387 or www.LightAndInformation.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.
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Fully Awakening
the Divine Within
The Re-Birth of Avesa Quantum Healing
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Avesa Awakening, by El’iam
By Wisdom Teacher Sri Ram Kaa & Angelic Oracle Kira Raa
The current trends on our planet are calling forth a shift that is opening new pathways of understanding. True health is being redefined as that which offers wholeness of the physical, emotional and spiritual bodies.
Our physical bodies offer us feedback on the state of our wholeness which includes our emotional and spiritual alignment. We are at the time of the re-connection to natural methods of healing which not only assist the body but also open our dormant soul memories, thus offering a complete healing.
What Is Avesa?
The word Avesa is Sanskrit. It means “the evolution of the uplifting of the Consciousness”! The purest meaning of Avesa is “Divine Empowerment”. Ave also means “Hail” to give glory, to honor. “Sa” means the Impersonal Infinite. It is a recognition of the Divine presence without any attachment to an individual self. Together, Ave plus Sa means “Hail to the Impersonal Infinite” which offers divine empowerment to any who are open and aligned with this Source energy.
Where Does Avesa Quantum Healing Come From?
In the early part of the first millennium BC, we see the first origins of what is termed the “Supreme Science”. The inspired seers of the time, or Rishis, analyzed their awareness of human experience to see if there was anything in it that could be found as Absolute, and they did! Through the science of meditation and inquiry they put forward:
1. There is an infinite, changeless reality beneath the world of change
2. This same reality lies at the core of every human personality
3. The purpose of life is to discover this reality experientially; that is to fully realize the Divine while here on Earth.
It is important to recognize that these three statements embody the fullness of Avesa Quantum Healing Mastership. To receive or offer the gift of healing with the Universal Divine, you must re-member, claim and fully exist AS the Universal Divine.
The last time Avesa energy was available on this planet was during the late 1800’s when the Avesa techniques and attunements came forward to this planet through a lineage of most wondrous beings who held the pure energy. This small group of sages or gurus in the Himalayas living in caves, and others in Tibet were able to work with these energies and bring the Empowerment into expression. It was kept very secretive because the vibrational level of the planet had not yet evolved to match the energy of the Empowerment.
It was determined in conjunction with the Masters that Avesa would not be available again until after the millennium.(Y2K) This was primarily due to the technological manipulations that were foreseen during the 20th century.
What Happens with Avesa Quantum Healing?
To enter into an Avesa Quantum Healing offers anyone the opportunity to release all barriers to complete healing of the physical, emotional, and spiritual body. All Avesa Quantum Healers are carefully trained in the gifts of Divine energy connection and subtle energy movement. During a basic Avesa Balancing session one will experience peace and bliss while experiencing vast Universal healing energies.
The results are nothing short of miraculous. Often those who have experienced this profound gift report diminished physical symptoms, greater experience of calm, increased ability to manifest, clarity of life purpose and true connection with their Divine being-ness!
We are at the time of the great awakening, and the gift of Avesa Quantum Healing is the opportunity to embrace all of the changes around us with ease and Joy!
***
For more information on Avesa and TOSA, visit www.selfascension.com.
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Reaching New Depths with Dolphins |
Photo Courtesy of Dr. Linda Kingsbury
Mysterious, graceful, and so full of joy, dolphins have long held a mystical and special place in human consciousness. Two practitioners share their techniques and powerful experiences of bringing the dolphin world to others.
Lessons of Light from the Dolphins
By Dr. Linda Kingsbury
As I was riding into a rainbow sunset along the Osa Peninsula near Bahia Drake Costa Rica, I promised the dolphins that I would share their messages of light and love in exchange for the wonderful week they had given me. Wild dolphins have much to teach us about living in states of expanded consciousness, unconditional love, joy, and harmony.
While in the Costa Rican waters with the ancient rough toothed dolphins, I practiced sending them energy though my chakras to see how they’d respond. I brought Golden light in through my crown and out different chakras starting with the heart or 4th, then out through my throat or 5th, next I continued sending them light out from my 6th or forehead chakra as if I was wearing a headlamp. Then contact, one of them received my transmission and turned around to see where the signal was coming from. I was ecstatic that my telepathic message traveled through the dark blue waters to my cetacean friend.
Once I was passed the shore break and entered the water of Kealakekakua Bay near Kona Hawaii, a Native American song of gratitude called Pilomaya came into my head. Each time I was with the dolphins in the bay, I hummed the song to them. They are curious creatures and come in to see the source of these new sounds. First they swim by in groups, and then 1 or 2 will circle around for a closer look. There is a deep feeling of being special when the wild dolphins swim close by and look into my eyes. It helps me to feel one with all creation and connects me deeply to my soul. These 2 hour dolphin water sessions brought long lasting healing, opening the doors of my potential to live in the present moment and enjoy life fully now.
It is not only the actual time of being with the dolphins as they swim nearby within view, but also my time visibly alone in the water that is magical. It was like being in a float tank, in a place of timelessness with no gravity. Hearing the sounds of my own breath, receiving the serotonin boosting benefits of the rainbow spectral healing as the sunlight refracts in the cool blue water, puts me into a natural state of bliss.
When I am not with the dolphins in the water, they follow me beyond time and space in my dreams. When they have a message for me I hear their clicks and whistles, and then they appear and share what I need telepathically.
Just like a loving mother or spirit guide, the dolphins help everyone feel special. Dolphins share their healing sounds and presence with anyone who comes into their sacred home regardless of how you look in a bathing suit or your swimming ability. Their unconditional loves helps you to feel your innocence and purity, they help erase shame and separation and help you to honor your own life. What brings you pleasure, light, joy, comfort, health, and magic into your life? These are the activities to expand.
Thank you and feel blessed. Visit www.spiritherbs.com for more dolphin pictures or to find out how to bring a Dolphin Light workshop to your area or event.
Dolphin Love - The Healing of a Heart
By Gayle Lawrence
Preparing to leave for a wild dolphin swim and women’s retreat in Bimini, I pondered what this experience of sharing time with wild dolphins would mean for each of us in an individual personal way?
There is much work and research being done with dolphins and healing. Autistic children seem to respond to dolphins when all other attempts in prompting them to communicate have proven futile. Dolphins have demonstrated a very natural ability that appears to be telepathic communication when working with physically and mentally challenged individuals. Unresponsive individuals who have shut down emotionally miraculously come “back to life” when interacting with dolphins. I would be blessed to witness this same miracle with one of the women in my group on our wild dolphin retreat.
Imagine the heartbreak and grief of a mother who loses a 15-year-old daughter in a sudden automobile accident. The shock would numb you initially, denial of this horrific news might last for weeks, then the grief and pain of the loss of your child would be all consuming. Shirley, one of my closest friends, with 25 years nursing experience in a hospital trauma unit was no stranger to death and dying. Yet 3 years after the loss of her daughter, Jessica, Shirley was still emotionally shut down. A cement wall around her heart shielded her from feeling anything; the pain was still so great from her loss. Functioning in her day to day duties on autopilot, Shirley was numb to life.
I intuitively knew spending time with the dolphins might prove to be the stimulus that would break through the shell around her heart, so I encouraged her to go on the trip. The energy of the dolphins was speaking to her in her dreams and in her waking state, calling her, beckoning her to spend time with them. Dolphins seemed to be appearing everywhere she looked, in photos, note pads, dolphin jewelry, on television and after weeks of these dolphin messengers, she finally agreed to go.
The first morning of the retreat, as we cruised on our chartered boat, our dolphin guide took us to a place she called the dolphin playground. These were wild dolphins, no guarantee they would show up, but I knew in my heart they would be there for us. As our guide played music to call the dolphins we spotted a group of dorsal fins moving toward us. It was magical; tears streamed from Shirley’s eyes and my own as we watched them come to us. Donning our snorkel gear we entered the water. The dolphins scanned us with their sonar and seemed to zero in on Shirley. In watching them surround her with their energetic web of love they seemed to sense the pain she carried. Circling her, swimming beside her, and teasing her to dive with them she responded. Being in the water and observing this spectacle was incredible! Floating near Shirley, observing her interaction with the dolphins, I could feel the dolphins breathing life back into her. I sensed they were supporting her in releasing all the pain and grief she had buried as they scanned her with their sonar, bombarding her with squeaks and whistles. Each of us had come with our own set of issues to address. The dolphins gave each of us ample time with them, acknowledging us individually in their own special dolphin way. They seemed to know exactly what type of an encounter each of us needed.
As we climbed back into the boat Shirley and I held each other for a moment. A light filled her eyes and a glow radiated from her that had been absent for the past 3 years. Tears were streaming down her face. But now mixed with the release and surrender of pain was the beginning spark of new life. Now she knew that feeling joy might again be possible.
Through her tears she began to tell me what had happened while she was in the water with the dolphins.At one point during the encounter, she found herself gazing into the eyes of a single dolphin who had magically appeared right in front of her. As the dolphin and Shirley held each other’s gaze, her heart burst open with emotion, and at that instant, she felt the spirit of Jessica with her. The dolphin’s vibration of healing love had guided Shirley to that energetic bridge that connects one reality to another. Shirley then realized that she had not lost her daughter. Jessica’s spirit was, and would always be with her.
Returning home with renewed inner strength and the courage to move forward in her life, Shirley felt a fresh desire to be fully present in her marriage. To offer her husband the love and support that he so desperately needed to heal his own pain. Her time with the dolphins had also brought to light the fact that traditional nursing was no longer her primary focus. Yoga was her real passion and she wanted to teach, combining her nursing background with this ancient practice of over-all mind body health. For her this retreat was truly a life-changing experience, facilitated by a pod of very wise and magical teachers from the sea. Spiritual and physical healing can come in many different forms. When all else fails …….perhaps swimming with a dolphin holds the key.
***
Gayle Lawrence – owner of Journeys of Discovery has planned her next wild dolphin swim and womens retreat in Bimini, Bahama’s Aug. 20 – 25, 2006. Other magical adventures include, Peru / Machu Picchu Aug. 17 – 27, 2006. South Africa – Safari for your Spirit Jan. 2007, Humpback Whale encounters Dominican Republic Feb. 2007. For these and other magical journeys visit: www.ajourneyofdiscovery.com or call Gayle at: 727-785-5563.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION RESOURCE DIRECTORY
By Angela Earle
When I took my last exam in graduate school, I swore I would never take a test again! That was almost 10 years ago, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t feel gratitude that today I will not have to defend my thesis or take a 3 hour written exam that is 75% of my grade. I haven’t stopped learning though, and like a lot of people have continued to seek new knowledge on a much deeper level than I ever achieved in any of those classes, through models that support me, serve me, and allow me to serve the world in a much deeper, richer way.
Viewing education as a portal to higher consciousness was prevalent in the ancient world, but is looked at as “new agey” in our modern world. Is it any wonder that as more philosophy, artistic, and other types of joy of learning programs are being deleted from colleges and our school systems, that the world of adult continuing education is exploding?! It is as if we have broken through some belief barrier that said only a certain select few could be healers, teachers, and full fledged students of amazing thought. We are taking back our power – or choice, thought, and passion in an unprecedented way. Instead of wondering if there is more to it all than this and feeling alone, we have a wellness/holistic movement that exists to help us answer that question – that says, yes, you are more than your degrees and your job – you are not a compartmentalized human being that is different at the office than at church – these things are lies meant to keep you in place, to keep you from challenging the system.
When we seek to educate ourselves as adults we have a much larger educational palate to choose from, and we can be more in control of shaping the process. While “continuing education” in the strictest sense has typically meant augmenting one’s “skills” for use in the workforce, this is actually a small percentage of the opportunities that are available.
In looking at the continuing education movement, it is important to note that the reason so many of these programs, even the certified ones, work is because of their non-competitive, non-judgmental nature. Instead of learning something to demonstrate our knowledge of it, we learn something to discover new things inside ourselves. In the new model of learning, the focus is not on cramming the most information possible in a short time, but in methods which help to integrate in experiential ways the knowledge in order to fully encompass it – to help the student to grow. There is not belief in the blank slate.
There is another aspect about learning later in life – the just for the fun of it factor. When we graduate from college, we have a plan – or an image of success. We have invested in what we see as our primary marketable skills and we begin our climb to the top. When take a weekend course on Reiki or watercolor, we don’t have our whole future wrapped up in it. The pressure is off, and the possibilities open up.
The Inner Artist
When the photograph was first invented, there were people who forecasted that the new medium would bring an end to painting. It was believed that people would prefer to hang photographs on their walls, and the usefulness of the painted canvas would fade into history. Of course this didn’t happen, and the art of photography and painting co-exist on walls and galleries all over the world because the nature of art has never been utilitarian. Art simultaneously activates our senses, our minds, and our souls.
To delve into the world of art is not just about learning color or drawing technique, it’s translating and expressing the inner self in a new way that has never been done before. Julia Cameron, who wrote The Artist’s Way, is always fond of reminding people in her work that art, any art, effects us on more than just our “artistic” level. Our creativity pours out not only on the canvas or page, but in our relationships, how we see the world, and in our daily work life. We become more creative overall.
Organizations such as the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, the Pocatello Arts Center, and the Boise Arts Center, as well as many individual artists and visiting scholars offer classes throughout the summer to engage everyone, and you don’t have to take out a student loan to enroll.
Correspondence Courses
The growth of the internet has opened up the world of continuing education to millions of people who otherwise would not be able to pursue learning. Possibly one of the greatest attributes of this type of system, as well as courses offered through the mail, is that people can study at their own pace. While mail order learning used to be almost a joke, many accredited institutions, such as the Clayton College of Natural Health (www.ccnh.edu), offer everything from basic courses in herbs to programs which fully certify healers and naturopathic doctors. The Institute of Integrative Aromatherapy, based in Houston, TX also offers a variety of alternative and complementary health care, centered around aromatherapy (www.floramedica.com). Both institutions also offer hands-on and training in the field.
There have also been a surge of classes of this type for spiritual seekers. Discovering Buddhism at Home, an amazing course that contains CD’s, literature, and mindfulness exercises, was developed by the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition in Portland, Oregon (www.fpmt.org). Students move through topical modules, and have several tracts from which to choose from. The TOSA Center for Enlightened Living in New Mexico (www.selfascension.com) has also recently begun a home study course of their Navigating the Inner Matrix - 9 Steps to Soul Mastery which includes CD’s, DVD’s, and a coach to connect with during the process of integrating and expanding consciousness.
Almost every bestselling self-help author also has a course to go along with their published materials for people who want to delve deeper into the ideas they have presented. Deepak Chopra (www.chopra.com), James Redfield (Celestine Prophecy, www.celestinevision.com), Neale Donald Walsch (Conversations with God, www.cwg.org), and many others offer experiential models and classes on their websites.
Integrated Education
Possibly the most far-reaching opportunity aspect of all of this is that more and more training and education offers a holistic approach to the student. When people become certified as yoga teachers, very rarely is it just about the position of the body. It’s about the history of the practice, how it integrates with the energetic systems of the body, and how it effects the mind and spirit. While this example might seem obvious, this holistic aspect is being applied to more and more learning modalities in fields such as massage, nursing, and healing of all kinds. The very model of the Wellspring School (see article by director April Crowell next page) is based on the philosophy of learning as growth and necessary for our whole wellness.
Patrick Marsolek of Inner Workings Resources (www.irfs.org) in Montana teaches people on site and through literature about topics such as self-hypnosis and expanding one’s intuition. What teachers such as Patrick and April know is that learning occurs on more levels than one and that for people to fully grasp and integrate knowledge – and transform that knowledge into personal wisdom – the whole person must be taught.
***
Learning in these ways can very confrontational. While the ideas may seem very basic, in actually putting yourself out there we often find ourselves in terra incognita. Many of us have never given ourselves the gift of learning what our heart’s crave. How many of us have always wanted to take a painting class, but felt the expense and time were too frivolous? How many of us have felt drawn into new spiritual and healing paradigms, but didn’t think we could pay the bills with our new knowledge and therefore dismissed our yearning? For those of us, actually showing up will be an act of learning itself. We may find that we hold limiting beliefs about ourselves, and the world. Over and over, however, these new ideas and areas have one message that contradicts and overrides everything we have been taught to believe – we all are able to learn, we simply need to rediscover and remember who we really are, and engage our innate capacity for greatness. It is not reserved to a few priests, doctors, or geniuses, it is available to everyone.
Learning for a Lifetime
By April Crowell, Director Provost at The Wellspring School For Asian Bodywork Therapy in Boise
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
- William Butler Yeats
”The goal of education is to replace an empty mind with an open mind”.
Malcolm Forbes
On a lazy Sunday I watch as my six year old daughter and her friend layout an elaborate pattern of paper, plastering it with stickers of tropical islands, fish, flowers and flamingos. In an excited flurry they turn to me and spiel out a chaotic description of why flamingos are pink. Between their back and forth bantering I also receive a crude idea of how these birds sift their food out of sea water. The hurried lesson ends and the children shift their focus running off to explore something else. Their contagious zeal lingers in the room, filling me with a desire to know more, craving the enthusiasm for information they possess so strongly, so easily.
Children learn a phenomenal number of things everyday. From tying their shoes, to how butterflies hatch to new flavors or how recognize when they have hurt another’s feelings. They absorb information constantly from their environment, seemingly flowing from one wonder to another. And we expect it of them. Our society has set up schooling systems to try to ensure our children’s educational development. As communities we strive to continue to improve these schooling systems and instill a love and thirst for knowledge in our children. As parents and caregivers we try to teach ethics, morals and day to day skills.
After high school, we encourage, hope, or bribe our children to go to college—to ‘complete’ their education. Yet, today knowledge is often doled out for means of profit both for the school/teacher or so the student can simply go out and earn a living. Some students are fortunate enough to end up with a career that they truly love and one that is rewarding financially, mentally and spiritually. Others find themselves disillusioned, unable to finish school or trapped in a job they detest. Is our education ever really complete? Is it more than acquiring a certificate or a degree? Why in a society where the “information super-highway” is utilized daily, do so many people settle? Why do we stop growing and learning? Why do we stop flowing from one learning experience to another?
In its ideal form education should feed our mind, body and soul--it should inspire us to keep active and creative.
When we cease to learn our bodies and minds stagnate. Stagnation leads to decline, we become less receptive, less tolerant, we grow miserable and unhappy. Simply stated, we grow old.
Our lives are a constant cycle of beginnings and endings, flowing from one phase to another. As we age, many of the activities that we did in our youth must be left behind. Needs, thoughts and desires change. To stay in harmony with these natural shifts we must learn to adapt. We need to shift our learning and interests to help us embrace our physical changes and to continue to grow mentally and spiritually. Senior citizens give us an excellent example of this. Some trudge through daily routines seeming to have lost interest, possibly bitter, lacking joy and hope. Others remain vital and active, their minds alert and sharp, their perspective positive. These seniors have maintained interests and expanded their learning, whether by taking up a new sport, taking a class of interest or remaining active in the community and keeping abreast of news. Most importantly, they have continued to learn and maintained an enthusiasm for life.
Our education comes in a many forms. Conventionally it encompasses going to college or school to acquire a degree or certificate, it focuses on the accumulation of knowledge. But knowledge is the mere beginning. Wisdom develops out of what we learn in life lessons. Wisdom is how we implement our knowledge benefiting ourselves without harm to others or our environment.
At the very core of learning is the willingness to be humble and to admit that we simply do not know everything—we never will. There is so much to learn but an open mind is essential. Ego leaves little room in the soul for growth and learning.
Our education needs to be balanced. If we only work to advance our mind, our body and spirit will suffer. If we only learn how to maintain our body, our mind and spirit suffers. If we have only spirituality, we neglect our body and our intellect. Balance and harmony are achieved when we learn to nourish all aspects of our being—body, mind and spirit. For some this might mean trying a movement art such as, Qigong or T’ai Chi. Others may benefit from learning about nutrition, another may wish to finish school or embrace a new career.
Enjoy learning, be willing to try something new with an open and childlike mind—never cease to grow and expand. As we grow more balanced we gain a better understanding of ourselves and we begin to learn from everything around us—we embrace life more fully.
***
April Crowell is a nationally Certified Asian Bodywork Therapist (NCCAOM) and Certified Instructor(AOBTA). She has been practicing Wholistic health, Chinese medicine and Amma Bodywork therapy for over 13 years. She maintains a private practice at CFA Health & Wellness Cooperative and is Director Provost at The Wellspring School For Asian Bodywork Therapy in Boise.
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Continuing Education Directory
All About Health Wellness & Education Center
Meridian, Idaho
Wellness education: FootZonology, Quantum-Touch, Nutrition, Aromatherapy, Children’s Health, Animal Health, Healthy Cooking, Power of Energy, Wellness for Children, Muscle-Testing, Dream Interpretation, Seminar / Practitioner Facility for Rent
208-863-7986
www.aahidaho.com
Healing and Transforming
Workshops in Montana
360º of Transformation -
July 13th - 16th
Join James O’Dea, president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Explore our hearts, minds and connections. Discover and confirm a new sense of clarity and purpose for personal and social action. Be seen as your truest self!
Crossing The Threshold -
August 24th - 27th
Find a true connection to yourself working with the landscape, ecstatic trance postures, dream incubation, mask making, and group intention.
Workshops offered by Inner Workings Resources which conducts multidisciplinary research and investigation in many fields including: Archaeology, Altered States of Consciousness, Hypnosis and Intuition.
See www.irfs.com or contact Patrick Marsolek at 406-443-3439 or research@irfs.com
The Wellspring School For Asian Bodywork
Amma Bodywork Therapy, wholistic healthcare, herbs &nutrition.
208.388.0206
www.thewellspring.org
The Institute of Integrative Aromatherapy
Nationally Recognized and Endorsed, based in Houston, TX, provides correspondence professional training. The Certificate Program in Integrative Aromatherapy teaches holistic and integrative approaches, and includes the bio-energetic aspects of the essential oils and their application in the therapeutic setting. Contact hours available for nurses and massage therapists and everything you will need to complete the course: personal mentoring, two manuals, three textbooks, essential oils and assorted blending supplies.
Valerie Cooksley, RN, OCN, FAAIM
1-877-363-3422
www.floramedica.com
Rocky Mountain School of Healing
Bozeman, Montana
We offer several levels of Intuitive Energy Healing classes from the Foundation Series through Advanced and Graduate Studies. Learn healing techniques in addition to developing your ability to see and sense energy.
406-556-1101
www.rockymountainschoolofhealing.com
Hummingbird Boot Camp Intensive
Learn allthe energy tools and the science of how energy affects your life with LisaKrueger and Hummingbird Laughs Free. Starting in September. More info at
208-578-7979
www.HummingbirdBootCamp.com
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Places & Adventures to Make All Your Summer Dreams Come True
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The Feathered Pipe Ranch in Montana |
Make THIS the Summer You Really Get Away from it All and Change Your Life!!!
Near or far, an hour or a week, no matter where you go, how much you’re willing to spend, or what you’re really after, there is ample opportunity for all us to create the getaway of our dreams. We can bring our whole family, or journey alone, seek teachers, or simply the cool, calm voice within.
Beyond the place or activity we choose there is also the little matter of our own attitude and expectations. Often we form an impression upon first seeing the place or people we intend to transform or rediscover ourselves in and with. If you find yourself on code blue when the cabin in the hills wasn’t all you thought it would be, I offer you the experience of Lava Hot Springs south of Pocatello. When I first looked down on the small town it was not what I ever had in mind for a personal retreat, but after submerging myself in the small town (and waters) for an afternoon, I began to see the uniqueness of the place, and after just one day fell in love with the whole area exactly as it was.
For many of us, where we go is as important as what we do, though neither of these ideas need be limiting in any way. If we bring along the idea of self-exploration and discovery, and dare to be guided instead of in constant control, if we put our hands on our hearts and feel the trust that lies within, we can then be open to whatever experiences and joy await us! It’s all part of our journey, sometimes whether we like it or not. It’s also true that no experience or place, no matter how wonderful, can “fix” us, or more accurately, do the work for us. No matter how plush the 5 star service, we are the ones who must look within. Of course, having the 5 star service certainly might make that a tad bit easier for some of us….
Lodges & Retreat Centers
Going to a place that exists to be a getaway is always a wonderful experience. Combined with the amazing vistas, solitude, and untouched majesty of our beloved Western landscape, we are invited to reconnect at our own pace.
Billingsley Creek Lodge and Retreat
Hagerman, ID
Vintage lodge built in 1927 has 6 unique lodge rooms, 2 cottages, and 3 cabins. Some accommodations with kitchens/private hot tubs, all have been lovingly restored. Located on the banks of Billingsley Creek, enter another world under the care of owners Patsy Keen and Joan Dalton-Boyd . Meeting room available, and retreats and workshops are happening all the time. There is a massage therapist on site, and Joan is also a life coach and psychologist who is available for individual and group retreats. Only a few miles from Miracle Hot Springs! If you go, be sure to ask for the Cottage by the Creek.
208-837-4822
www.billingsleycreeklodge.com
Haven Hot Springs
Lowman, Idaho
Seeking investor(s) to participate in the purchase of Haven Hot Springs and development of Idaho’s first “eco-resort.”
www.HavenUp.com
Feathered Pipe Ranch
Helena, Montana
We invite you to join us for an unforgettable experience: a week at the Feathered Pipe Ranch. Located in the heart of the Montana Rockies, the ranch is one of the country’s premier retreat centers. Surrounded by miles of forested mountains, the ranch is blessed with a sparkling lake, pristine water, clean air, abundant wildlife and healing plants that abound in this mountain paradise. A variety of programs available, gourmet natural food.
406-442-98196
www.featheredpipe.com
INEI-RE, Gate of Return
Hood River, Oregon
Finding your way to the ALL: an experience of essential being at INEI~RE, Gate of Return, a retreat center in Hood River, Oregon. Visit our website (www.INEI-RE.org) to learn more about retreats, both group study and individual. A recent guest wrote, “My weeklong personal retreat was a luscious treat. I felt tutored and guided inspirationally, energetically, and practically. Even after a few weeks of being home I can feel a profound shift in my ability to live as Love, with many tools to make adjustments when challenges occur.” –Jeannie Zandi (April 06)
541.420.0843
www.INEI-RE.org
Meadow Creek Inn & Spa
Stanley, Idaho
Nestled between the japed peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains in Stanley, Idaho, enjoy a luxurious spa experience with world-class spa treatments. Spend the night in one of our six uniquely decorated rooms, select from any of our treametns: relaxing or theapeutic massage, rejuvenating skin care, soothing body wraps, foot reflexology or aromatherapy steam sauna. Enjoy a glass of wine and appetizers from our wine bar while taking in the fantastic, unobstructed views.
208-774-3611
www.meadowcreekinn.com
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Adventures!
Getting close and reconnecting with nature is definitely easier when we’re smack dab in the middle of it! Combining elements of sports and spirituality adds up to more than the sum of its parts, allowing for new insights into both worlds.
Retreats & Seminars to Places of Power
with Brant Secunda.
Mount Shasta, California
Brant Secunda, Shaman-healer in the Huichol Indian tradition of Mexico has 27 years experience leading shamanic journeys and teaching practices of health and healing, empowering thousands of participants worldwide. Brant completed a 12-year apprenticeship with the renowned Huichol Shaman don José Matsuwa.
Come experience the beauty & power of Huichol Indian Shamanism.
831 475-9560
www.shamanism.com
Annual Kindred Spirits Retreat:
The Spirit ofSustainability
Jackson Hole, Wyoming August 29 - September 3, 2006
You are invited to experience the teachings of sustainability that explore the roots of our beliefs and motivations to sustain the health of the natural world. New perspectives, insights, and tools for living according to a personal vision of a sustainable world will be offered.
307-734-0838, www.theriverwindfoundation.org,
riverwind@wyoming.com
Far & Away Adventures
White water rafting for all levels on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, trips integrating yoga, and other personalized adventures in some of the most beautiful wilderness in the West. Nourish you mind, body and spirit. Wrap yourself in luxury with a five-star experience personalized your way, from heavenly massage and energizing paddling to the wilderness wonder of yoga. There’s magic in the moment... it’s truly a life affirming experience.
1-800-232-8588
www.far-away.com
Rocky Mountain Retreats & Workshops for the Mind & Spirit
Lyons, Colorado
A perfect combination of relaxation and education. The retreats are limited to one to three people, so that each person’s lessons can be tweaked to fit their needs. Chose from: a 4-day weekend workshop in various forms of journaling (self-discovery, visual arts, Celtic mythology). Or, creative writing for personal enrichment or publishing. Or, attend a Wellness Retreat, which includes 4 treatments, journaling, meditation, walks in town and the National Park. Retreats take place at our mountainside B&B near Estes Park in northern Colorado. Economic prices Include your workshop, lodging and fresh meals.
(303-823-0997 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. MST)
www.RockyMtRetreats.com
Healing and Transforming Workshops
Helena, Montana
360º of Transformation - July 13th - 16th
Join James O’Dea, president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Explore our hearts, minds and connections. Discover and confirm a new sense of clarity and purpose for personal and social action. Be seen as your truest self!
Crossing The Threshold - August 24th - 27th
Find a true connection to yourself working with the landscape, ecstatic trance postures, dream incubation, mask making, and group intention.
Workshops offered by Inner Workings Resources which conducts multidisciplinary research and investigation in many fields including: Archaeology, Altered States of Consciousness, Hypnosis and Intuition.
406-443-3439
research@irfs.com
www.irfs.com
Goddess Fest July 29-30
Julia Davis Park, Boise
The 11th Annual Goddess Fest takes place once more in Boise this year. Colorful, fun, community oriented, and open-minded. Featuring Timothy Roderich, workshops, performances, vendors, and more. The Fest has expanded this year from one to two days. A truly transformative weekend awaits us all!
www.crones-cupboard.com/goddessfest
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Meditation Gardens & Labyrinths
Reverent places for reflection and communion need not take place only inside church or synagogue walls. There exists a bounty of space set aside for beauty and reflection near all of us, created in and merging with landscapes on sacred ground.
Community Labyrinth
Ketchum, Idaho
The labyrinth is found in religious traditions in various forms around the world. Re-introduced to United States by an Episcopal Priest and licensed psychotherapist at The Grace Cathedral in California. The Community Labyrinth is outside St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Sun Valley Road in Ketchum, painted in various shades. Surrounded by seasonal flowers, in a quiet part of town, one can reflect and meditate, and then sit and contemplate one of the most gorgeous views of Baldy in town.
The Garden of Infinite Compassion
Sawtooth Botanical Garden
Ketchum, Idaho
Come visit the garden and meditation space that was created to house the prayer wheel commissioned for, and blessed by, His Holiness the Dalai Lama who visited the Wood River Valley in 2005. Amazing landscaping, rock works, flowers and fauna, and the pagoda which house the prayer wheel ever spinning. A wonderful place to reflect, meditate, or just get away from it all on the commute home.
www.sbgarden.org
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Lava Hot Springs
Lava Hot Springs, Idaho
Take a stroll by the river, visit the Spirit of the Spring. Rock and sculpture labyrinth on private land, behind Aura Soma Lava. An amazing town with amazing energy, with some of the best soaking in the world.
www.lavahotsprings.org
 
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