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the awakeningthe awakeningOur spirits, our

community, our worldBy Natalie Amsden

We fi nd ourselves at a unique point in history: at the preci-pice of human transformation. In this world of rapid change and mass confusion, many of us feel a deep longing for something more – for connection, love, joy, peace, and meaning. We are all awakening, each in our own way and in our own time. As our world changes around us, our world view is changing. This article is both an invitation for you to join with us on this journey of transformation and a story of the broader historical context that has been leading us to this moment.

History is not just the evolution of technology; it is the evolution of thought.

- James Redfield, The Celestine Prophecy

The Evolution of Our World View (an adaptation of the “Longer Now” from the Celestine Prophecy)

It is no mystery that we share a collective belief system, a world view, and that it has been transmitted to us from those who came before. By understanding the reality of our ancestors we understand how we have come to live within the mental constructs of our collective belief systems. We will take you on a journey that starts in the Middle Ages and ends where western thought stands today. Once we view our current state in the perspective of the greater story, we will see how it all leads up to this moment – this is the climax! The Middle Ages: Imagine you were alive during the Middle Ages. The churchmen defi ned your reality as being a spiritual one, with God’s plan for mankind at the very center of life. You believe that earth is the center of the universe, with the stars and sun we see in

the sky as concentric, crystalline, solid spheres that rotate around the earth. The churchmen explain that the purpose of life is essen-tially to win or lose salvation. There are two opposing forces: God and the temptations of the devil. You are not qualifi ed to determine your worthiness; for this you rely on the churchmen who interpret the scriptures and tell you how to live your life. Everything that hap-pens is believed to be the will or wrath of God – from thunderstorms to illness. There is not yet any understanding of weather, disease, or geological forces.

Upheaval: Now imagine your world view begins to fall apart (around the fi fteenth century). You begin to hear of the churchmen violating their vows of chastity or taking money as bribery to allow offi cials to violate scriptural laws. This is a terrifying discovery, as the church-men are your only connection between yourself and God. People begin to break away from the church, believing they do not need a middleman. As the churchmen and their teachings begin to come into question, so does your entire belief system about the nature of your world, the cosmos, and the purpose of life on earth. Without a clearly defi ned authority to dictate your beliefs, defi ne your reality, and tell you how to live your life, you feel con-fused, lost, and afraid. If the churchmen were wrong, then what is right? To make things more unsettling, by the 1600s astronomers had proved beyond a doubt that the sun and stars did not revolve around the Earth – that Earth was only one small planet orbiting one of billions and billions of stars.

You are no longer the center of God’s universe.

Science is Born: Imagine the anxiety produced now when you watch the weather or someone suddenly dies – you feel bewil-dered, not understanding why this is happening. You, and all of those who share your world, begin to ask for answers. And so the modern age is born. To counteract the chaos, democratic principles begin to take over. Defi nitions of our reality are no longer blindly accepted. A method of building consensus was created – which today we call the Scientifi c Method. The fi rst scientists were sent out into this mysterious world and were tasked with using the sci-entifi c method to discover what is the true nature of this world, this universe. What is the true nature of God?

Why are we here and what are we supposed to be doing?

Material Preoccupation: As the scientists went out you sat and waited for an answer. But, the explorers did not return for quite some time. While your world waited, you all began studying this planet you live in and fi nding ways to improve your lives. And so began our preoccupation with material comfort. Over the next four centuries we continued to improve our methods of manipulating our environment, making advances in farming and later creating the Industrial Revolution. As we became more and more distracted with our technological pursuits, we slowly pushed aside and re-

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pressed our spiritual natures and the questions we sent out the scientists to discover.

As we have become better and better at surviving, we have systematically forgotten

what we are surviving for.

Today: In the last 100 years, we have evolved in our technology and our understanding of the world and the universe more than in the thousands of years before. We have become masters of this material world. We have every convenience, and now that tech-nology takes care of many of the mundane tasks that used to be needed for daily survival, we have freedom of time. But, during that free time we have, we spend it with our newest preoccupations – Facebook, the Internet, television, sports, drama, shopping, alco-hol, drugs, or compulsive working. As we are freed to move beyond survival, we become restless. For many, the future remains their expected salvation – a respite from their chronic discontent and suffering.

“Some day, when this, that, or the other thing happens, I will be happy.”

We become more and more enmeshed with our material world to avoid any chance of having time alone with ourselves – afraid we might ask ourselves the questions “is this it?”, “why am I here?”, “what is the nature of God?”

Scientists Return: Others, on the other hand, are seeking sources of joy and fulfi llment in this moment, outside and beyond material comforts. They are unplugging from the matrix. They are embark-ing on an inner journey, reconnecting to others, and fi nding their true selves. People are awakening – remembering their original question – why are we here? What is the nature of the universe, of God? At just this moment, when we are fi nally ready once again to ask our questions, the scientists are returning with the answers. Quantum physics has, among other things, proven that we are all, literally, made of the same stuff – energy – as are all things, from this magazine to the billions of stars.

Purpose in Suffering: At the same time, there seems to be a resurgence of suffering around the world. We are inundated with theories of massive global changes – galactic alignment, magnetic shifts, and renegade planets. We are experiencing global climate change and increased frequency and severity of natural disasters. We are experiencing economic crisis, with rising unemployment and falling housing prices.

If we are on the brink of an awakening, why is there so much negativity, so much pain?

Anyone who has experienced or studied spiritual growth knows

that suffering is often a precursor of spiritual awakening, and this time it is no different. Many are reacting in fear, obsessing over worst case sce-narios, blogging constantly about the “economy”, government cor-ruption, or the latest natural disaster. But the publishers of Trans-formation Magazine know that there is something more going on, something Greater, something wonderful. We see that what we call “negative” occurrences are part of what we need in order to push us out of the material preoccupation in which we have been hiber-nating for centuries.

Our cacoon of comfort is being unraveled, giving us the opening from which to spread our wings and complete the transformation we set

out to do a thousand years ago.

Creating Change: With all of the pain and suffering we see around us and in the world, it is diffi cult for empathetic, caring, and open people such as ourselves to not get bogged down, overwhelmed, or discouraged feeling that it is outside of our control and there is nothing we can do about it.

We are not hopeless. We have the power to change.

Turn off the news that sickens you and tune into the good that’s happening all around you. Change your focus. Stop feeding nega-tivity with negativity. Do what you can to help, and whatever you can’t do, let go. The most powerful thing you can do to impact those around you, and the world, is to work on you. Make changes in your life to live in alignment with your true self, your greater purpose. Practice methods of positive thinking and positive living. Elevate your energy and those around you through health, education, and spiritual practice. Open your mind and unlock the power within. Use your gifts and share them with the world. Develop compas-sion. Learn how to love. Put down your baggage and free yourself to be who you truly are. Face your fears. Embrace change. Con-nect to others. Build bridges. Give of yourself. Express gratitude. Enjoy the simple things in life. Give yourself a break from the con-stant grind. Breathe. Live.

What does it mean? What is happening? What do I do? That’s what this magazine is here for. Ask your questions, submit your answers. Get involved. Connect. Learn, grow, transform. We ask you to join with us during this period of Great Transformation and vibrational re-alignment. Stand on the side of positive change and cosmic destiny.

Transform with us!

The Publishers, Joeel A. Rivera and Natalie AmsdenTransformation Magazine

www.SuncoastTransformation.com

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Section TitleReal Life Transformation

Contest Winner! Congratulations to Karen Leonetti. who was selected by Transformation

Magazine’s voting committee to receive 2 tickets to attend Hay House’s

I CAN DO IT! Conference! Your story and attitude are truly inspiring!

Did you know that when a very plump caterpillar spins itself deli-cately into its cozy cocoon, it becomes a liquid before emerging into the most glorious butterfl y? I have been raising butterfl ies for many years with my preschool children. It tickles me to think of this stage of cocooning as the “liquid assets” stage. I imagine that in this miraculously liquid asset stage, a new cell regenerates color, forms new patterning, and instinctual transformation begins. For me personally, my liquid “asset” stage was post bone marrow transplant in 1993. It was then that I was to make my transformation of both a cellular and physical level. For six months I was “temporarily” restricted from the joys of my life. My immune system was so dangerously low that I could not be around my niece and nephews, my household pets, my healing garden, and my employment at the Sarasota County preschool classroom. At this point my cocoon, or vessel cup, was dreadfully empty of liquid asset. The scares were not only physical from the numerous surgeries (the 6” Non Hodgkin’s tumor was on my heart and inoper-able) but emotional too. I heard this quote and quickly realized that

“Scares remind us of where we have been, but they do NOT have to dictate where we are going.”

Loving, committed friends and family would pray for me and tell me so! It was so important for me to hear who was praying for me. I think I was put on prayer chains all over the world. PRAISE GOD! Friends, neighbors and family also would appear at my home for inspirational visits. I would spend my alone time with the

amazing, inspirational works of the blessed Louise Hay and Dr. Wayne Dyer on cassette tapes (yes, this was the early 90’s when CD’s were not yet available). I listened quietly in an effort to boost my neuro-psycho-immunology. Yes that’s quite a mouthful, isn’t it?

I would say through personal experience that 90% of our healing abilities begin in the brain.

I would sit quietly day after day, listening for hours, allowing their inspirational voices to seep into my subconscious and conscious mind. I could then feel the healing beginning and absorbing into my cellular DNA and bones. I knew this is what I needed for my trans-formation, slowly fi lling up my mighty vessel for my liquid assets to alter me into the new person I knew I would become. You see, at 30 years old, I was always worried about what others thought, or what others would say. This was my time to develop new cellular patterning, new habits, and to heal. I remember my mom, dad and husband saying “Karen, your job is to get well now and heal”. And that I did! Before I share that cycle of my healing with you I would like to take you back to a pivotal point that my loving husband, Danny did for me.

While I was in Tampa, Florida at the Moffitt Cancer Center at age 30, my white blood count

was at a mere existence of only 10!

After my bone marrow was extracted and frozen in safe keeping for the six days of chemo therapy, I lovingly held each thawed bag of liquid asset of bone marrow, which was soon to be my new immune system, to my chest. I lovingly blessed it as it slowly dripped and re-entered my body via I.V. tubing. After several days, I grew into de-spair as my “liquid rescue” bone marrow was not graphing quickly. I turned my head slowly to my caretaker husband sitting next to me in the same isolation room for 43 days and said “I am not getting out of here am I?” He very quickly and lovingly responded “YES you are, and we are going to build you your own preschool to keep you healthy and help transform the world!”

Can you only imagine how desperately I needed to hear those words?

My bone marrow began instantly graphing into my bones and my healing transformation began for the rest of my life on that very same day! I am so very, very happy to tell you we opened my own green preschool in 1996. We named it Earth Angel Preschool as we teach children the curriculum of “love, cooperation, com-munity and eating healthy.” I get to spread my arms (or shall I say wings) widely every morning greeting my little preschoolers to be-gin a loving, fun, nutritious day. Eighteen years have passed now since my cocoon, and I feel I am still a butterfl y fl uttering around teaching fresh food nutrition importance.

Thank you Karen! You are a miracle, or better yet, an angel! Please contact us to claim your tickets: editor@suncoasttransformation.com

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Section TitleReal Life Transformation

Transformation Magazine’s mission is to connect the personal growth and spiritually minded community within Florida’s Suncoast by providing inspirational and educational content and informational community resources. Transformation Magazine is written by the community, for the community, with articles written by authors who live in the Suncoast region.

Transformation Magazine is content-rich and real, focusing on topics that are relevant, in-depth, and oriented to personal development,

holistic health, and spiritual growth.

Transformation is more than a magazine. There is an Awakening occurring and a shift that is taking place in our society and in each one of us. Transformation’s goals are to:

Bridge together the communities in the Suncoast area• Provide resources to individuals seeking to grow and • transformGive businesses a low-cost, targeted form of advertising • Provide articles that are informational and inspirational• Create a movement - challenging each one of us to join to-• gether to transform our community through positive energy and conscious change

Join the movement, get involved!

> Spread the word > Become a distributor> Write an article > Advertise

www.SuncoastTransformation.com

FEATURESThe Awakening 2

REAL LIFE TRANSFORMATION: Caterpillar to Butterfl y, Contest Winner 4

TOOLS & TIPS Heart’s Wisdom 930 Day Challenge 13

GOOD NEWS Healing the Gulf 16

PSYCHOLOGY Peeling the Onion 20Gratitude 31

COLUMNSAn Apple a Day 6The Way It Is 7Practical Spirituality 10Ask Dr ZZ 11The Holy Instant 18Spiritually Speaking 21Enlightened Relationships 23Ask Your Angels 25

EVENT LISTINGS 26

COMMUNITY RESOURCES 28

For Advertising information and to request a media kit, email: ads@suncoasttransformation.comIf you have an idea for an article or column, email: editor@suncoasttransformation.comView Transformation online: www.SuncoastTransformation.com

© Copyright 2010 Transformation Magazine. All rights reserved. Trans-formation Magazine is published monthly by Transformation Services. The information provided herein is for entertainment and personal de-velopment purposes and should not be construed as health care diag-nosis or therapeutic service. The publishers do not necessarily agree or disagree with the views contained herein.

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Carol L. Roberts, M.D. is the founder and Medical Director of WELL-NESS WORKS located in Brandon and Sarasota. Dr. Roberts gradu-ated from Harvard University and the University of Texas Medical School, specializing in Otolaryngology and Emergency Medicine. She practiced ENT for ten years, followed by eight years of Emergency Medicine. During much of that time, she practiced and taught the principles of healthy living. In 1994, she opened her private practice, WELLNESS WORKS so that she could devote her career to the inte-gration of conventional medicine with natural and holistic healing.

What a time we live in! Daily news of huge earth changes – earth-quakes, volcanoes, cave-ins, blow-outs, disasters of all kinds, the fi nger of Shiva the Destroyer, of Pluto, the planet of death and res-urrection (mini-planet with macro power!), the ending of the Mayan Calendar – all remind us that we live in interesting times. The con-fusion of crisis gives us a chance (a responsibility, even!) to rewrite the rule book, by a different set of standards this time.

Many believe that we chose to come in at this time in order to help with the Great Transition.

What does that mean? Can anyone doubt that all our institutions are crumbling? As are all our assumptions about what is real and what is important. From government, hard pressed to deal with the mounting number of crises, to the churches, riddled with scandal, teetering in their hypocrisy, to the engines of our economy, ground almost to a halt – everything is crashing down around our ears. Endless war with no defi nable end point and the constant crushing pressure of a society based on material values, learning the hard way that the important things have been left out. We don’t even know where to look, some are racing backwards to a simpler era, where (they think) everyone looked alike and believed in the same values. Some are cynically giving up, refusing to vote, hiding out in a self-induced coma of fl ickering images on a screen, believing nothing they can do will make a difference. I want to talk to the rest of you. You who have picked up this fi rst edition of a fl edgling publication; I welcome you to a feast of light! (How much courage does it take to launch a new print pa-per in the Age of the Internet?) The people who contribute to these pages have optimism and ideas to share. They are the ones who can envision a new world, a new way to believe, a new direction and dimensions of being, that can rise from the ashes of all this mess we call our world. “Apples” in this column will represent ideas that heal, that can keep you sane in an insane world – physically, mentally, and spiritually. The fi rst apple I want to share is the idea that

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE!

You can, at any given moment, no matter the circumstances, choose to look at the bright side. Listen to the thoughts that occupy your mind. Are they positive, life-affi rming, happy thoughts? Or are they echoes of past voices, critical of you and your actions, judg-mental of others, cynical and nasty? Banish them! Learn how to replace them with upbeat, positive affi rmations of life. Make happy a habit! With this goal in mind, practice being happy as a spiritual path. Smile at people for no reason. Have something nice to say to the clerk at the convenience store (who may be having a diffi cult day), the secretary in the offi ce, the teacher you don’t really like.

All these people are doing the best they can at any given moment.

You can brighten their day and start a chain reaction that lightens the load of all humanity just a little bit. If we all do that, the world will defi nitely be a better place. Welcome to the world of your creation! We have an un-precedented opportunity to write our future and that of our chil-dren’s children for seven generations. Go for it! What do you have to lose? Only your sour puss and your bad attitude. Become a light bearer and see if your own life doesn’t get lighter too.

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Gregg Sanderson, The Stand-Up Cosmic, has a rare view of the metaphysical universe. He traveled the road from Christian Sci-ence through Judaism, Agnosticism, Atheism, Living Love, Psychic Development, Spiritualism, Teaching of the Inner Christ, all the way to Science of Mind where he is a licensed practitioner at the Center for Conscious Living. He is the author of What Ever Happened To Happily Ever After? and Split Happens - Easing the Pain of Divorce. Gregg’s latest venture is Spirit With A Smile — The Way It Is (Unless It’s Something Else).

There are wonderful books written on Spirituality, and some not-so-wonderful. Yet each reaches its appropriate audience. A great teacher once told me, “The Truth doesn’t care how it’s packaged,” and I can say I’ve gained value from every package of Truth I un-wrapped — some more than others. Yet despite all the evidence, there’s still a little voice in the back of my mind that whispers,

“Aw c’mon. You don’t really believe this stuff, do you?”

This column is for all who, with ten minutes or ten decades of expe-rience with Spiritual teaching, still have that little glimmer of doubt. I assure you, if you absorb this column month after month, you may still have that little glimmer but it might not be quite as bright. Sometimes different words and a different points of view can create a “Wow!” that’s been waiting to burst out. Perspective stimulates understanding, and often a different viewpoint can be the perfect bridge to applied Spirituality. When I state (and I will) my theory of the purpose of life, it is not a position I’ll defend to the death – but it’ll sure make living more fun. I also think it’s worthwhile to enjoy the humor of life, so we approach it with a chuckle.

Belief Systems

“A belief system is just a thought you keep thinking,” says Abraham-Hicks. From militant Atheism to the strictest Fundamental-ism; from radical vegan to raving carnivore; from Socialist to Liber-tarian, we are run by our belief systems. They infl uence everything from sex, religion and politics to life itself, before, during, and after.

With all the conflicting belief systems in the world, how can we tell which ones work?

Here’s the big secret. They all do.

Indeed, every belief creates its corresponding circumstance. The

more restrictive our beliefs, the more restricted our lives. For purpose of instructive abbreviation, I will use the initials B.S. for Belief System throughout.

If my B.S. says, “Life is diffi cult,” I struggle without satisfaction.If my B.S. says, “I’m a guilty sinner,” I live in wretchedness and remorse. If my B.S. says, “Poverty is a virtue,” I spend a lot of time broke.If my B.S. says, “There’s not enough,” I never stop looking for more.If my B.S. says, “It’s cold and fl u season,” I know just when to sneeze.If my B.S. says, “I’m born to suffer,” my happiness comes with guilt.If my B.S. says, “I’ll never love again,” I create my own loneliness.If my B.S. says, “I’m not worthy,” I live life as a loser.

Are you getting the instructive part of the abbreviation?

Suppose instead:

My B.S. says, “Life is easy,” I might not kill myself working.My B.S. says, “Not Guilty,” I could live in innocence.My B.S. says, “It’s good to be rich,” it would be OK to make lots of money.My B.S. says, “Life is abundant,” I’d reap the bounty.My B.S. says, “Joy is my birthright,” I wouldn’t need misery.My B.S. says, “Perfect health is natural,” I’d swallow fewer pills.My B.S. says, “Love is all around,” I’d live in ecstasy.My B.S. says, “I deserve the best,” I’d enjoy it more.

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Some B.S.es are better than others, but they’re still B.S.

You may argue this point. You may say, “I believe in prosperity, but I’m still broke.” Or, “I went to a relationship seminar, but I’m still a jerk.” Or, “I eat the right foods and do healthy stuff, but I’m still sick.” If you want a clue as to why such beliefs aren’t working, remember the quote at the beginning of this section:

A belief system is just a thought you keep thinking.”

Each of the fi rst group of statements gets negated before it’s even spoken. Five minutes of affi rmation might not be enough to coun-ter 23 hours and 55 minutes of the opposite belief. What I’ll offer each month is more B.S. — another way to picture life and the Universe that makes sense or not, depending upon your B.S. If your B.S. is B.S., what have you got to lose by living with THIS B.S.?

It’s all B.S. anyhow, so you might as well have fun with it.

Yet it doesn’t take any B.S. to scratch my nose. It itches, I scratch. That’s how it works. That’s how the Universe works, too … no matter what your B.S. And now I’d like to invite you to explore a unique B.S. at www.spiritwithasmile.com. There you can open doors to a new world of answers to such questions as, “What is the meaning of life?” “Is there a God?” and “Who the hell are you?” You can also download a free White Paper to broaden your understanding of the Mighty BOB, and the Less-Than-Mighty Gregg Sanderson, through whom these blessings fl ow. See you next month.

You are welcome to write to Gregg with questions about any aspect of Spirituality. The answers you get may or may not refl ect the views of Transformation Magazine. Email to gregg@spiritwithasmile.com.

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By Satya Winkelman, M.A., C.P.

Do you respond to life from your neck up and let your logical mind rule? After all, the mind IS our survival generator. Or, are you more inclined to be an emotional reactor and allow feelings to run your show? There’s no sense in doing something you don’t feel, right? Wrong!

It is neither your mind nor emotions that are wrong; the either/or, logic/emotions phe-nomenon is the problem. The key to fi nding a solution is to develop a conscious self-ob-server who both listens to the mind and feels the heart before taking impulsive action.

One action to take to help awaken this conscious self-observer is to take a piece of paper and title it with your quandary.

For example:Write the title, such as “Is This Rela-• tionship For Me?” or “Decision About Work” on the top of the paper. Then draw a vertical line in the cen-• ter of the page from top to bottom. Label the left side “Reasons of • Mind.” These thoughts usually pertain to plans, expectations, or survival needs. Label the right side, “Feelings • About This.” Remember, in this right column, list emotions only, like sad, glad, scared, angry, etc.

When you have fi nished expressing both mind and feeling, get up and take a couple slow, deep breaths. Then imagine these two col-umns had been written by a dear old friend you want to help. Read the lists again, this time with compassion. Remembering that thoughts are the source of emotions, ask,

“How do those beliefs and feelings serve your friend’s

highest good?”

When we can look at ourself with compas-sionate awareness, feelings and logic become less adversarial and we open to clarity.

An important 18 inches, that space between mind and heart.

By valuing and expressing both our thinking and feeling aspects, they will begin to soften and meld. With this blend and balance, we create our Heart’s Wisdom.

Satya Winkelman, M.A., C.P., is a board certifi ed creative arts psychotherapist, an international ef-fectiveness trainer for Fortune 500 companies, a facilitator of Wise Women Workshops and a ceramic artist. She is the author of a self-help workbook using her own art as guideposts for change in “Through The Fire: A Woman’s Guide To Transformation”. See ArtCanHeal.com

The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and

head and hands. - Robert M. Pirsig

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Marla fi rst developed interest in New Thought as the Assis-tant Director of The Next Step, a Psychic and Humanistic Growth Center in a New Mexico ghost town. This life-changing experience spurred more than a decade of creating and fa-cilitating personal transformation and relationship workshops. She earned her practitioner license through the Sierra Center for Spir-itual Living and completed ministerial training at the Nashville Center for Spiritual Living. She is pastor of the Center for Conscious Living in Largo.

By Rev. Marla Sanderson

Ever wonder why things happen in your life the way they do?

For my fi rst 30 years, I thought it was all just some accident. Things happen. But why me? Why am I not happy? Why does my life seem so restricted? Why don’t I have the stuff I want? My world was uncomfortable and out of control. While I never quite believed that “God was against me” or “punishing me;” I felt the best I could do was to wish and hope for happiness. But it was all based on future events, and they didn’t always happen. At least they weren’t happening to me. Oh, how I wished for that something or someone to come along that would make it all better.

Life then was about trying to manipulate and control situations and people around me.

I wasn’t very good at it. I was a victim of emotional ups and downs; and even considering my generally optimistic outlook, I didn’t look forward to a life of more of the same.

What I next discovered changed my life forever. I learned that everything in my world was my

own creation. Who knew?

I found a few simple truths: Thoughts become things. Ideas are created into form. All is ONE. My mind is one with the same Power that created the entire universe and I create my own world by the way I use it. WOW! All my life, my mind just seemed like a noise machine with benefi ts. Yes, it helped me communicate and learn. Yes, it could do math and direct my activities. But like Jonathan Livings-

ton Seagull’s breakthrough into fl ight, I discovered it could do so much more. As I explored these new truths, a sense of calm took the place of the nervous chaos that was my usual experience. I found new things to think about as I drove to work in the morning: What is the meaning of life? What happens after death? What is the nature of God? For some years, God and I had not been on great terms, but suddenly I saw it all differently. I wanted to break out of the humdrum cycle of dull jobs, brief relationships, heartache and heartburn. For the fi rst time I saw there was a person inside of me who could actually do it.

I began to feel a peace and power that made life exhilarating – and it didn’t matter what was

going on around me.

I discovered the wisdom of Edgar Cayce, the writings of Ruth Montgomery and Joseph Murphy, Catherine Ponder, Marcus Bach, Richard Bach and many others. The teachings of Ernest Holmes, Ken Keyes, Jr. (and many others) continue to expand my life every day. In How to Change Your Life, Ernest Holmes states: “There is One Life of which we are a part; One Intelligence, which we use; One Substance, which takes manifold forms.” He also says, “The ability to attain your goals – to control your experiences and have them result in happiness, prosperity and success – lies in your own mind and the way you use it.“ That One Life, whether we call it Spirit or God or some-thing else, is absolutely perfect, everywhere present, and responds to us in a particular way, creating all the events and circumstances of our lives according to our thoughts and beliefs. We can create a glorious life experience or Hell on Earth. And it is all our choice. We are created and supported by an Infi nite Spirit — Om-nipotent (all powerful), Omniscient (all knowing), and Omnipresent (everywhere present). It is the Source of all Life and all things. It is loving, intelligent, infi nitely creative, and orderly in its expression. This is the Life WE Live. It is simple, but we have to start using our mind construc-tively and break free of our habitual thoughts and actions. Take the positive route in your thinking every time you have a challenge and watch what happens.

Care enough about your own life experience to pay attention to what your

thoughts are causing.

You are the creator of your own life because you are the thinker. You have ALL the power. Learn how to use it constructively.

I will be happy to consider your questions or comments as subject matter for future articles. Just e-mail them to me at marla@mktmas-ter.com. To delve deeper into this wonderful teaching, you’re invited to join us any and every Sunday morning at 10 AM.

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Dr. ZZ’s bold, upfront, directive style plays an inspirational role in the lives of people she touches. This forum offers potential solutions on health, emotional and personal matters. Dr. ZZ earned her doctorate in Natural Healing at Tenrikyo University in Japan. Drawing on non-traditional Ph.D. in Counseling (the spiritual dimensions of psychol-ogy), she holds a Reiki Master-Teacher degree and a variety of com-plimentary certifi cates in modalities such as Tantra, Hypnotherapy, Intuitive Healing and Applied Kinesiology.

Question: My dear friend and former housemate are on the brink of poverty. A couple of years ago, he married a woman who starts fi ghts, throws fi ts of jealousy and chases away his clients. She has robbed me of a friend and robbed my friend of his soul. She has sucked the essence of his psyche so dry that he is a mere skeleton of the man he used to be. Not willing to live with people I don’t admire, I have moved out and decided to share no more of my life with them than I have to. I view my memories of their union as a bad dream that I want to forget as soon as possible. Before I send them these sentiments in a letter, I’d like your opinion. What do you think?

Dr. ZZ: It can be hard to admire someone else’s decision when it’s different from one you’d make. But, if you respect your friend, you must also respect his choice of partner. There’s a reason why he is choosing to be with this woman. Perhaps she voices a side of him he doesn’t otherwise express. Regardless of the reason, you are free to stop sharing your life with the two of them if you want to; but to stop sharing their life, you must stop sharing your life. That means no nasty letters. Body language speaks more loudly than words, and you’ve made your point. What’s done is done. Deal with it, and get on with living.

Question: My daughter, a 34-year old architect, has stopped communicating with me. Her psychiatrist says she’s depressed. She’s dating a painter, and I think she deserves better; she should be married and raising children by now. But she won’t listen to me. What’s a mother to do?

Dr. ZZ: Chances are your daughter is suppressing long term rage from a buildup of life experiences that fail to honor her for who she is. Distancing herself may be her way of sparing your feelings rather than lashing out at you in anger. The only winning strategy is to lighten up and quit “shoulding” on her. Practice being her ally and delighting in all that she is -— rather than fi nding fault in ev-erything she is NOT. The best thing for a mother to do is to be your daughter’s cheerleader. Be there to celebrate her victories and to comfort her when times are tough. Respond to any overtures she

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12

may make to you with upbeat remarks like: “Good girl. Go for it. If anyone can do it, you can.” Gradually, in learning to trust that it’s safe to be herself around you, she will open up and begin sharing more.

Question: Several months ago, I reached my life goal of becom-ing a hotel manager. Now I feel extremely weak. I am in my early 50s, and I am getting close to my physical and mental limits. This expresses itself in trembling inwardly and feeling insecure. I think I’m just working too much with practically no real day off. I just can’t stop thinking of my duties, and for some strange reason, I feel that I must even work harder. Living on the premises doesn’t help: just last night there were two men looking for a room at about 1 AM, so I had to get up and handle it. It took me an hour to get back to sleep. I feel so worn out. What I need is a week’s vacation. That’s impossible of course, so I think I just have to try to take it easier. Can you offer any suggestions?

Dr. ZZ: In the end, all that matters is how well we lived, how well we loved, and how well we learned to let go. From your e-mail, it sounds as if you are struggling on all three counts. Codependency is a vicious cycle of not being able to let go of something that doesn’t work and feeling as if you can’t let go because it might work. You know what’s not working, and what you need to do about it. You’re putting in too many hours and pushing your limits. You need to take time off. One of the toughest things we have to learn in life is how to make ourselves more important than the identities we construct. In this case, you are making yourself subservient to the false idol of “The Good Hotel Manager.” It’s time you become your own best customer and draw a fi rm boundary be-tween where you start, and where the job ends. Redefi ne yourself as worthy of meeting your own needs and wants, and then meet them. What good is a life goal if you’re just going to use it to wear yourself out? Learn to let go of the job, and take up the critical task of living well and loving yourself well. That, after all, is the only clock that’s ticking here.

Question: I am a 74-year old male who still retains strong sexual desires. Is this normal? Am I harming myself by relieving my needs through masturbation?

Dr. ZZ: Sex is a natural appetite and a healthy part of living, and there’s no reason why sexual desire shouldn’t last a lifetime. Soci-ety, however, tends to depict sex as only for the young; and many older people program themselves to believe that they aren’t entitled to it. Congratulations to you for retaining a healthy sexual attitude! Masturbation is harmless. Whether or not you choose to share your sexual pleasures with a partner and to develop the intimacy that can come from that experience, the number of bodies that end up in your bed ain’t nobody’s business but your own.

Please send queries or comments to: askDrZZ@yahoo.com.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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For Blissful Living For Blissful LivingBy Emily Andrews

“Hummingbird darts lightly through the world, spreading its message of joy and beauty, and

teaching us to appreciate the wonder and magic of everyday existence.

Hummingbird brings the gift of joy. Learn to laugh and be happy.”

- Unknown

Are you connecting to Joy during your day?

So many individuals go through life on autopilot, causing them to miss out on the Joy that is wanting to fully express itself in their life journey. Connect to Joy within the next 30 days, as Emily Andrews shares a few simple yet outstanding intentions and affi rma-tions to focus on weekly that will inspire more joy in your life. Through experience, research, and Divine guidance, I have come to understand the impact our life force has upon designing the life you desire. When I refer to life force, I am referring to the all-that-is-you, your mindset, your physical state, your sense of spirituality, your self-esteem, and your emotional state. All these aspects of your life force impact that which you attract and allow into your life. The inten-

tion of this challenge is to help you create a life force that helps you manifest a state of joy, regardless of the exterior conditions. The irony in all of this is that once you allow yourself to be more joyful within your experiences, the more good (experiences and things you desire), joy, and peace will automatically enter your life.

Begin by setting an intention to experience more joy during the next 30 days.

Why 30 days? Psychologists report that 28 days on a focused activity are needed when establishing a new habit; this includes new attitudes, new outlooks, and new behaviors. So if you want to implement a positive change in your life, you need to make it a priority every day for at least four weeks. This rule for change applies to our life force, and it holds true to your manifesting a more blissful living. How do I use this information? Spend a few minutes in the morning meditating and/or contemplating on the given intention for the week and read the affi rmation several times a day throughout the week. This will help you shift your consciousness, which in turn creates successful changes. I also suggest that you practice the activities as often as possible. As time progresses you will fi nd your positive thoughts and actions being more spontaneous and more supportive with your intentions for blissful living.

Week 1: Notice and expand the blessings in your life through gratitude.

Gratitude is powerful! It is a natural heart expander. It creates an expansion of blessings within your life, since it encourages the conscious and subconscious part of you to notice more of it. Conscious gratitude automatically draws more good to you. Regardless of how little or how much you have, there is always something to be grateful for. Gratitude can be found within all of our moments: gratitude can be found within the fl ower that blooms by your door step, the beauti-ful vase that may be sitting on your kitchen counter, and the blue sky above your head.

Affi rmation: I am grateful for the blessings in my life. These blessings expand with my gratitude.

Activity: Start your morning and end your day thinking about three things and/or people you are grateful for. Make three attempts this week to intentionally tell someone how grateful you are for their efforts, love, and/or presence in your life.

Week 2: Releasing the old and opening up to the new, through forgiveness of thy self.

Unforgiveness towards another person, towards God, or toward one’s self is the most common root to physical illness and emotional discontentment. Complete forgiveness of one self is a great fi rst step in inviting this powerful and healing energy into your life. It is a step into peace and better mental and physical health. By forgiving ourselves of past and current mistakes, we can open the doors for more joy to enter our life. When you work on forgiving yourself, you help release negative thoughts that are harbored within your mind and self perception.

Affi rmation: I am letting go of self doubt and choosing to create more peaceful attitudes about myself and my experiences.

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Activity: Change how you perceive your faults. Write at least fi ve faults and by each fault write a more positive way to per-ceive the fault. Ex: I am a procrastinator, Positive Perception: I am open to Divine Timing.

Week 3: Schedule time for joy.

Joy has a powerful trajectory as it expands as you choose to intentionally experience it. You have to choose Joy, by taking steps that can enable you to experience it. If you don’t take time for Joy it will always elude you, just like if you don’t take time to exercise, Tight Buns will always elude you, too. The re-ality is, your body, mind, and soul need this emotion to func-tion effectively. Every thought you think creates a cascade of bio-chemical changes in your body that are measurable. Joy is practical, since it creates bio-chemical changes in your brain that are benefi cial for you. It increases serotonin, while reducing stress hormones, cortisol, and makes you sleep better. If you don’t have a good foundation for Joy in your life you may easily fi nd yourself lacking its benefi ts. You have to give room for Joy in your life; it’s like fen-shui for your mind.

Affi rmation: I value my Joy and I create time to experience it.

Activity: Write down a list of things that bring you joy, and for this week schedule some time to do them.

Week 4: Power of Joy in service.

This week we will focus on intentionally creating a smile, a sense of peace, laughter, and/or joy within another. The truth is that your commitment to helping others can change the world! Scientists have demonstrated that the number one thing that brings out true happiness in people all over the world is helping others feel good about themselves. Research shows that help-ing others relieves stress and depression and actually brings us joy. How we make others feel with our words and actions are a refl ection of the kind of life we are choosing to have and how happy we will be. Our words and actions powerfully impact our self esteem and that of others.

Affi rmation: Amazing opportunities are opening up for me to experience Joy through service.

Activity: Do an act of service and/or kindness every day day.

Final thoughts: Joy is possible for all of us. If you feel like you lack Joy in your life, choose to intentionally seek it and know that opportunities to make this happen will cross your path in Divine Order.

This is a condensed version of the 30 Day Challenge program that I offer free to the community. If you would like more informa-tion on this program please visit livingtoinspire.com.

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16

Healing the Gulf with Dr. Emoto

I am sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you

By Marigrace VanDeventer and Natalie Amsden

I had the blessing of meeting Marigrace at the culmination of the Gulf Blessing event held in St. Petersburg on Saturday, September 11, 2010. Dr. Emoto, along with Rev. Kumari Mullen, held a workshop about the healing properties of water and using your intentions to heal the waters and animals in the Gulf, followed by a Gulf Blessing held in Pass-a-Grill. Dr. Emoto’s research and its applications are profound, and the blessing ceremony was both beautiful and powerful. However, after getting to know Marigrace and learning the story behind how she brought this magical event together, I found myself in awe – realizing that the true magic, the true power of this event, is the divine inspiration that put the whole thing into motion. Marigrace’s inspiration, and subsequent action, is responsible for bringing together two amazing teachers, Dr. Emoto and Rev. Kumari Mullen. Dr. Emoto is an internationally recognized Japanese researcher who is known for his profound experiments on water crystal sthat stunned the scientifi c community, as well as the spiritual community. His profound fi nd-ings show that human thoughts, words, and intentions can impact the molecular structure of water crystals. Being that our bodies are roughly 75% water, the implications are profound. As Dr. Emoto says,

“If our thoughts can do that to water, imagine what our thoughts can do to our bodies...

and our world.”

His photographs of water crystals, known as “Messages in Water,” were introduced in the movie, “What the Bleep Do We Know,” and have inspired scientists and individuals worldwide. Rev. Kumari Mul-len is a Reiki Master, Animal Communi-cator, intuitive healer, counselor, attorney, author, and equestrian who specializes in energetic problem-solving for pets and their people. The coming together of these two forces indeed created an ener-gy and intention that was truly impactful, and we believe transformational, to the Gulf waters, the animals, and the people who were touched by the event. Below is Marigrace’s personal story of how the Gulf Blessing came to be. Marigrace was deeply inspired by Dr. Emoto’s profound research back in 2005. She trained as a Hado instructor with Dr. Emoto and her personal role as a registered nurse and lactation consultant has been greatly enriched by his teach-ings. Ever since hearing Dr. Emoto present his Messages in Water, Mari-grace has had an awakened sense of purpose in her life. When she fi rst heard Dr. Emoto speak, she felt her heart chakra burst wide open as if a portal of divine guidance had been suddenly opened. This powerful discovery led Marigrace on an inquiry into the potential healing impact that a mothers healing thoughts, intentions, and emotions may have upon the natural waters (breast milk and am-niotic fl uid) as shared between mothers and babies. In her work she considers the potential that consciously awakened mothers may have to deeply imprint the values of warm-heartedness, compas-sion and peace upon the children of gen-erations to come. Spiritual Guidance can reveal itself to all of us in profoundly different ways. Some of us may experience this guidance through dreams, an idea, and an intuitive nudge, a song playing on a radio or other synchronicity. The inspiration for this Healing the Gulf workshop and Gulf Blessing came one night when Marigrace was awakened by her intuition from a deep sleep in the hours leading up to the Sum-

17

mer Solstice. She was being summoned by her inner knowing to arise and look out her window just before dawn. As she did, she noticed a beautiful swan making its way through the waters of the pond behind her vacation home. She was delighted as she had not seen a swan there for nearly two years. In those moments of early morning by the window in North Carolina, as she watched the swan bathing in the water, her heart opened to the idea that she needed to bring two of her dearest friends together and bring a message of hope and healing to the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, with the intention of bringing healing to the waters and animals harmed by the BP oil spill. Contacting Unity Churches in the Gulf region immediately came to mind, for it was in a Unity Church that she had fi rst heard Dr. Emoto speak in Atlanta. First Unity Church of St. Petersburg and Wings Bookstore agreed to host the event. The next day she called her lifelong friend, Reverend Kumari Mullin, to talk about the possibility of traveling with her to the Gulf Coast of Florida. Kumari, who is an Animal Intuitive and Reiki Master with 22 years of expe-rience living and training with spiritual masters immediately said, “Yes, I will come.” They went on to discuss with great excitement and an-ticipation their plan to invite Marigrace’s benevolent teacher and “water comrade” (as he calls his students), Dr. Masaru Emoto, to travel to the Gulf of Mexico. As Kumari and Marigrace spoke,

She watched as this beautiful swan began to take the most wonderful bath unlike anything

she had ever seen... dunking into the water and playing like a little child for the longest time.

The swan was in her glory! As they spoke, the swan seemed to become more and more joyful. Three times during their conversation the swan stood up and spread and fl apped her wings while facing the sun. Both Marigrace and Kumari felt as though this was a sign of approval; the swan was calling them to follow their hearts. Kumari, who is an intuitive animal healer, began to connect with the consciousness of this swan remotely from Florida. She told Marigrace that what the bird was expressing was indeed an expression of gratitude for what

they were hoping and planning to present along with Dr. Emoto. This time… spiritual guidance seemed to be presented in the form of an animal messenger. As you can imagine, it was really something to see. The apparent joy of a beautiful creature bathing and thriving in its natural habitat on the east coast of North Carolina, painted such a striking contrast to the images we have all seen of birds in the Gulf of Mexico covered in oil and struggling to survive.

While this magnificent creature was taking such a glorious bath, Marigrace envisioned

the other animals and birds down in the Gulf struggling to become clean.

The message was so very clear that we are not to despair and that together we can heal our beautiful waters once again by holding a vibration of love and gratitude. Rather than focusing upon the negative emotions we may feel stirring in our hearts, we may choose to send our heart focused intentions of healing and recov-ery. Just like the outstretched wings of that splendid bird fl apping its wings in the summer sun, we can each stand up and reach out and change the vibration of what we see happening in our world! And that’s just what we did. Those of us who participated in the Gulf Blessing felt the tremendous healing powers of our posi-tive intentions as we sent our love, gratitude, and apology out to the oil-soaked waters and animals in the Gulf of Mexico. Together we read the following “Grand Invocation” in Japanese:

The Grand InvocationUchuu no mugen no chikara ga korikotte(universe) (eternal) (energy) (crystallized)

Makoto no daiwa no miyo ga narinatta(true) (great harmony) era (has come)

As the sun was setting, the sky slowly fi lled with dark rain clouds; we had apparently called the water. However, as if respond-ing in kind, not a drop fell to the ground during the water ceremony. As the sun set and the crowd dispersed, a clearing formed in the dark clouds, and as you can see from the photo at the beginning of this article – a heart was formed. Our blessing had been received,

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Joan Haber is an Ordained Ministerial Counselor from the Pathways of Light Spiritual College. She has facilitated A Course in Miracles discussion groups since 2005 and has an online prayer ministry. Joan is certifi ed as a Hearing Loss Support Specialist, a nationally recog-nized training program for professionals who serve the deaf and hard of hearing population and their families and is currently studying for a Certifi cate in Peer Mentoring from Gallaudet University in Washington DC. Joan graduated from California State University-Stanislaus with a BA in Sociology and Florida State University, where she earned a Master of Science degree in Demography and Social Science.

“The holy instant is a time in which you receive and give perfect communication” and is a quote from A Course in Miracles, a pro-found spiritual text published in 1976 by the Foundation for Inner Peace. Millions of people around the world consider themselves as lifelong “students” of the Course, which teaches that it is pos-sible to attain a state of total peace, love and interdependence with others, despite the seemingly chaotic condition of the world today. “A Course in Miracles began with the sudden decision of two people to join in a common goal” as stated in the Preface to the Course. Two professors of Medical Psychology in New York had a contentious and diffi cult working relationship, and in a fi t of exasperation declared that

“There must be another way...”

in which to relate to and communicate with each other. This “little willingness” as the Course calls it, led the way for A Course in Mir-acles to come into the world. The Course consists of three com-ponents bound into a blue soft-cover manual with gold lettering; a 669-page Text, followed by a 365-daily lesson plan in a Workbook for Students, and a 72-page Manual for Teachers. It is not meant to be taught in a traditional classroom-style setting as its title sug-gests, but rather as an experiential collaboration with others for how to live “in this world but not be of this world”, as Jesus is often quoted as saying. A Course in Miracles is usually studied in small groups all over the world; often in people’s living rooms and in some church-es that believe the Course’s message is compatible with universal themes of peace, forgiveness, and love. In these groups, partici-pants read from the text and discuss how to apply the principles of the Course into their daily lives. The Course is not meant to be an intellectual exercise, but rather it is meant to be lived by direct experience of miracles.

What is a miracle, you might ask?

and a symbol of love and gratitude had been given.The publishers of Transformation Magazine would like to thank Marigrace for sharing her inspirational story and for Kumari Mullen and Dr. Emoto for working together to heal our precious waters. We hope that you, our readers, will join with us in continuing the efforts and intentions to heal the waters and animals in the Gulf. We also hope you remember that the real story about this event is how one woman’s moment of inspiration in the middle of the night, half way across the country, has impacted the lives of thousands of people and – we believe – hundreds of thousands of animals. We look forward to sharing more stories like this one in the future about other individuals, perhaps even you, who followed their intuition and inspiration and truly made an impact on their community and their world.

Marigrace VanDeventer, Grace@MothersLegacyofLove.comwww.MothersLegacyofLove.com

Rev. Kumari Mullin, Kumari@kumarihealing.comwww.Kumarihealing.com

Dr. Masaru Emoto, Hiromasa@hado.comwww.masaru-emoto.net

Healing the Gulf Web Sitewww.GulfBlessing.com

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19

A Course in Miracles defi nes a miracle as a change in perception. This shift in thinking allows you to see nothing but love – within yourself and outwardly in other people and in world circumstances. As the Course tells us, “The world you see is what you gave it, nothing more than that…It is the witness to your state of mind, the outside picture of an inward condition.” This is a different way of looking at things, isn’t it? If the world is created by our thoughts about it, and we are capable of changing our minds about it, it fol-lows that we can free ourselves of pain, guilt, anxiety, and hatred and all the other distractions that keep us out of peace. This truly is a miracle.

This column is called The Holy Instant because that is all that truly exists, according to

A Course in Miracles.

In every instant that we experience, we are either extending love or reacting in fear, which is the opposite of love. When we choose love, we experience Holy Instants and when we choose fear, we get more fear. Join us as we explore the concepts of A Course in Miracles each month and share in the miracles we are entitled to. Treat yourself to a new way of being in the world that works.

If you are interested in participating in ACIM groups, Unity Church in Sarasota hosts two weekly ACIM groups and Joan facilitates a small group every other Tuesday. She can be reached by e-mail at joan1@comcast.net or by phone at 941-323-1418.

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A recipe for awakening consciousness...

A few years back…well actually more than a few… I practiced traditional therapy. I used to call it “peeling the onion.” It took months, even years to slough off layers of denial, misinformation, myths, fears and get to the often forgotten root cause of an issue. Although my clients’ efforts were highly productive, the process seemed laborious. There had to be a better way, a more effi cient method for accessing what lies beneath in recesses of the subcon-scious. While I had dabbled with hypnosis in grad school 30 years ago, I had no formal training until I found an excellent training cen-ter a few years ago. Learning how to access the subconscious mind made all the difference. Finally, there is a quicker way to get to the core of a problem. The path between the conscious mind and the subcon-scious is vigorously guarded by, for lack of a better word, a gate-keeper. Imagine what our lives would be like if we could easily penetrate the subconscious where all memory is stored. We would be bombarded by visions of times, places, and events which could overload our emotions, whether they were pleasant recollections or not. It would be too much, which is why many memories, recorded much like data on a hard drive, can only be brought forth though hypnosis and therapy. The key is getting past the gatekeeper.

Therapy provides a method but takes time. Hypnosis gets there quickly.

Therapy holds a valuable and esteemed place in healing and prob-lem-solving and I highly recommend it especially when addictions are involved. Hypnosis, however, answers specifi c questions and fi nds root causes in one’s current or past life more rapidly. What about phobias? One of my clients had an irrational fear of horses. A Past Life Regression revealed he was trampled, leaving him in pain and crippled for many years. His soul did not forget the experience. Once the memory was reviewed in hypno-sis, the fear of horses dissipated. In Many Lives, Many Master’s, by Past Life Regression pioneer, Dr. Brian Weiss, he recalls a pa-tient with a phobia about wearing anything around her neck. She

felt panic if she tried to wear a necklace or turtleneck sweater. Her Past Life Regression uncovered death by strangulation. Dr. Weiss helped her to recall the experience under hypnosis and her phobia disappeared, a phobia that had been resistant to two years of tra-ditional therapy. Karmic relationships are another area hypnosis address-es. Have you ever met someone with whom you had an instant attraction or dislike? Ten seconds into a fi rst encounter and you know there is something powerful about your reaction but you don’t know why. Chances are you interacted with this soul before, either in a positive or negative way and it left an indelible impression on your soul. Clients have told me of fl ashes of memory that make no sense in their current life and knowledge of places both foreign and domestic they have never visited before. Yet when they visit these strange sites, they are inexplicably familiar with the streets and easily fi nd their way around. These are possible indications of a past life. Even one’s talent or affi nity for certain careers and hob-bies can be revealed under hypnosis. Many souls have been in-volved in similar work for centuries. Knowing past skills or avoca-tions and pursuing them has brought income and joy to many who were uncertain about career paths. Hypnosis and Past Life Regression answer many ques-tions from the bizarre to the mundane and can be a rapid method for fi nding clues to life’s mysteries.

The answer, as the sages say, is not without but within.

Elissa Bentsen is a Board Certifi ed Hypnotist who specializes in Past Life and Life Between Life regression as well as Spiritual Psychol-ogy. Elissa’s educational background is in counseling and social work with post graduate work in Mental Health Counseling. Her career in-cludes posts as Executive Director for several Florida-based United Way agencies. She has studied with psychiatrist, Dr. Brian Weiss, the pioneer in Past Life Regression Therapy and Betty McCormack, affi liated with the Omni Hypnosis Center. For more information, visit www.ForeverSouls.com

Section Title

By Elissa Bentsen

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21

fi gure income but fi nd themselves in failing health, and no amount of money can by a healthy body.

There must be a balance of body, mind and spirit in all things to have the fulfilled life that

we are all searching for.

We often confront the spiritual level of the four levels of human existence as we have the childhood and teen years behind us and begin to confront the reality of our own mortality. We wonder what becomes of us when we are no longer in this physical body. We fi nd ourselves over the halfway mark of the years a human can expect to live wondering:

“Is this it?”,“is that all there is?”, “is it just that we are born, we live, we die?”,“who am

I?”, “where do I go from here?” and “I need HELP!”

So some of us seek answers in spirituality. I have found in over forty years of spiritual work and teachings that there is no set type of individual that seeks and embraces spirituality. My clients and students have ranged in age from eleven to eighty-fi ve, from double PhD’s to high school dropouts, from lawyers to landscap-ers, and from people who have been exposed to organized religion to those who have had no religious teachings in their lives.

I have never met an Atheist, though some people have claimed that they are.

I have met many Agnostics, searching for proof of some-thing higher, and I have never met anyone whose life has not been radically changed when they have connected with spiritual study. Many of the individuals whose paths cross my own are ac-tively searching for answers; others don’t even realize that they are searching at the time the connection begins to take place. Some ask me, “What does it take to become spiritually enlightened?” The answer is a simple one: an open mind. A great philosopher once said, “The measure of true genius is to be able to entertain an idea, in the mind, without accepting it.” In my manyyears of teaching, both in the public school systems of Youngstown, Ohio and Sarasota, Florida, and in my teaching of metaphysics to adults and children of all ages, I have learned the profound truth of the statement,

“When the student is ready, the teacher WILL Come.”

All skeptics are welcome to read this column and ask questions, but be forewarned, the adventure into spiritual study is addictive and life changing. “To search for truth is to unveil knowl-edge of self. To know is to understand the task that lies ahead. To

Marcia began her career as a school teacher, working both with pre-school and inner city high school students. She has worked with all aspects of Metaphysics for over 40 years and specializes in Tarot and Numerology. Marcia’s clients and students are in every state and throughout Europe. Marcia has taught over 400 students to “read” the Tarot for the purpose of self-guidance and to use the powerful symbol-ism of the Tarot to reach higher levels of spirituality. Marcia is now in her 12th season of a local TV show called Metaphysics with Marcia. Her column, Spiritually Speaking, originally ran for 8 years in Attitudes Magazine in the Sarasota area

You are not a human being having a spiritual experience; you are a spiritual being having a

human experience.

Webster’s defi nes spiritual as: of the spirit or soul, often in a re-ligious or moral aspect, as distinguished from the body. Humans experience spirituality in various ways: in the church or synagogue, family, Sunday school, individual study and through work with spiri-tual teachers. Spiritual growth and development leads to enlighten-ment and there are MANY Paths to Enlightenment. All humans have the right to choice, to fi ll their lives with all things or nothing, to understand that there are four levels of hu-man experience: the Physical/Material, the Mental, the Emotional, and the Spiritual. Many people live only on the Physical/Material plane, if they can’t see it, taste it, touch it, smell it, or hear it, then it can’t possibly exist. Others realize that there are many things beyond the physical reality, beyond the fi ve senses, things hidden under the surface can be understood and when understood lead to a much more balanced and fulfi lled existence. These are Meta-physical things, “meta” meaning beyond and “physical” meaning the physical, things beyond the physical reality.

We all want to live fulfilled lives, finding happiness in our personal relationships, careers,

and interactions with others.

To obtain this fulfi llment there must be a balance between the four levels of human existence. Let us take the example of a love relationship. There can be an exciting and stimulating physical attraction between two people, but what of the mental connection? If there is nothing to talk about, no common interests, the physical attraction is not enough to hold the two lovers together long term. Or, a career can be materially rewarding, providing the money to have the best of everything in the material reality, but if it does not fulfi ll one emotionally and mentally, it becomes a chore to get up in the morning and go to the workplace. A person can have a six

Section Title

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22

never know is infi nite agony.” As humanity begins the new millennium, the long pre-dicted Age of Aquarius, the New Age of Peace and Enlightenment, more and more humans are looking under the surface for answers. This column will attempt to provide some of those answers and to lead interested readers to the people who can facilitate their jour-ney into Higher Consciousness, helpers on the path to spirituality. It is my hope that you, the reader, will contact me and let me know what subjects you want to see addressed in this col-umn. There are many varied topics that come under the heading of “Spiritually Speaking.” I promise you that if I do not personally know the answers to your questions, I will fi nd people who do. I am honored to be a part of the birthing of Transformation Magazine. It is through this publication that I will be able to reach more and more of those who are seeking.

And remember, “Knowledge is the Greatest Power, so Walk in the Light”

Watch Marcia Bender on “Metaphysics with Marcia”, Tuesdays, 9pm, Blab TV, Channel 189Email Marlou2000@aol.com or call 941 9241721

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Joeel A. Rivera, M.Ed., Ph.D. (ABD) holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling and is currently completing his dissertation for his Ph.D. in Psychology. Joeel’s extensive career as a relationship coach in-cludes certifi cations in P.R.E.P, a 30-year research-based program for couples, Nurturing Father’s curriculum, and Parenting 21st Century. Programs conducted by Joeel include: The Relationship Code, Love Smart: Creating Lasting Love, Identifying and Developing Healthy Relationships in Today’s Society, Relationship Rhythm, Back to the Garden: Building Strong Relationships, and How to Avoid Marrying a Jerk or Jerkette.

So what is love and what is the purpose of being committed to a relationship?

Well, I would love to tell you my answer but my answer may not fi t your reality or what you have developed as your defi ni-tion of love. Actually, it seems that as a whole we have been sold a dream of what relationships are that no longer serve our highest good. It seems that most people who are single are dying to be in a relationship but when they are in a relationship they are dying to get out of it. How many people do you know are in a situation where they do not feel fully satisfi ed with their relationship? We want that human connection but we also want the independence to grow. The misconception is that we can’t have both. This belief creates a confl ict because what our spirit truly wants is to share the jour-ney of growth with others, especially with someone in an intimate way. This need to share the journey is why we see such a demand for social media, where people are addicted to checking their Fa-cebook, Myspace, or Twitter accounts. What we really want is an enlightened relationship and deeper connections, but we settle for surface relationships and just going through the motions. We have come to a point in our society where we seek enlightened relationships in which the status quo of being married or in a relationship just won’t cut it anymore. We want to live a truly fulfi lling life with some one that after twenty years the same joy and passion is still there. Where you can teach and let the other person be your teacher because at the end of the day your great-est teacher and student will probably be the person you share the happiest and hardest times with. But how do we handle confl icts when they arise, do we approach it as a teacher or student making sure that our emotions and needs, and those of our partner, are addressed with care? Do we set our ego aside and use our higher self and vulnerable self to learn the lesson that will strengthen our relationship or at least strengthen our understanding of our self and those around us? To be able to do this we must embrace this new movement

to an enlightened relationship where we partner with someone with whom we can question all our assumptions, baggage, and belief system about what our defi ned roles are, the way to communicate, how to handle stress, and what our expectations are. The true journey to an enlightened relationship comes from within. It comes from the joining of two full souls - not from parts and fragments of each in an attempt to create a whole. In other words, you are in the relationship because of wants, not the feeling of need. The critical mistake that many people make is looking for a relationship to fi ll their empty cup. You have to fi nd yourself in a place of true inner peace where any gifts that life brings you are accepted with a true sense of gratitude and not entitlement or neediness.

Ask yourself this, can you truly accept someone else’s true self if you are unwilling to accept our

own divine path?

The nature of true intimacy in a relationship is the vulner-ability to expose parts of ourselves that have been kept hidden, even from our own awareness. For example, I once had a student that was having diffi culties understanding why she had a lot of re-sistance and disagreed with her boyfriend wanting to live in the same county as her, talk to her over the phone everyday, and see her more often. In her perspective this was not necessary and was overwhelming, while for him it seemed a normal part of a functional relationship. As we discussed the situation further, I asked what her dad did for a living when she was growing up. She replied that he had his own business and traveled most of the week; therefore he was only at home during the weekend. As she explained her father and mother’s relationship due to the traveling the lightbulb turned on and her eyes became wide, as she smiled, fi nally understand-ing why she had the resistance. The reality is that many of our expectations and roles in a relationship have been defi ned in our upbringing. We are often unaware of the baggage or shadows that these defi nitions give us, never-the-less the impact that they have on our lives. So when the shadows and baggage surface unexpectedly they may present many challenges in how we respond to ourselves or our partner.

In many occasions I see couples that do what society has taught us to do and that is to place

the Band-Aid over the wound or place the unwanted things in storage.

As the wound gets bigger and the storage fi lls up we are limited, no longer being able to repress or hide our shadow side any longer. So why put off the inevitable? It is for comfort, security, and love - but what if we can fi nd that at our core and not just at a superfi cial level? So fi rst things fi rst, if you want an enlightened relationship you must be able to recognize that our emotions have a purpose

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24

and they were created to let us know our red fl ags. If you want to know yourself and your partner at a deeper level, become aware of these fl ags that are begging for your attention.

Once you have exposed them to the light they can no longer live in your shadow.

You take your power back by studying the emotions’ what’s, when’s, and how’s. This allows you to pull the weed from its roots, instead of cutting it just to watch it grow back. Remember that you can’t truly accept someone else’s true self if you are unwill-ing to accept your own divine path.

Throughout this column I will provide tools, tips, and thoughts, as well as answer your questions on how to enlighten and improve your relationship. Send your questions to joeel@transformationser-vices.com

“We come to love not by finding the perfect person but by learning to see an imperfect

person perfectly.”- Sam Keen, To Love and Be Loved

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Transformation Conference

Join us for the 2011 Transformation Conference in Florida’s Suncoast!

Interested in being a presenter? Call 941-479-0323 or email editor@suncoasttransformation.com

Want to be informed as plans are fi nalized and dates are set? Sign up to be on the “fi rst call” list at www.SuncoastTransformation.com!

Transform with us!

Planned for Spring, 2011www.SuncoastTransformation.com

25

Do you need guidance? Our Angel Communicator, Emily Andrews,

has guidance from your Angels.

Join Emily every month as she shares messages on how the angels and archangels can help you to have a healthier and happier life. Em-ily answers reader’s questions by delivering messages and guidance from your guardian angels and archangels.

We all have beautiful Angels that surround us at all times. They are powerful sparks of God’s love and Divine Essence. They lovingly wish to support us through life’s journey. They are wonderful allies as they guide us in peace, joy, and in love. Their Divine Guidance is easily available to us, especially when we seek to connect with them. Whatever state you fi nd yourself in and regardless of your current life circumstances, know that you can easily open yourself to God’s love through these Angelic beings of love and light.

In a period such as this, when everyone is very busy but seeking guidance for a better way, what is one simple, yet valuable, thing they can do that does not require much time to put them further along on their path?

This is a great question, since it resonates with a lot of our readers. The Angels want to begin by encouraging everyone to slow down and value their moments. Moments that are available to us, but once in a lifetime. The words they said were “Positive Expectation and Cre-ative Visualization”. Sometimes we think we are expecting the best in a situation within our day, but there may be parts of us that are dreading the drive, the calls, the business and/or personal interac-tions, etc. We tend to guide our reactions based on our past experi-ences, which unconsciously and consciously hinder our desire to guide our responses and expectations. They are encouraging you and many others to visualize your day and how you desire it to be. This helps set your mind and your life force, which is magnetic. They said Creative Visualization, since they want you to fully grasp that you are powerfully creating your day. Visualize the emotions of joy, peace, and ease within all your interactions, your drive, your meetings, and business transactions.

You as an individual are currently aligning yourself to a powerful creative energy that will

unfold in Divine timing.

As you continue to open yourself intuitively and in con-necting with your Angels, trust that the right people will connect with you and that the right path will be shown. Daily and throughout your day, especially when making a decision, ask for guidance and then trust your intuition. The Angels want you to know that you are aligning yourself to your truth, desires, and potential. They want you to continue to intentionally connect with them, since they are connecting to you through your intuition. Keep talking to them and keep listening, since they are speaking to you. As you keep work-ing on your life force, by taking care of your needs, you are allowing your life force to become more powerfully magnetic.

The intentions you have set out can come into fruition, but you need to keep doing the work needed for you to become more magnetic with

your desires.

Meditating• Connecting to your angels• Maintain positive expectation• Honoring your needs• Developing your intuition•

They also want you to trust that they are creatively guiding you as you connect to your desires. Trust in the inspired actions that they are guiding you to take, and the way to connect to this inspired action is through your intuition.

Affi rm daily:I connect to the seen and unseen guidance that will help • me create the life I desire. I look forward to the wonderful surprises and miracles • that will be part of my day!

“The Angels want to Speak to You”-Your Loving Angel

Send your Angels a question to Angels@livingtoinspire.com and your question may be one of our featured questions in our next issue.

“What if you slept? And what if, in your sleep you dreamed? And what if, in your

dream, you went to heaven, And there you plucked a strange and beautiful fl ower?

And what if, when you awoke, you had the fl ower in your hand?”

- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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26

A Creative Manifestation Play Shop, 10:00 - 12:30 pmLocation: Unity Church of Sarasota, 3023 Proctor Road Sarasota, FL 34231Price: $25.00, Contact: 941-955-3301Description: The Harts assist you to realize your dreams through simple creative explo-ration. Tap into your intuition, using focused day dreaming, doodling, and writing.Materials provided.

IMAGO COUPLE WORKSHOP WEEKENDLocation: 3205 Southgate Circle, Sarasota, FL 34239Price: $600, Contact: 941-954-2125 www.imagopsychotherapy.comDescription: Reestablish a love connection by understanding the core of your initial at-traction. Learning new dialogue for improved communication. Imago Couples weekends are compared to 6 months of therapy.

Wednesday Nov. 24

Thanksgiving Eve Service, 7:30 to 8:30 pmLocation: Unity Church of Sarasota 3023 Proctor Road Sarasota FL 34231Price: Love OfferingContact: www.unityofsarasota.comDescription: Join Rev. Elizabeth Thompson and the Unity Chaplains for a special service of Thanksgiving

Friday Nov. 26

CoffeeHouse, 7:00 to 9:00 pmLocation: Unity Church of Sarasota 3023 Proctor Road Sarasota, FL 34231Price: $5 DonationContact: www.unityofsarasota.comDescription: First hour, cabaret style, open mic, Second hour features artists from our community at large. Family friendly event. No one turned away.

Chakra Energy Sessions, 10:30am - 5:30pmLocation: Elysian Fields, 1273 Tamiami Trail S., Sarasota, FL 34239Price: $45 for 30 minutes, Contact: http://www.elysianfi eldsonline.comDescription: See your Chakra & Aura Colors change on the screen. Discover how your colors shift when you hold certain crystals or stones. See how energy from Suzanne’s hands affects your aura and chakras.Session includes a photo snapshot of full body chakras with a summaryprintout of chakra colors.

Saturday Nov. 27

Amethyst BioMat Sessions, 10:30 - 4:30pmLocation: Elysian Fields, 1273 Tamiami Trail S., Sarasota, FL 34239

Saturday Nov. 6

Connect With Your Angels, 11am to 4:30pmLocation: Om Gaia Wholistic Center, 312 12th St West (Old Main), Bradenton FL 34205Price: $7, Contact: emily@livingtoinspire.com, (813) 758-1139, livingtoinspire.comDescription: Connect with your Angels as you awaken your intuition.Intensive & experiential workshop that will teach you how to connect & communicate with your Angels & Archangels.

Free Lecture & Book Signing with Michele Penn, 3 pmLocation: Elysian Fields, 1273 Tamiami Trail S., Sarasota, FL 34239Price: Free, Contact: www.elysianfi eldsonline.comDescription: Come and see Michele Penn’s fl ower photography and hear the wonderful story of how she was so touched by the teachings of Eckhart Tolle in “a New Earth”.

Sunday Nov. 7

ARE YOU GETTING the Results You Want? 12:30 – 3 pm Location: Center for Conscious Living, 6152 126th Avenue, Suite 501, LargoPrice: $2, 727-538-0900 www.consciousliving.orgDescription: For the success-minded, the well-intentioned, and the downright airy-fairy, this workshop will help you unite spirituality and practical action to accomplish your dreams. Commitment required.

Prosperity Plus Workshop, 1:30pm -3:00pmLocation: Unity Church of Sarasota 3023 Proctor Road, Sarasota, FL 34231Price: Love Offerings Contact: www.unityofsarasota.comDescription: Author Edwene Gaines covers tithing, goal setting, forgiveness and fi nding and achieving your divine purpose. Don’t miss this dynamic workshop. “It will transform your life.”

Monday Nov. 8

Free Lecture & Book Signing with Terry Walters, 4:30 pmLocation: Elysian Fields, 1273 Tamiami Trail S., Sarasota, FL 34239Price: Free, Contact: www.elysianfi eldsonline.comDescription: CLEAN START inspires you to take the next step…no matter where you’re start-ing, and Terry’s approach is non-judgmental, encouraging readers to honor and nourish their individual lifestyles.

FAT FLUSH Lecture, 6:00pm-7:00pmLocation: Advanced Chiropractic: 110 West Shell Point Rd, Ruskin, FL 33570Price: Free, Contact: 813-841-1118.Description: This is a FREE lecture given by Dr. Heather Haverfi eld to help you detox and lose weight. Most participants lose 10 - 15 lbs in 2 weeks during the detoxifi cation. Seating is limited and will be reserved for the fi rst 15 callers.

Wednesday Nov. 10

Meditate with Music at Elysian Fields, 6pm - 8pmLocation: Elysian Fields, 1273 Tamiami Trail S., Sarasota, FL 34239Price: $2, Contact: www.elysianfi eldsonline.comDescription: Do you want to Learn How to Medi-tate Deeply? Do you yearn to Quiet your Monkey Mind? We will share what we have been learning over the past four decades about using Music, Toning, Chanting, Mantra, Breath and Affi rma-tions for deeper meditation and to increase one’s overall health and wellbeing.

Thursday Nov. 11

Non surgical face lift demos, 5:30 - 6:30 PMLocation: Advanced Chiropractic: 110 West Shell Point Road, Ruskin, FL 33570Price: Free, Contact: 813-841-1118Description: Free demos on microcurrent face lifts as seen on Today Show, no down time, no pain, replaces 2 years lost collagen in one ses-sion, seating limited to 15

Saturday Nov. 13

4 Life Health Clinic, 3:00pm Location: Ochunsoino’s 5129 F SR 674, Wimau-ma, Florida 33598Price: Free, Contact: Irene 813-649-4789Description: An innova-tive all natural company dedicated to improving individual lives. Learn about the proven product that rebuilds immune sys-tems and cures cancer.

27

Price: $35 for 25 minute sessions, Contact: http://www.elysianfi eldsonline.comDescription: RELAX & RECHARGE with a 25 minute power nap on the FDA approved, am-ethyst crystal Bio-Mat that produces far-infrared rays and negative ions for numerous health benefi ts for body, mind & spirit.

Sunday Nov. 28

How to Prevent It...Yes You Can, 1:30 - 3:00 pmLocation: Unity Church of Sarasota 3023 Proctor Road Sarasota, FL 34231Price: Love OfferingContact: www.unityofsarasota.comDescription: Cancer touches everyone in some way. Join Dr. Salli Lau to discover natural thera-pies and medicines your immune system is key to preventing cancer

Sunday Dec. 5

The Process of Advanced Prosperity, 1:00 - 5:00 pmLocation: Unity Church of Sarasota ,3023 Proctor Road ,Sarasota, FL 34231Price: Free Will OfferingContact: www.unityofsarasota.comDescription: Rev. Christopher Ian Chenoweth leads the #1 prosperity seminar in the nation of-fered for one afternoon only. Advanced Prosper-ity is a total life style change.

On Going Events

Monday

Essential Oils for the Health of It, Every 2nd Monday, 3:30 pmLocation: The Chakra Center, 137 S. Pebble Beach, SunCity, FL 33573Price: Free, Contact: Robin Lesia LeBleu, 813-545-1256Description: Learn how to use Certifi ed Pure Theraputic Grade Essential Oils instead of over the counter drugs for common ailments, DoT-ERRA, Gift of the earth.

Goddess Gathering, Every last Monday, 7:00 pmLocation: Wings Bookstore 4500 4th Street North St Petersburg, FL 33703Price: Love Offering, Contact: emily@livingtoin-spire.com, (813) 758-1139, livingtoinspire.comDescription: Gathering empowers women to align with the Goddess within. Celebration includes belly dancing & exercises to assist women embrace the feminine energy that desires to express fully!

Angel Gathering, Every second Monday, 7:00 pmLocation: Wings Bookstore 4500 4th Street North St Petersburg, FL 33703Price: Love Offering, Contact: emily@livingtoin-spire.com, (813) 758-1139, livingtoinspire.comDescription: Connect with your Angels & Archan-gels. During each gathering, Angelic beings are

channeled & discussed. Participants are guided through powerful exercises, to encourage the Angelic connection.

Tuesday

Laughter Yoga, Every Tuesday at 10:00amLocation: The Chakra Center 137 S. Pebble Beach blvd Suite 201, Suncity Center 33573Cost: $5 Love offering, Contact: Velora 904-687-6972Description: Laugh your way to better health. Thirty minutes in a chair improves your heart, sleep, mood, blood pressure, and overall health. Laughter Yoga is a life transformational experi-ence that anyone can enjoy since it requires minimal physical exertion.

Living Well Open House, Every 2nd Tuesday, noon to 2pmLocation: Dutch Retreat, Village Plaza, Suite 104 (16621 US 301 South) Price: Free, Contact: DutchRetreat@yahoo.com 813-763-0340Description: Experience some very special equipment (MG33 Cellular Energizer, Amethyst BioMat); Learn about supplements & household products that are safe and effective; Receive coupons and samples.

A Course in Miracles Discussion Group, Every other Tuesday evening, 8-9:30 PMLocation: Call for detailsPrice: Free, Contact: 941-323-1418Description: A Course in Miracles discussion group from 8-9:30 pm every other Tuesday eve-ning in a private home in Sarasota. Facilitated by Joan Haber, OMC

Wednesday

Self Realization Classes, 5:45 pm to 6:45 pmLocation: Sarasota Gnostic Center, Clark road Sarasota Florida 34238Price: Love donation, Contact: (941) 228-9208Description: Experience Gnosis.Learn the secret practices used through the Ages. Relaxation-Concentration-Inner Change-Guided Meditation-Chakra Activation-Astral Projection Tarot, and much more...

Thursday

God’s Agenda, Thursdays 10:00 to 12:00 pmLocation: Unity Church of Sarasota, 3023 Proctor Road Sarasota, FL 34231Price: $10 Love Offering, Contact: 941-955-3301 ext 22Description: All are welcome to join in this Pro-cess and Discussion group on how to embody spiritual principles in everyday experience with intention, empowerment and excellence.

Reiki Share,1st Thursday of the monthLocation: The Chakra Center 137 S. Pebble Beach blvd Suite 201, Suncity Center 33573

Cost: Love offering, Contact: Velora 904.687.6972Description: Discover and experience the ancient healing technique that reduces stress and pro-motes healing. Reiki Share on the fi rst Thursday of month. Call for class info.

Laughter Yoga, Thursdays, 6:00pmLocation: Woman’s Resource Center, 1926 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton, FL 34205Cost: $5, Contact: 941-479-0608Descrption: Come get your laugh on! Laugh for 30 minutes to improve your health and attitude! Fol-lowed by optional 30-minute Chakra Meditation.

Friday

“A Journey Within” Soul Service, Fridays 3:00pm Location: The Chakra Center 137 S. Pebble Beach blvd Suite 201, Suncity Center 33573Price: $10 Love Donation, Contact: 813-633-9400 thechakracenter@verizon.comDescription: Weekly Service includes a guided meditation, a soul sermon, and personal mes-sage from spirit. Rev. Deb Feels its important to open to the church within.

Free Belly Dance Class, Fridays 6 - 7pmLocation: Hip Expressions Belly Dance Studio, 1108 62nd Ave N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33702Price: FREE, Contact: www.hip-expressions.com, 727.459.8558• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

28

Wellness Works Name: Dr. Carol Roberts Address: 1322 Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34243Phone: 941-358-1071Website: http://www.wellnessworks.us/ Description: We offer our patients an evalu-ation, treatment, and education based on the holistic model of body-mind-spirit. To recognize that the best form of treatment is determined by the individual need and pref-erence to incorporate education to maintain the body and the mind.

Artists

Jack Alexander Webiste: www.jackalexander.mosaicglobe.comEmail: yohiel@yahoo.comPhone: 941-359-9222Description: Alexander’s artworks adorn the homes of such recognizable celebrities as actor Dustin Hoffman, Archbishop D. Tutu of South Africa and diplomats and dignitaries worldwide. Clients, decorators, contrac-tors and collectors call him a “master” at his craft and credit his images, murals, faux-fi nishes and architectural concepts as having healing properties.

Books and Gifts

Elysian Fields Books & Gifts for Con-cious LivingAddress: 1273 S. Tamiami Trail Midtown Plaza Sarasota, FL 34239Phone: 941-361-3006Website: www.ElysianFieldsOnline.comDescription: Award winning store in Sarasota where something wonderful is always hap-pening! Books, music, jewelry, crystals, incense, candles, clothing, personal care & greeting cards. Intuitive Readers daily.

The Chakra Center Address: 137 S. Pebble Beach blvd Suite 201, Suncity Center 33573Phone: 813-633-9400Website: thechakracenter@verizon.comDescription: Offering spiritual books, crystals, readings incense, jewelry, gifts and more. Full array of classes and workshops for enlightenment. Laughter yoga classes. Where light seekers gather.

Miracles Metaphysical BookstoreAddress: 1950 2nd Ave. N. St. Petersburg, FL 33713Phone: 727-822-3157Description: Miracles offers humanitarian and environmentally conscious merchan-dise; plus free information cards about many products. Ask for your ‘Frequent Shopper Thank You’ card. Free Wi-Fi.

Description: Discover how belly dance is great spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Join the belly dance community - be strong, be sexy, belly dance!

Saturday

Hatha Level 1/2,SaturdaysLocation: Apollo Beach Yoga, 118 Flamingo Rd, #C Apollo Beach, FL 33572Price: $10, Contact: (813) 422-2336Website: http://www.abeachyoga.com/Description: Hatha classes are appropriate for all students. These classes move slower, spending more time in each pose. Even though the class moves at a different pace than Vinyasa, this class will challenge you to build strength, balance and fl exibility!

Sunday

One From The Heart Healing Sessions, Sun-days, 9:30-10:15 A.M.Location: 4889 Fruitville Rd , Sarasota FL (Knights of Columbus Blvd )Price: FREEContact: www.CenterofSpiritualAwareness.comDescription: CSA Healing Practitioners offer 15 min. sessions to bring about a state of mind that responds in the refl ection of Wholeness, Peace, and Love

Lessons of Life, Sunday,s 10:30 A.M.Location: 4889 Fruitville Rd , Sarasota FL

(Knights of Columbus Blvd )Price: FREEContact: www.CenterofSpiritualAwareness.comDescription: Spiritual but not religious, join our loving community for Guided Meditation and Inspirational Messages for every challenge and circumstance in your life.

Alternative Healing and Holistic Practitioners

Acupuncture & Wellness Clinic of Ruskin Address: 203 W. Shell Point Road Ruskin, FL 33570Phone: 813-645-8168 fax 813-645-8169Website: www.Acupunctureruskin.comDescription: Dr. Ken, a Board Certifi ed Acu-puncture Physician, is also a certifi ed Thought Field Therapist, Refl exologist, Hypnotherapist, Meridian Response Technique, and retired psychologist

Advanced Chiropractic Name: Dr. Heather Haverfi eld & Dr. Rich RoganAddress: 110 West Shell Point Rd., Ruskin, FL 33570Phone: 813-841-1118Email: www.RuskinChiropractor.comDescription: Wellness based practice offering Chiropractic, Hair analysis, Detox foot bath, Refl exology, Standard Process supplements,

nutritional council, Erchonia Cold Laser therapy, traction, electric muscle stimu-lation and ultra sound.

Advanced Integrative BodyworkName: Joanne MuirAddress: 2010 Pine Terrace, Suite B, Sarasota, Fl, 34231Phone: 813 857-5394Email: Lemuir8@aol.comDescription: Using unique integrative methods of bodywork, Joanne works to facilitate her clients in fi nding freedom, focus, balance, integration, in the subtle and structural body systems.

Essentials for Health Name: Sue Ontiveros LMT, CTAddress: 5710 4th Street North Suite 4St Petersburg, FL 33703Phone: 727.906.6675Email: sue@essentials-for-health.comWebsite: http://essentials-for-health.comDescription: We specialize in colon therapy, nutrition, and detoxifi cation. Colon therapist, Sue Ontiveros, has performed over 8,000 colonics making her well qualifi ed in her fi eld.

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29

Business Services

Barton Web Design & HostingName: Susan Barton Phone: 407-382-0313Website: Bartonhosting.comDescription: Affordable hosting (starting at $10) and unmatched service. Additional services include: search engine optimization, professional proof reading, domain name registration, web Designing.

Churches

Center of Spiritual Awareness Address: 4889 Fruitville Rd , Sarasota FL (Knights of Columbus Blvd )Phone: 941-926-7828Website: www.Centerofspiritualawareness.comDescription: We welcome you with open arms and open hearts, to a warm, loving, divine fellow-ship of “The Spirit”, honoring diversity, nurturing creativity and celebrating community.

Unity Church of SarasotaName: Rev. Elizabeth Thompson, MinisterAddress: 3023 Proctor RoadSarasota, Florida 34231Phone: 941-955-3301Email: unitysarasota@juno.comWebsite: www.unityofsarasota.comDescription: Unity is a positive approach to life, seeking to accept the good in people and all of life.

Counseling & Life Coaching

Beach Counseling Phone: 941-479-0608Description: What better place to clear your mind and heal your soul but on the shores of sunny Florida. Counseling at the beach is just what you need to get your priorities strait. Make clear-minded decisions, heal emotional pain, and change your life. Call us for more information.

Integrated Mindset, LLCName: Cindy SnowballPhone: 941-524-1022Website: www.CindySnowball.comCategory: Health and WellnessOther: Life CoachingDescription: Find your life path through I See Your Dream Job coaching using numerology, astrology and intuition. “Intrigue the mind, nour-ish the spirit and energize the body.”

Transformation Life Coaching Phone: 941-479-0608Email: info@transformationlifecoaching.orgWebsite: http://transformationlifecoaching.org/Description: At TLC, we recognize the impor-tance of balancing family, career, relationship, and personal priorities. At times, we all get out of balance, which is why TLC coaches are avail-

able for you RIGHT NOW when you need us! Let us help you bring peace, love, joy, change, or solutions to whatever circumstances you are currently seeking to improve.

Health & Wellness

doTERRA, CPTG Essential Oil Name: Robin Lesia LeBleuAddress: P.O. Box 230, Parrish, FL 34219Phone: 813-545-1256Email: robin.touringmassage@gmail.comWebsite: www.mydoterra.com/robinlDescription: DoTerra, Certifi ed Pure Therapeutic grade, Essential Oil. Holistic health care at home. CPTG essential oils, with their healthful proper-ties, vs Over The Counter drugs.

Ochunsoino’s Spiritual and Natural HealthAddress: 5129 F SR 674 Wimauma, FL 33598Phone: 813-649-4789Website: www. Ochunsoino.comDescription: Dedicated to all natural vitamins, supplements, organic products supplying a diverse selection of spiritual and metaphysical products to the community.

Hypnosis

St. Petersburg Hypnosis CenterName: Tamara Shadday C.Ht.Address: 3530 1st Ave. N. Suite 105 St. Peters-burg, Fl 33713Phone: 727-452-5630Email: tammy@fl oridahyp-notherapy.comWebsite: http://www.Flori-daHypnotherapy.comDescription: Create Trans-formation and Positive Life Changes With Hypnosis. Weight Management, Smoking Cessation, Prosperity Thinking, Stress Reduction, Release Fear, Change Habits, Increase Confi dence, Stop Pro-crastination, Sleep Better, Set Goals. Reprogram the Subconscious Mind Today. FREE Consultation with Tamara.

Massage

Business: Dutch Retreat Massage ClinicAddress: Village Plaza, Suite 104 (16621 US 301 South), Wimauma, FL 33598.Phone: 813-763-0340Website: www.all4health-yliving.myshaklee.com/about.html

Description: Rx for Living Well = Therapeutic Massage Designed Just For You + Redefi ning Vitality (Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, Herbs, Botanicals, Essential Oils and Dietary Support

Meeting Rooms

Center for Conscious Living Address: 6152 126th Avenue, Suite 501, LargoContact: 727-538-0900 or ccl@consciousliving.orgDescription: MEETING SPACE AVAILABLE - Spiritual center in Largo looking for compatible “tenants” to share our sanctuary on regular or occasional basis. Reasonable rates.

Past Life Regression

Forever SoulsName: Elissa Bentsen Offi ce Phone: 941-706-3583Cell Phone: 813-417-4207Email: Elissa@foreversouls.comWebsite: http://www.foreversouls.comDescription: Have you ever visited a place and experienced that you have been there before? Have you ever met some one for the fi rst time and instantly felt you already knew them? Chances are these are clues to your past life and they can provide valuable insight and information that can help you in this lifetime.

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Pets

Advanced Animal ChiropracticName: Dr. Heather Haverfi eldPhone: 813-841-1118Website: www.RuskinChiropractor.comDescription: Animal adjusting with Erchonia cold laser therapy to help improve your pets function and reduce pain. All treatments are done while working with your Veterinarian.

Give a Dog a Bone Phone: 813-641-3734Website: Giveadogabonefl .comAddress: 6114 N. US Hwy 41 Apollo Beach Fl. 33572Description: We strive for the best products at the best prices! We carry only all natural dog and cat food/treats. Our products contain human grade meat, fruits, and vegetables with no by-products. We also bake all natural bones & cakes in the store daily.

Readers/Intuitive

Living to InspireName: EmilyPhone: (813) 758-1139Email: emily@livingtoinspire.comWebsite: livingtoinspire.comDescription: Intuitive Coaching, Angel Readings & Healing Sessions, & Past Life Readings. Workshops: Awaken your Intuition, Connect with your Angels, Connect with your Past Lives, Intuitive Parenting, & Meditation.

Intellectual MetaphysicsName: Marcia BenderPhone: 941-924-1721Email: marlou2000@aol.comDescription: Over 40 years in all aspects of Metaphysics and specializa-tion in Tarot and Numerology. Marcia has taught over 400 students to “read” the Tarot. Currently Accepting Students.

Yoga

Apollo Beach Yoga Name: Julie Chavanu Address: 118 Flamingo Rd, #C Apollo Beach, FL 33572Phone: (813) 422-2336Website: http://www.abeachyoga.com/Description: We offer classes 7 days a week, Gentle Classes to Vinyasa style. Meditation and Breathing classes coming soon. NEW STUDENTS 1st Month Unlimited Classes: $25.

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As we gather around the Thanksgiving table this month, the Pub-lishers will be expressing gratitude for all of you who have joined with us on this Journey – bringing Transformation to our community and our world. We would like to thank those individuals who have supported us and given of themselves to create the transforma-tional tool that you hold in your hand here today.

We would like to thank: Our staff, Velora Peacock, Lynne Warberg, and Ellen • Carrier, for their dedication and commitmentOur collaborators, Marcia Bender and Elissa Bentsen, for • their encouragement and insightOur columnists, Emily Andrews, Zae Zatoon, Gregg • Sanderson, Marla Sanderson, Carol Roberts, and Joan Haber for their brillianceOur advertisers for providing resources to our readers • and supporting our causeJose Rivera for believing in us and setting the foundation• Our families for their love and support• And you, our readers, for transforming with us•

We literally could not do it without you. We wish for you all a Thanksgiving Day of joyful sharing, love, and gratitude.

From the Publishers, Joeel A. Rivera and Natalie Amsden

From the Earth to Our Tablea Thanksgiving Prayer

of Gratitude

Dear God, Universe, Being, All-That-Is, Creator, Great Force, Life, Spirit, Lord, Almighty, Yahweh, Source, Nameless Formless Es-sence of All Things (or whatever you personally call it), we would like to take this opportunity to express heartfelt gratitude for all of the blessings in our lives. We know that we experience countless blessings of abundance each and every day and acknowledge that we often forget to recognize them and feel the gratitude deserved. Today we praise You, this magnifi cent Life Force that has provided us this bounty today and every day. Today we send love, positive energy, and gratitude to You, all of our loved ones who cannot be here with us, and to all of those who participated in the process of creating the glorious meal that lay before us.

Thank you for the air that we are breathing and the trees, plants, and water that cleanse and nourish it.Thank you for the seeds that grew the grains on this table and the farmers who sowed the seeds. Thank you for these beautiful vegetables and the workers who har-vested them.Thank you for this turkey (or tofurkey) and the hands that fed, wa-tered, and tended to its needs.Thank you for the sun, the nutrients, and the rains that fed the plants and animals and brought them life.Thank you for the truck drivers who escorted this bounty to the factories and stores who produced and sold them.Thank you for the stockroom and sales personnel who organized and sold us the food.Thank you for the family members or friends who purchased, cooked, and delivered this delicious banquet.Thank you for those who set the table and prepared this lovely setting for us today.Thank you for these amazing people with which we are blessed to share this moment with.

Let us not forget the countless people whose time and energy go into creating, not only this meal, but all material comforts and services that we enjoy on a daily basis. Let us rejoice in our col-lectiveness, knowing that we are deeply interconnected – both in our myriad forms of mutual dependency and support and in our Oneness. Let us remember this day, and every day, that we are extensions of Your light, and help us illuminate those we touch and those beyond our reach with our joy, peace, and gratitude.

Thank you for this Life we share.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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