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In the current issue

Are YOU A Neoconservative?
If one had to choose a word to describe neoconservatism,...
Roses:
Gift of the Angels for Gentle Healing Roses have seduced people...
Leaks and Landscape During a Dry Winter
Did you know that most water customers start off the...
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Thom Hartmann

The nation's #1 progressive radio talk show host and the New York Times bestselling, 4-times Project Censored winning author of 21 books in print. In its eighth year, The Thom Hartmann Program  airs live daily, NOON – 3pm, ET simulcast as both radio and TV on over 120 radio stations. into more than 50 million homes via both nationwide satellite TV systems (DirecTV and Dish Network). http://www.thomhartmann.com

Dancing with Miss Universe

When I was young, my father talked about mind-over-matter. He, and from what I could see, his generation, saw it as conquering their physical surroundings, power over the physical world. It was culturally, a time for learning the lesson of power. The leaders from his generation still behave that way even though global warming is rapidly endangering the planet as a result.
It was not my father who showed me that mind-over-matter is not about control or power. It was a friend, and this friend taught me that true mind-over-matter is a dance between us and the universe.
This friend could get parking spaces wherever and whenever he needed. It was comical to watch the parking spaces open up just as he drove up. On one particular evening, a group of us were on the way to visit another friend in the hospital. We had enough people to warrant taking two cars. Both my friend and I drove, with my car in the lead.
En route, I decided I was going to steal his parking space when we arrived at the hospital. There we were, sitting at a stoplight with the hospital’s front door, 100 feet past the intersection. Parking was not allowed on the hospital side of the street and the other side of the street was fully parked up. For a moment, I thought he had not succeeded at his intention. The light changed green and as I started to pull forward, much to my surprise, two cars suddenly pulled out of spaces directly across from the hospital door. I zipped into one of them and my friend pulled into the second. As we walked into the hospital, I told him of my plan to steal his parking space. He looked at me with a little surprise and told me he had “Asked” for two spaces because we had two cars!
He had, “Asked” for two spaces. Asked whom? He never did elaborate, but from much effort spent learning to intend parking spaces, I believe I understand.
Intention is not about demanding, yet it is about strongly, sometimes very strongly, requesting.
Imagine you are at a dance. As you start walking across the dance floor to ask a possible partner, ‘Mademoiselle Universe’, you move with intention…purpose…‘Personal Will’. Your Personal Will feeds your creative energy to your imagination creating desire; desire for something, someone, a goal not yet achieved. The imagination conjures up a picture…or a sound, representing your desire. As you continue walking, closing the gap between your desire and your reality, the Personal Will nudges this new image onward, moving the creative energy into the mind, your thoughts. “How should I ask? Should I be bold, strong…or should I be cool and laid back?” The mind takes the idea, sculpts it with thought; defines it with clarity of image and sharpness of focus.
But now, to convince Mademoiselle Universe that your request to dance isn’t just a passing fancy, you must provide something for her to hold onto, something that demonstrates the strength of your desire. Emotion! Yes, emotion. Your feelings, strong feelings, are needed to provide power to the request. But…not just any emotion! Make your emotion be a joyful one! A feeling of gleeful success, of completion, of acceptance; the feeling you will feel when Mademoiselle Universe accepts your invitation to dance! Repeat this request often. The more you woo her, requesting your desire, the stronger your emotions will be, and thus the stronger your request. But keep in mind, you are not demanding, not commanding…you are just requesting a dance.

Larry Rinzel is the author of Searching for Mind-Over-Matter: Extraordinary Experiences of an Ordinary Joe, is a Certified Hypnotherapist, teaches Engineering at Cal Poly, and loves to dance! You can find more information and Larry’s blog at www.joyousintent.com.

 

Nestled in the pines and natural beauty of California’s Central Coast is the scenic seaside village of Cambria. There, on Main Street, you will find the Amethyst Healing Center where amenities for the body, mind and spirit are offered.

The menu of services features healers who specialize in soul level healing, indigo healing, chakra and aura clearing, energy therapies, intuitive readings, massage and bodywork. They also host guided meditations, holistic workshops, drum circles, moon ceremony and guest healers of various modalities. The array of items available for self or gift include CDs, books, candles, remedies, essential oils, lotions, crystals, jewelry, local artist’s art, oracle cards, flower essences and more. Sacred Tea Ceremony is offered in the Meditation Garden Sanctuary.

Darcy Cleome, owner of Amethyst Healing Center, is a spiritual teacher, multi-dimensional healer, channel and writer. A natural empathic clairvoyant, her background includes transformational technologies, massage therapy, aroma therapy and planetary healing. She began her private practice in January 2002 as an intuitive massage therapist, body worker and energy healer in San Luis Obispo. In September of 2007, Darcy opened Amethyst Healing Center and has collaborated with and “consciously” channels the Ascended Masters and the angelic realm.

Darcy is available for intuitive readings, chakra and aura clearing or soul level spiritual healing.
Taught in a twelve session format, classes by Darcy may include: Setting up a Spiritual Practice, Communicate with Your Guides, Angels and Master Teachers, Manifestation and Creation Techniques, Activate Your Divine Blue Print, Chakra, Aura, Karma and DNA Clearing, Contracts and Akashic Records and Soul Retrieval. Darcy also teaches two-day all-inclusive intensives at her home, Cambria Holistic Retreat and Spiritual Hostel.

Darcy’s goal is to empower her students and help them release belief patterns that no longer serve them. She gives them tools for their spiritual tool belt and helps them access their own unique abilities. Darcy’s work is loving, compassionate and life altering.

Darcy recently recorded a meditation CD and is in the process of writing her first book in a series of books; both will be available at Amethyst or on line soon.

“I help my students and clients create a life where they can live as their most authentic selves in present time. Let us at Amethyst Healing Center assist you in consciously manifesting the life you desire.” 

For more information on Darcy Cleome and the services available at Amethyst Healing Center, go to www.amethysthealingcenter.com, visit us at 704 Main Street, Cambria, or call 805-927-1700.

Herbs in my Garden: mint, spearmint & peppermint

“The very smell of [mint] reanimates the spirit,” exclaimed the Roman scholar Pliny who considered mint “the loveliest of herbs.” According to Greek mythology Minthe was a lovely nymph who was so attractive to the god Pluto (Hades) that his jealous wife Persephone kicked and stepped on her then turned her into a scented herb. Unable to reverse the spell, Pluto gave the herb a sweeter scent each time Persephone stepped on it.

Mint has been a highly regarded herb in all ancient cultures. As the symbol of hospitality, Romans strewn mint in “places of recreation, pleasure, and repose.” It was also sprinkled on the floors of Hebrew synagogues and Italian churches, where it was known as the sacred ‘Erba Santa Maria’.

Mint’s refreshing scent has continued to make it an important herb in modern times. There are over 600 varieties of mint so the best advice in choosing mint is to follow your nose. Peppermint has the highest medicinal value. Teas from peppermint help digestion, flatulence, colic, colds and influenza. The menthol in peppermint stimulates the flow of bile in the stomach which promotes digestion and relieves upset stomachs. Mint is superb for bad breath and mouth odor. Chopped mint leaves infused in oil are great for joint and muscular pain.

The culinary uses of mints are very extensive; they are popular in Greek, Arabic, North African, Middle Eastern and Indian foods. Spearmint and curly mints are milder than peppermint so they are preferred for culinary purposes. These mints enhance the flavors of meat, fish and vegetable dishes, especially stews and soups. They meld well with lentils, beans, rice, and eggplant.

The best way to propagate mint is through cuttings. Plant in a restricted area like a wine barrel or pot; otherwise the mint will take over your garden space with its shoots. Here on the Central Coast, mints thrive in sunny areas near the coast, but they prefer morning or afternoon shade in the hotter inland climates. Mint loves water particularly when temperatures heat up. They die back in winter; it’s best to cut the last of the fall harvest. Trim the stems way back so they will come up hardily in the spring. Dry the leaves flat on a well-ventilated rack. Store dried leaves in a glass jar for winter teas.

Peppermint and spearmint are excellent natural insect repellents; they make good companion plants for vegetables. They keep aphids, flea beetles and a variety of pests that affect the brassica family, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts, at bay.

Holiday Vinegar
Place 4-5 fresh mint leaves in a decorative bottle. Add a slice or two of orange peel. For added zest, put a hot chili pepper in as well. Fill the bottle with quality white wine vinegar. Add a lovely ribbon. This vinegar makes a simple, handmade gift for the holidays. Use as a marinade for lamb or chicken or as a dressing for salads.

Compassionate Care

Physican’s Recommendation
for Medical Marijuana

In the news, and among the public, there continues to be controversy over the medical use of marijuana. On November 12, after 72 years, the AMA announced that, it was reversing its pot policy—and urged the federal government to do the same. Precipitated by a similar decision by the group’s Medical Student Section, the AMA resolved that “that marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule 1 controlled substance be reviewed,” with the goal of facilitating clinical research, and presented a new medical report, conducted by its Council on Science and Public Health laying out the drug’s various medical benefits.

The AMA hopes the resolution will make clinical research on cannabis—long a roadblock in proving that the substance was ill-classified—a more-easily obtained reality.

Under the Compassionate Care Act of Congress passed in 1996, patients are legally allowed to purchase, grow and carry their medication (marijuana). This requires a Physician’s Recommendation for Medical Marijuana and comes with state and county guidelines.

The process involves a full medical evaluation, complete review of medical history, medications and their effectiveness. Patients are given warning and guidelines similar to those given with prescription pain relievers. The Physician’s Statement or Recommendation is valid for 1 year, when the patient is then re-evaluated by the physician and the statement can be renewed.
Legal Dispensaries are currently banned in San Luis Obispo County; however, there are many delivery services. Yes, delivery services for medicine; legal and safe. Also, there are many businesses in the area that are able to assist patients with setting up their personal gardens.

This natural form of medicine, which has been recognized for its wide variety of uses for centuries, is commonly recommended for chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, migraines, glaucoma, nausea, asthma, hepatitis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, anorexia, and neuropathy.

For more info call Compassionate Care at 805.550.7009.

Stress Buster and More

Transcendental Meditation® Technique

The Transcendental Meditation® program has been around San Luis Obispo County for many years and is perhaps the most scientifically tested of all forms of meditation.
Two studies presented last month add to the evidence that this form of stress reduction benefits people with heart disease and those at high risk for it.


Dr. John Freeman; TM program instructor for San Luis Obispo County; “I am thrilled that so many people are learning the TM® technique. We have some of the best physicians in SLO, and it is delightful to see that more and more of them are recommending this particular meditation technique to their patients as an effective side-effect-free solution to their serious health concerns.”

A randomized, controlled study of university students in Washington, DC showed significant reductions in mood disturbances, anxiety, depression, anger, and hostility, and better coping skills among those practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique compared with baseline measures and control group students. This new study was published last week in the American Journal of Hypertension.
“The Transcendental Meditation program, a widely-used standardized program to reduce stress, showed significant decreases in blood pressure and improved mental health in young adults at risk for hypertension,” said David Haaga, PhD, co-author of the study and professor of psychology at American University in Washington, D.C.

Francesca Baker is a local college student and a TM technique Meditator; “I love my meditation! I have a full class load but the stress just doesn’t seem to stick. My health and grades are great. Everyone keeps asking me what I’m doing because they say I smile all the time. I tell them to learn TM!

Patients with coronary heart disease who practiced the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation® technique had nearly 50 percent lower rates of heart attack, stroke, and death compared to non-meditating controls, according to the results of a first-ever study presented during the annual meeting of the American Heart Association, in Orlando, Florida, on Nov.16, 2009.

What makes the TM program different from other techniques? The far reaching and immediate benefits found during TM have resulted in over 600 scientific research studies conducted over the past 35 years. TM is not concentration or contemplation.

It is completely different and totally unique from other forms of meditation. This technique makes use of the natural tendency of the mind to settle down effortlessly and experience a profoundly peaceful state of “restful-alertness” where the brain exhibits maximum orderliness and coherence.

As the mind settles down, the body follows along and gains a state of rest 3 times deeper than the deepest point in deep sleep. With this deep rest, the body naturally heals in profound and powerful ways. Practitioners feel better. With continued practice, the benefits are positive and cumulative.

Transcendental Meditation program is not a religion, a life-style or a bunch of dos and don’ts. It is a simple, natural mental technique that is easy to learn and easy to practice. In SLO County alone, over 200 people from all walks of life, representing all religious faiths and engaged in almost every occupation imaginable, practice and enjoy the benefits of the TM technique.

Finally, ADHD--research was recently published in the journal Current Issues in Education1 (and suggests that for children diagnosed with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, the twice-daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation® technique improves attention and reduces stress, anxiety and impulsive behavior.2

Dr. John Freeman is the Director of the Transcendental Meditation Program of San Luis Obispo County. For more info visit www.tm.org or www.doctorsontm.org

1 http://cie.asu.edu/volume10/number2/)
2 www.adhd-tm.org

 

Herbs in My Garden: Chamomile

"..... Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made some chamomile tea and she gave a dose of it to Peter."
- from The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Chamomile is one of the most soothing and safest of all medicinal herbs; it is used for a whole variety of disorders. Throughout history, chamomile has been used by all of the worlds’ ancient cultures. German chamomile (matricaria recutita) has traditionally been the most commonly used for medicinal purposes although the Roman variety is also beneficial. Chamomile can be traced back to the Egyptians who associated the herb with their Sun-God Ra and sacrificed the flowery herb in their rituals. The original of the word comes from the Greek word 'kamai melon' which means 'ground apple', as the rich golden blossoms of the plant smell like freshly cut apples. The herb was also known as “the Plant’s Physician” because when planted next to an ailing plant, the other plant would recover quickly and grow normally.
As a tea, it can be taken daily for nervous stress and as an aide for restful sleep. Chamomile is a gentle yet powerful medicinal plant due to its effects on the nervous and digestive systems and its anti-inflammatory action. Chamomile soothes a nervous stomach, relieves indigestion and flatulence. It is also a calmative for menstrual pain and frayed nerves. Externally chamomile speeds the healing process for wounds. It rejuvenates hair and skin texture. It is especially good as a rinse for blonde hair.
Just breathing the flowery aroma of chamomile tea has a pacifying affect. Its mild and relaxing properties make it a wonderful tea to drink daily; early morning on an empty stomach, or before bedtime are perfect ways to benefit from chamomile.
German Chamomile seeds can be planted in either fall or spring. When planted in fall, seeds are exposed to freezing and thawing which increases the chance of propagation. Be sure to leave some flower heads unpicked so the plant will reseed itself. Chamomile likes sun, but also needs lots of watering during periods of strong sun.
Carefully harvest the flower tops for drying when the petals turn back on the disk. One easy way to dry petals is put them in a brown paper bag and leave in your car. Depending on the season, the heads and petals are soon ready to transfer into a glass jar for storage. Chamomile’s bittersweet flavor stimulates the gastric juices so the longer the flowers are infused, the more its bitter properties are released. Thus, steep blossoms 20 minutes or longer for liver and digestive issues; 5 to 10 minutes for a relaxing bedtime tea.
So take the time to make yourself a soothing cup of chamomile tea at this time of changing seasons.

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