Send Only Love

So important right now.

Healing Inguinal hernia with Alternatives to Western Allopathic Surgical Procedures

I received my results from the CT scan. My doctor wants me to go to surgeon, who will probably start by prescribing a Colonoscopy. I like my doc, he's a sweet guy and he probably knows me well enough by now to understand that while I do want his opinion, in the final analysis I'll do what I think is best. 

Now, my research has begun. I'm finding great but limited, information available, on those have healed this issue with Reiki, Yoga, EFT, nutrition, meditation, exercise. I'll be documenting my process on my blog. Hope y'all find it as interesting as I do. I know all the fear-factor tricks that western-medical-science believes in will be used against me. However, many of the believers have the same problem return or come back in a different form because they haven't solved the underlying problem. This is my journey. Wish me well~

Here is a link I found this morning - I'll continue to post links to blogs of those who have documented their process.
http://falconblanco.com/health/hernia.htm

Soap Making in the Planning Stage

I found the bucket with the Coconut Oil – I had purchased a twenty pounder awhile back. I recently ordered 4 gallons of Olive Oil from ebay and got it for about $12 a gallon, but I had to pay for shipping as well. The third oil which is basic to my recipe, vegetable oil, is easily obtained at a mainstream grocery in the form of ~crisco~ or something like that. Various other oils could be used such as shea butter, cocoa butter or many others – research into their skin beneficial qualities would provide many other choices but the three basics – coconut (for sudsing action), olive and vegetable are the ones I always use as a base. 

The lye was purchased in a larger quantity from a wholesaler in Dallas. I would have liked to purchase a larger quantity – like a 20 gallon drum, but storage of this very dangerous chemical would have been an insurmountable challenge before I had a safe, secure, dry location to store it. In the meantime I have 5 pre-measured bags of lye, enough for 5 batches of soap.

I don’t use water to mix my lye, rather an herbal tea, refrigerated overnight. My personal favorite is Comfrey, an herb known for its skin-healing properties. I think that making the tea must also establish the correct PH since I never have problems when I make it with tea rather than plain water. I’ve heard of mixing the lye with goat’s milk but someone had a problem with her end product stinging when she used milk for the mixture. I couldn’t say what caused this but I was getting my goat’s milk direct from the farm and never had that problem.

Cosmetic grade fragrance oils were purchased by the quart and I have 3 remaining – sugar cookie, patchouli and the label is worn off the third.

So, those are my ingredients although I could add oatmeal, fresh dried herbs and many other ingredients for varieties in selection and use.

Mixing the ingredients is a key step in the process. Both the hot and the cold have to meet in the middle at temperatures between 120-125 f in order for the chemical process to occur. To facilitate their merge, I use an electric mixer on a stand. The small bowls on these mixers won’t be large enough for the measurements I use so a purchase of a large aluminum bowl (glass too dangerous – I wouldn’t want to take a chance on that breakage) to fit a stand mixer that holds ‘other’ bowls. 

I recently purchased a Sunbeam FPSBHS030 250-Watt 5-Speed Hand and Stand Mixer Combo cookware kitchen that I will NOT be using for soap making – too flimsy. I bought on ebay but amazon sells cheaper. Doesn’t matter what you pay for it, I wouldn’t take a chance on making soap in it. 


In the past I’ve used a SUNBEAM MIXMASTER 12 SPEED STAND MIXER which worked very well. Unfortunately it was lost during a storage move. I’d like to find another and there are several on Craigslist for Kalamazoo. Guess I might have to make a drive over there. KitchenAid makes an expensive one that might be more power than I need for this project.

This is the Sunbeam mixer I’m looking for. Happy Shopping~

All the Help you need

Mind Over Medicine, Scientific Proof that you can Heal Yourself by Lissa Rankin, M.D. will convince you of the truth of her findings, if scientific proof is what you need. However, many of us can skip all the proofs that she provides and simply believe in the validity of what Dr. Rankin proposes, that our emotional health is important if we are concerned about our physical health. Findings have been brought forth proving that a happy state of mind, a supportive environment and major stress reduction will enable our bodies to not only heal faster but can act as a preventive methodology when disease threatens.

I was totally supportive of this book before I read it. I truly believe that our minds are more powerful than any disease which it may encounter. The author provides scientific proof based on verifiable studies for those who would doubt the accuracy of this theory. Her experience with western medicine, as a practicing Doctor of Medicine, should convince those who limit their belief in information about health by only believing people with white coats.

Presenting her findings and agreeing with her theories will only take us so far. When we are unhappy in our lives, marriages, work and home environments, how can we implement the necessary changes so that we can be happy and therefore succeed in having a healthy life, free of disease? Fortunately, Dr. Rankin did not stop at just finding the formula for health but continued to inform us of methods for bringing more happiness into our lives.

Meditation is the key that she suggests we can use to unlock the door to our ‘Inner Pilot Light’ which she describes as the base of our inner guidance. She has created a wonderful visual map showing the contributing factors which affect our health and the bubble which acts as a glue to the balance by contributing gratitude, service, love and pleasure. Connecting to this inner knowing and healing wisdom to guide us, each in our own unique way, will inform us of the obstacles standing in our way.

She finishes the book with clear directions for taking the 6 steps to heal ourselves; believing in our ability to heal our self, finding our support team, listening to our body and intuition, diagnosing the root causes of our illness by determining what our body needs in order to heal, how balanced is our total health package (including spirituality, sexuality, physical body, relationships and work), write our own prescription, write and finally, take action on the prescription we write for ourselves. She provides suggested instruction on meditation to use and also provides assistance on her website with downloadable guides.

Dr. Rankin believes we hold the key to our own health and well-being and I agree. Her suggestions and questions are simply ways to get at the truth although she does heartily recommend having a support system in place before embarking on the journey because some of the truths we may encounter could be challenging to deal with alone. I agree with Dr. Rankin on much of the information in her book.

The only problem that I have with this book is her comments regarding alternative healing practices such as Reiki. In the discussion of placebos and no-cebos, she proposes that these same principals hold true. As a practicing Reiki Master for many years I really don’t know how you could pretend to give reiki and not give it. If you have belief in reiki, you know that all that is required to ‘turn it on’ is your intention to do so. I suppose if you hadn’t received an attunement and pretended that you did, it could affect the volume of healing energy flowing through your hands. However, my belief is that everyone has healing energy which may pass through their hands, only reiki practitioners have the volume turned up. This equates to a small note for a large book with many truths and excellent suggestions.

I received this book as a gift from Hay House in exchange for writing my review. I was in no way coerced to write a positive or negative review, simply to state my opinion.

This book is Phenomenal !

I love this book and will continue to use it as a resource for a long time to come. It wasn’t totally new material for me as I had taken an Emotional Freedom Techniques class (EFT) about 15 years ago after having a session with a woman in Colorado. I could see the sense of the techniques in the verbal description but didn’t find the process as beneficial as I had expected. My feelings about EFT and Tapping changed dramatically after reading this book.

Why does one person explain a process and have it make logical sense but little result and have another explain the process and experience tremendous results from putting the instructions into practice? Perhaps it has to do with timing and that I am just more ready to find relief at this point in my life than I was in the past. Whatever the reason, the book was the key for me.

The only criticism I might have of this book is that a word of caution may be in order before proceeding to work through every issue that pops in your mind over one day and clearing all the muck too quickly. You can probably guess that was my modus operandi.

I started Nick Ortner’s book with hope that I could revive and put to better use my previous training. I was ready to go to work on every issue that I could think of. With every tapping experience during this first day, I seemed to find a deeper issue to work on next. The fact that this will occur is mentioned in the book and it is possible that Mr. Ortner mentioned a word of warning about going too fast and I possibly sped through that mention.

Not that this did any harm other than I slept around the clock pretty much for the next several days, waking only to use the restroom facilities and have a bite to eat, then back to bed.

Yes, my free-floating anxiety was gone, yes; the pain in my neck was gone. True, several issues that had plagued me for a while were gone. Would I do it again, all in one day? I think I might have learned to slow down a little and spread this book over a week or two rather than eating it up in one sitting.

Enjoy~ the writing is clear and the instructions are very easy to follow.

I did receive a free copy of this book from Hay House Publishing in order to write this review. I received no monetary compensation and was not obligated to make it a positive review. I was simply asked to give my honest opinion and this is it.

Final Move

I'm moving next week, about 2 miles down the road, still in Michigan. I think I'm gonna love it - its a old farmhouse (a Sears house which brings up all kinds of research for me to follow up on) on a 100 acre operational Fruit & Horse farm. I've been packing for awhile and I'll get the keys a week from Wednesday with the furniture being moved on Saturday, the 18th. 

Turns out Sears sold about 70 thousand of the 'kits' from 1908 to 1940 and this one looks to be one of the 350 designs, a Sheridan, and was built in the late 1920's. The house was sold in 1951 (the year I was born) to a family that owned it up until recently. The Missus died in 1998 at the age of 88 and her husband in 2003 at the age of 96 - he'd already planted his spring garden that year. Their son  lives about 1/4 mile down the road and he was in his late teens when his parents bought the house. He and his wife walk everyday and are very helpful in the history they remember. 

It's a huge house - 3 bedrooms and bath up and 1 bedroom, bath, dining room, kitchen and living room downstairs plus a basement. One of the out buildings can be used for my soap-making since it has a sink, bathroom and heater. It's amazing. 

The current owners live about 1/2 mile away in his historic family home but the land was sold and the owner is a big business guy accumulating land in the area. This is why the current owners farm the land but live elsewhere so its a great opportunity for me. There are 100 acres with apple, sweet cherry and peach orchards. About 5 horses and he'd like to do more horse rescue - I've already got a good relationship with one of the horses. You can see pics if you scroll down. 

There are fine with me adding goats and chickens and I'm seriously considering bee-keeping. The owner has already tilled up a 20x20 patch for my garden this year and I can start planting right away. The garden is where the family had an organic composted garden for many years so the soil should be excellent. Corn & Tomatoes are on their way.

Spring Garden

 On my patio, the Sage and Chives are coming back to life. Lettuce and Beets are sprouting.

In a little while I'll go over to Church and see how the Community Garden is coming along and then plan to attend the Monthly Soup Supper where the local churches and organizations join forces to raise money for the North Berrien Food Pantry, located at the Coloma United Methodist Church. I have a 4x8 plot there for my growing where Cilantro, Comfrey, Beets, Carrots, Radishes and Lettuce were planted about ten days ago. Finally, the big one... 20x20 is being plowed up for me now, at the Farm. I'll plant corn, sweet potatoes (hope they grow up here), lots of tomatoes & peppers so I'll be canning salsa, spaghetti sauce and plain ole tomatoes. Green, Wax and Italian Beens are likely additions. Should keep me busy for awhile~


I've updated the Events Page for Paw Paw River Campground and Canoes. Also created an Event for the Spring Grand Opening at the Watervliet Fruit Exchange

Fruit Trees Blossoming in Southwest Michigan

Sweet Cherry Blossoms

Apple Blossoms

Peach

Apple Blossoms

Apple Blossoms

Peach

Apple

 Please correct me if I'm wrong on which blossoms go with which fruit. As it comes time to Harvest, there will be no doubt in my mind!

Horses

We had an unfortunate second meeting, which thankfully has been overcome.  The first time we met face to face Kevin was there and he showed me how to push her head away when she tries to snuggle under my arms and push me over and to say AWAY when I really want her to back off.  Later, I went back by myself and forgot the fence was electrified. YIKES we both got a shock. Kevin said I better go back and let her find out that I'm not electric. We made peace. She's my favorite. I'd rather ride her around the farm than the golf cart. Watch out for us!

BEES

I finally will be getting to use my Honey Bees & Beekeeping, A year in the life of an Apiary by Keith S. Delaplane from the University of Georgia Extension Office. All these years I've carried this book on my travels until I finally arrived at the place where I could use it and here I am. Currently these 4 hives have been rented for the blossoming season... but next year~ 

Forsythia

The forsythia is one of the first splashes of springtime color in many yards in the northern United States and has become a landscape staple throughout New England. Its bright yellow blossoms light up the yard, mirroring the golden sun above.  They provide a thick screen between neighboring yards and a secure nesting area for several species of birds. The forsythia is very cold-hardy and durable. Its prolific root system enables it to withstand droughts as well as any northern plant. To get the best blossoms year after year, however, one must know how to prune the forsythia properly.

Learn When to Prune by Observing Your Plants

Choosing the right time to prune the forsythia is the most important aspect of preserving the blossoms for the following year. If you prune too late in the year, you'll be removing next year's flowers before they have a chance to bloom. The spring-time forsythia erupts in thousands of little bright yellow flowers along the length of its branches early in the spring. The flowers come out even before the leaves do. The flowers will cover the new growth on the outside of the forsythia bush, leaving the older growth inside more bare. This gives the observant gardener a clue about when to prune. Source: http://voices.yahoo.com/how-prune-forsythia-bush-5559325.html

Life is Good

It just keeps getting better. I love Website work, Google Analytics, Marketing… when I believe in the Business. When I work with good people, when the food is good and I’m finding it.

Why did I ever leave? At least I’m back!

A Lovely Day in the Community Garden

We planted today. Three of us planted our own sections and the rest worked on plantings for the Food Pantry. I planted Comfrey=finally, and some Cilantro-a must have, plus Beets, Carrots, Lettuce and a handful of radishes. One fellow’s grandchildren were joining him to have their first experience with the wonder of gardening in the form of radish planting.

We lived next door to the most delightful woman as I was growing up. There was some turbulence in my home during my preteen years as my Father experienced several strokes, heart attacks and eventually, death.

Mrs. Mazey lived next door and she brought a ray of light into my heart. I remember her laying with me as I tried to fall asleep, her asking me to sing her my favorite hymns, all the while, they were working on my father in the living room—the rotation of the red blinking light through the open front door, down the hall and onto my bedroom door. And later as the years passed, she always spoke with me as though I were an adult no matter how immature I acted. She asked me interesting questions and listened thoughtfully to my answers. I'll always remember her.

Mrs. Mazey gardened. She taught me about lettuce and radishes, tomatoes and together with my mom, the joys of bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches on homemade bread, toasted with mayonnaise. Nothing short of heaven.

So, today I planted and I’ll post some pictures in a couple of weeks to show you how its sprouting. In the meantime, our Sponsor, Gene Hanover, Manager at the Watervliet Fruit Exchange has let us know that the first plants are beginning to come in. He has tomato, pepper and cabbage plants; also strawberry, geranium and petunia plants. Additionally the Saturday classes have begun to fill up.

There is no cost associated with the Saturday Morning Gardening Classes, but he does appreciate a holler so he makes sure he’s got enough chairs ready for all who want to come. We’ll be posting the class schedule on the website soon.

See you there!

I recommend this one

From My Hands and Heart: Achieving Health and Balance with Craniosacral Therapy by Kate MacKinnon went far beyond my expectations to provide me with a much needed refresher on the CST course I took from Upledger Institute in 2002.

I believe this text would serve many people well, even those without a medical background. Craniosacral Therapy might seem mysterious and difficult to understand when it’s first explained. However, the author has the ability to walk the reader gently around clinical terms and anatomy to provide a very clear visual of the practice. At the same time, she doesn't simplify it as such to eliminate its usefulness to those who utilize the jargon in their daily lives.

She has titled the book to indicate that she is working deeper than the physical touch, to the depths of her heart. Her heart’s desire to assist in the healing of those who come to see her came through her words very clearly.

As mentioned previously, I have taken the training and found the practice very beneficial to the clients I saw over the next few years. It is amazing to see the profound results mirroring those described in this book. For myself, my life took a turn and I had not practiced on a client for the past several years. While reading Ms. MacKinnon’s very powerful work I came to the realization that I would greatly benefit from seeing a practitioner. Happily I acted on my inspiration and found someone close by. Within the next few days of my continued reading, I found the author’s instructions on how to find a practitioner exactly as the path I had just followed. She gives good instructions.

As I neared the end of the book, I again felt inspired, this time to start working on myself, an issue with my ankle.  As I worked on the area, I followed the energy as she shared and determined my issue to be connected with a hip problem; subsequently the resultant memory of a fall came to me. Alas, Ms. MacKinnon must have been reading my mind as she next described the process to work on oneself.

Again and again throughout the book as an issue or question came to my mind, the text seemed to follow my thinking and I would find the answer promptly in the next few paragraphs.

I guess you can understand why I so highly recommend this book. It’s a treasure and gratefully it was a free gift to me for writing this review. I was not compensated for the review and was under no obligation to write anything but the truth.

The Coloma Community Garden Project

First Congregational UCC - Coloma, MI

Let’s Get Growing

Quoted from First Congregational UCC, Coloma

Blessing Our Community Garden

April 21, 2013

God bless this garden through which your glory shines 

May we see in its beauty the wonder of your love

God bless the soil rich and teeming with life

May we see in its fertility the promise of new creation 

God bless our toil as we dig deep to turn the soil 

May we see in our labor your call to be good stewards

God bless each seed that takes root and grows 

May we see in their flourishing the hope of transformation 

God bless the rains that water our efforts to bring forth life 

May we see in their constancy God’s faithful care 

God bless the harvest abundant and bountiful in season 

May we see in God’s generosity our need to share 

God bless this garden as you bless all creation with your love 

May we see in its glory your awesome majesty

 Amen

E-Squared

E-Squared by Pam Grout proclaims to have “nine do-it-yourself energy experiments that prove your thoughts create your reality” and she delivers! Her use of imagery in examples was excellent. I love the humor and the convenience of the appropriately named, space heater example. She tells of spending a cold night in a strange place, huddled under blankets only to awaken in the morning to find a space heater right next to the bed. All she needed to do was flip the switch… but she didn't know it was there. This was to emphasize her point, that her lack of awareness and consequential lack in that situation is much like those of us who struggle with need and desire, unaware of the energy field surrounding us, ready to respond if we will simply flip the switch.

While I didn't need more proof than I already had of the validity of her claim, I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised by the extremely easy experiments and the quick responses. My favorite was the first, the “Dude Abides Principle”.  The hypothesis was written to provide evidence of the energy force available to us. The author asks us to simply ask for a blessing within 48 hours as evidence of its reality.

The next 48 hours brought several blessings to me, all could have been discarded as coincidences (if you believe in those) but the one that provided a slice of humorous, concrete evidence was the shim.

Soon after starting the experiment a thought crossed my mind, “I need a shim”. For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, it’s commonly used in carpentry. According to the Free Dictionary, a shim is “a thin, often tapered piece of material, such as wood, stone, or metal, used to fill gaps, make something level, or adjust something to fit properly.” Since I’m not a carpenter it’s not something that I make reference to very often, although I have a few scattered around my house.  

That afternoon I left to visit a friend in a neighboring city and planned to spend the weekend. She had a few visitors in the next day for a brunch and as we were sitting discussing a myriad of topics, she turned to me and asked, “Do you need a shim?” At that she opened her hand revealing two teeny plastic shims with a hole in the fat end. They were more of a novelty item since they could be hung on a key chain. I very nearly fell out of my chair. I had not participated in more than the one single thought of needing a shim. I never wrote it on a shopping list nor mentioned it to a living soul. It was a single, isolated thought and the resultant provision was immediate and clear. Needless to say, the shim hangs on my key chain as a constant reminder of the power of a single thought.

Pam’s book is filled with experiments like this which all produced positive results for me. Her writing was clear and entertaining. She referenced leaders in the field who profess to believe in the power of our thoughts and how they create our reality, all favorites in my book. From TheCourse in Miracles to Dr. Masaru Emoto’s Water Crystals in What theBleep!? - Down the Rabbit Hole, she brought them all together.

I heartily recommend this book as a physical confirmation and reminder if you are a believer in the power of our thoughts on the energy field surrounding us.  I beg of you to read this book and perform these experiments as evidence of the unseen, if you are one who doubts its existence,  

A Field of Angels

The subtitle of this courageous little book, written by Lillie Leonardi, “A Memoir about Flight 93, A Field of Angels and My Spiritual Homecoming” grabbed me more than the title, “In the Shadow of a Badge”. I always like to hear stories about Angels.

Seven years after the horrific events of 9/11, the author discusses her meeting with a former FEMA representative, he suffering from an illness in his lungs, as a result of prolonged exposure to the toxic conditions of Ground Zero. In sharing stories he told her, “If what you saw at the site injured your heart and your mind then you, too, are one of the walking wounded. There is no standard as to who was hurt more.” The words ring true; we were all wounded on that day. How reassuring that the forces of good were present that day as the first responders and recovery workers began their arduous task, although it does appear that they did suffer more than the rest of us, whether from a resultant physical disability and death or the psychiatric issue of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

A reappearing aspect in Ms. Leonardi story is her questioning of a long-held belief that an inferior status as a woman created the pathway for her to suffer PTSD, rather more than the men she associated with in her department who did not develop and confront the symptoms that she did. Only when she begins to meet and share her story with fellow sufferers, combined with her dream work, does she find peace from the shame.

I was pleased to see the author’s willingness to look into alternative healing practices as her frustration at her stalemate with anxiety, flashbacks, emotional and physical pain continued. Years later, a former boss from the FBI suggests that she ask her doctors about a therapy known as Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). Somewhat disappointing to me was the fact that although she describes the process as helping more than just to process the traumatic events of 9/11, they also helped expand her spirituality; deeper understanding of her faith, cleared sludge from her mind’s clogged passageways and more clarity of insight. That was end of her discussion of the therapy.

I also wish the author had spent more time revealing details of the healing processes she used and additionally, would have loved to have seen the little grotto she created in her backyard. She tells of anxiously visiting home after being on-site for several days to reconnect with the love and nurturing she experiences with her daughter and granddaughter in their shared home. This first visit brought much work in the form of creating a healing space. The author tells of her commitment to prayer and meditation by arranging for a friend’s backhoe to dig a hole for a pond where she would place a statue of the Blessed Mother.

In summary, the book brought forth emotional responses from me at times and I was happy that the author had the faith and support from her family that sustained her. I do wish she would have spent more time discussing the healing processes but I don’t think that was to be the purpose of the book. Referring back to the title, I would assume the book was to be about the Angelic vision and again I felt not enough time was spent regarding that experience. I think the purpose that came through was the revelation that the forces of good and evil had met on that playing field and her ability to see them was pivotal in her ability to heal from the psychic wounding she experienced at that time.

This beautiful book was a gift from Hay House in exchange for a written review. No requirements of a positive nature were requested. Only honest criticism was asked of me.

Get your own copy: 

Sugar-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Walnuts

3 oz Butter melted

1 Banana

½ cup Unsweetened Applesauce

2 small apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 cup raisins

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves – ½ tsp. each

1 cup chopped Walnuts

½ cup Almond Milk

1 cup Flour

2 cups Old-Fashioned Oats

Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt – ½ tsp. each

Mix first 8 Ingredients in medium bowl

Mix last 3 Ingredients very well in large bowl

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and Blend. 

Place tablespoon sized chunks on cookie sheet.

350 degrees F     12 minutes

Holistic, Herbs or Homeopathy?

I was recently asked what I was most interested in: Holistic, Herbal or Homeopathic. Let me first define these terms to show that they are not mutually exclusive.

Holistic Health is an umbrella term for many alternative health practices that suggests all aspects of a person’s life must be considered in sustaining a healthy body. Nutrition, exercise and stress-reduction are viewed as contributing factors in maintaining a healthy body and state of mind.

Symptoms of dis-ease, unexpected or distressing symptoms are considered in relation to the whole person when viewed holistically. A remedy is sought that encompasses all aspects of the person, including the physical symptoms and corresponding psychological, social and spiritual conditions.

What this means is that Holistic medicine/health/healing deals with the whole body, including the body of our affairs. We are not an automobile that might have a bad carburetor, brakes or battery. We don’t have removable replaceable parts; we are a whole package and all aspects of our life figure into our health and well-being, including nutrition, stress level, exercise, toxins, whether taken orally or through our breath, skin, or environment. In Holistic Healing work we look at the whole picture. See American Holistic Health Association for more information.

Homeopathy is defined by Wikipedia as “a system of alternative medicine originated in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann, based on his doctrine of similia similibus curentur ("like cures like"), according to which a substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy people will cure similar symptoms in sick people”.

I find homeopathy often serves as an initial stepping stone into alternative health care by parents. Frequent minor issues in children, such as ear aches or pink-eye will wear the patience of parents repeatedly returning to a doctor of western medicine with associated office visits costs, prescription refills and often missed work due to day-care, school rules or children’s discomfort. A trip to the health store might simply involve asking a well-informed clerk for over-the-counter remedies which are not designed to just hide the symptoms. For less than $10 usually, a small container of what appears to be tiny sugar pills will be suggested. The instructions will indicate that 5-7 pills should be placed under the tongue several times a day without touching the skin. A specially designed container makes it possible to avoid fingers touching medicine. A quick recovery without side effects, or an infection return, will create a positive impression in the parent and the creation of a lifelong habit.

Herbology is another school of study, falling under the holistic health and healing umbrella. Herbs have been used for health and nutrition for thousands of years. The Bible lists herbs used for food and nutrition. Herbs grow wild in many regions and interestingly enough, with nature unchecked, you will frequently find that the very herb you need for your specific condition is growing right outside your door.

Unfortunately, our society has determined that herbs are weeds and should be killed. The pharmaceutical industry has dissected herbs into creations of their own so they may be tested and patented with resultant high costs and side-effects. God gave us the plants to heal our bodies and as such, are in perfect form where allergic reactions are rare and side-effects don’t exist.

Herbal lore has been handed down over the centuries from mothers to daughters and witch-doctors, shamans and wise-women to apprentices. Thousands of books have been written and historical texts are treasured. The appropriate herb to use for a specific condition is selected based on region and availability, raised organically or wild crafted, grown easily  in your kitchen garden or in danger of extinction from over harvesting.

There are thousands of herbs and varieties. Some herbalists recommend taking one or two herbs and studying them for awhile and then moving on to another few choices, combining various uses – culinary or medicinal. Many people visit doctors of Chinese Medicine, which is a more holistic approach than western allopathic medicine, primarily encompassing acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Ayurvedic medicine, originating in India, analyzes various aspects of a patient in order to categorize them before selecting the appropriate herbs. Questions are asked about diet, behavior, lifestyle, recent illnesses and their system’s resilience. The practitioner observes the patient’s teeth, tongue, skin, eyes, weight and overall appearance. Finally, checks are performed on urine, stool, speech, voice and pulse.

In summary, holistic health and healing encompasses many forms of observation and choices for nutrition and health based on the total body system. It would be a lifelong ambition to know ‘all’ herbs. Rather herbs are chosen based on region, availability, patient condition and personal choice. I believe in a holistic approach to health. I believe in prevention rather than cure. I am a massage therapist, reiki master, herbalist, breathwork facilitator, shamanic practioner and craniosacral therapist. Nutritionally, I am Vegan, omitting white sugar & flour. I have herbs growing in my kitchen and bottles of herbal capsules in my medicine chest. I make my own herbal extracts and tinctures. Thanks for the opportunity to answer the question!

I'm looking forward to this ...

Happily, Hay House is letting me get started reading the online version of my newest book selection, In the Shadow of a Badge. For those of us who are fans of the crime scene investigation television series and also very interested in stories about Angels and Miracles, I think this will serve us well.

I've also been asked about purchasing just the mp3 Music for the remarkable work of The Rev on the sound track included with the book, Transcendance Expanded. If you only one purchase one song this year, U R The Answer, is the one you should pick. Here is the link.

Or, if you want the CD: 

and if you want to read along with me, here's my newest selection:

"Once you hear the Truth, it's not going to rest...

.. until it becomes fully available in your awareness"

.. until it becomes fully available in your awareness"

I hope I can convey to you all that this little book, TranscenDancexpanded Book & Music CD Set by Michael Bernard Beckwith, provides. To begin on page one and continue to the last page is a meaningful and rewarding experience in itself. However, I will not be limiting myself to one read of this book.

This paragraph from the book so eloquently describes unconditional love: "When you're around someone who loves you unconditionally, you become aware that they have no judgment about you. You become aware that they've suspended their beliefs and opinions about anything that may have happened in your life. There are no projections going on. Your loved ones are able to see through your foibles or personality quirks, straight to the essence of your being. No matter what happens in the outside world, those that love you are able to hold the space of support, acceptance, and encouragement, seeing you at your best and highest, regardless of the situation." Not too many humans actually love unconditionally, but what Beckwith is asking us to see is "Who Loves You, baby?"

The transcriptions of the Rev's talks, as he is affectionately called, are each gems in their own right. Following in sequence, they build upon the ideas communicated in the prior chapters. The last chapter, rather than a talk is a "spontaneous, mystical flow of consciousness" with "intimate insights and revelations of his soul". The ultimate purpose is to "expand upon how the individual human spirit, living in conscious oneness with the Ineffable, unfolds the mystery, beauty, and perfection of one's divine destiny". What more you could you ask of 148 6"x7" pages?

Ah music! If you can remain sitting while listening to the enclosed music CD, you're a better woman than me. Not only does the music call to the dancer and/or foot tapper, but the words mirror the messages from the talks.

Let's talk about contributors to this masterpiece. Stephen Bray, Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, engineer and artist with credits including well-known collaborations, including a Tony nomination for his work on The Color Purple. John Potoker is another Grammy-nominated mixer and producer for some of the best known names with many multiplatinum recording artists. Stephen Powers, Co-founder and President of Agape Media International, with credits encompassing many well known and loved artists also contributed his talents to this magnificent recording.

All songs, except the last, were recorded live at Agape International Spiritual Center in Las Angeles. On December 22, 2013 Agape hosted a PLANETARY BIRTH DAY GALA at Agape where top transformational leaders, visionaries, musicians, dancers, artists, writers, comedians, healers, shamans and practitioners joined together for an unprecedented historical gathering to culminate hundreds of `shift' events worldwide and activate extraordinary possibilities for ourselves and our new world!

Just to let you know the friends and guests that spoke at the birthday celebration; Well-known celebrities included Michael Bernard Beckwith, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Neale Donald Walsch, Marianne Williamson, Lisa Nichols, Jack Canfield, Stephen Dinan, Marcia Wieder, Rinaldo Brutico, Sister Jenna, Android Jones & Phadroid. Messages from Jean Houston, Lynne Twist, James O'Dea, Lynne McTaggart were additionally included.

This book is going to hold a permanent place on my bedside table. Starting the day with a random paragraph, holding that thought and finishing my day with another random paragraph promises my life will change for the better with the positive affirmations this book holds. I've placed the CD songs onto my car mp3 player so I can listen to these positive messages while driving with uplifting music as background.

This beautiful book was a gift from Hay House in exchange for this written review and post on julieinmichigan.blogspot.com, No requirements of a positive review were requested. Only honest criticism was asked of me.

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Fire