Fall 2010 - Publisher's Pick

Wide Open Spaces

Phyllis Chubb, M.A., C.A.P. Counsellor

The health of our mind, body, and spirit are directly connected to our use of conscious decision-making. Accurate decision-making is dependent upon available information and thoughtful evaluation. To help us achieve these goals, self-questioning and introspection become imperative.

With the new season upon us it can be the perfect time to give ourselves the gift of some time alone to reflect, plan, and ponder. There is a little, very instructional poem we can use to lay the foundation for such an undertaking:

Learn from the past
Plan for the future
Live in the present.

These directions sound both simple and logical; few of us, however, take time to review what has happened in our life, or to ponder where we want to go. Rather, we let the events and people surrounding us dictate our future. To prevent such waste, it is vital to take charge and to accept responsibility for all actions. This sounds tough, but is less painful in the long run than waking up one day and realizing there are few options left.

After reviewing the past, it is time to look to the future. Two factors will dictate the focus of future thoughts,what has been learned from the past, and which activities make the heart sing. Encouragement to take the time to plan and work toward life goals is readily available. Just look around at some older people. Those who allow them-selves to drift through life have often stopped learning, stopped challenging themselves. These people seem to live in a very small world. They can be judgmental, and demeaning of the efforts put forth by others, and, unfor-tunately, rarely smile. Those who have chosen to continue growing and learning generally have a twinkle in their eye, a ready smile, and an open mind. What great endorse-ment for continued growth!

As the future unfolds what would you like to see yourself doing? Where would you like to live? If wide open spaces make your heart sing, living in a mountainous valley is not where you should be. If being around people means a lot, no sense looking for work that involves isolation. Basically the task involves finding out what makes your heart sing. What sorts of things would you do simply for the love of doing the task? There is another old saying that bears repeating: If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life! That is worth remembering

IF WIDE OPEN SPACES MAKE YOUR HEART SING, LIVING IS A MOUNTAINOUS VALLEY IS NOT WHERE YOU SHOULD BE

Now that the past has been explored and future goals have been identified it's time to focus on the present moment. It is only here and now, in the present moment that decisions can be made and actions taken that will eventually lead to the future of your choice.

Getting our minds to focus on the present moment is easier said than done. There are some tools we can use to help ourselves with this task. The first tool is the simple action of taking a slow, deep breath and holding it for a moment or two before slowing exhaling. This action brings our consciousness to the immediate present where we are able to look around the environment to see our options. Once the options for a behaviour have been identified a decision to initiate an action leading toward a future goal must be made

If two, three, or five years of study is required so be it. How old will you be, in that period of time, if you don't take that path? Breathe deeply, throw your shoulders back, review the past, plan for the future, and act in the present.

For more information, call 250 757-9498 or
visit: www.phyllischubb.com

Summer 2010 - Publisher's Pick

Change It Up With Cleansing This Summer

By Tina Willard-Stepan, B.Ed, Cert. Life Coach

When I was younger, I spent years with mysterious health issues - stomach problems, mood swings, and a general fatigue that could not be explained. Hours were spent in doctor's offices, enduring a battery of tests. I resigned myself to the fact that I was just going to feel terrible. It wasn't until I did my first cleanse that things made sense - my input was creating my output. After a lifetime of eating a North American diet (full of flour, sugar, dairy, and loads of refined foods), I had a system that was overloaded and not functioning properly. This was not an easy realization. Not because of the concept (that's easy), but because of what I was going to have to do to fix it. I was going to have to change my mind about food! Let's be clear about something here: I love food - especially the food that I was going to have to eliminate in order to take care of myself. But I had felt terrible for so long that I was willing to try anything.

I immediately noticed a difference in my energy levels. My stomach felt healthy for the first time in years, and mycleared up and I was smiling a lot more. Could it be that what I was eating was affecting my health to that extent? The answer was yes, and it was then that I committed to cleaning up my eating habits for good - including cleansing regularly.

Benefits of Cleansing

As the weather heats up, it's the perfect time to cleanse. The variety of fresh foods available becomes more abun-dant during the summer months. After a season of heavier foods, spring and summer are a great time to detoxify the system. Rich winter diets are lovely and comforting, but can put a burden on our systems. Cleansing allows our bodies to get back into balance. Many people report more clarity, greater alertness, clearer skin, improved digestion, weight loss, an overwhelming joy, and many other health improvements after a cleanse. It just feels good.

Types of Cleanses

There a many types of cleanses. Kits available at health food stores contain supplements and a list of foods that you can/cannot eat. There are "Master" cleanses, juice cleanses, and elimination cleanses. The possibilities are practically endless. A naturopath, herbalist, health food store employee, and the Internet are great resources to help you decide which cleanse is best for you.

Simple Things to Keep in Mind

If cleansing is new to you, keep your first experience short and easy. Even three to seven days will make a difference in how you feel. Be realistic - it has to work for you. Choose organic when you can. This is no time to be eating pesticides with your food. As Mark Pollard, author of In Defence of Food puts it, "Spend more and eat less." Eliminate sugars, dairy products, saturated fats, additives, caffeine, alcohol, refined foods, and processed foods for the duration of the cleanse. Drink lots of water - keep everything flushing through your system.

This is no time to be eating pesticides with your food

And, most importantly, never think of a cleanse as deprivation. The variety of foods you can eat on most cleanses would be considered a feast in many areas of the world. You simply need to change your mind about food. The results you will see have the potential to change your life - it did mine!

Tina can be reached at Seeds Natural Food Market.

250-336-0129
www.seedsfoodmarket.ca

Spring 2010 - Publisher's Pick

Spring is Coming... How are Your Sore Feet?

By Patti Doyle, BScPT,BScP.ED,OCS

Now that winter is over many people are choosing to up their activity level to burn off those extra holiday pounds. With this increase in exercise some people may be revisited with a familiar tightness and pain in the soles of their feet, known as "plantar fasciitis."

This painful syndrome often presents with pain and tenderness around the heel and sole of the foot and tightness into the calf and lower leg, with the most common symptom being a sharp needle type pain in the feet with the first five to six steps of the day. If you have experienced this type of discomfort in your feet you may have sought relief with things such as ice/heat, massage, ultrasound, aggressive deep tissue or stretching prescribed by your physiotherapist, or just stopping many of your activities. Many of these practices have proven to be helpful, but sometimes only temporary relief is achieved. The ice/heat and other modalities are effective for the acute inflammation that is due to the stretching of the foot tissue, but if the origin of tightness is not in the foot the problem will most certainly return.

The tissue in our bodies is continuous and very well organized into groups of muscles with several muscles sharing the same covering. We have fascia (connective tissue sheath) that not only surrounds the muscles in our feet, but extends up around the muscles from the sole of the foot, up the back of the leg and spine and up to the skull.

If you have suffered from plantar fasciitis for over a year the chances of having some of this tissue tightness restricted is highly likely.

A quick stretch you can try to see whether you have some fascial restrictions along your back line:

Stand with your back against a wall, buttocks touching and heels out two to three inches. Bend your head to your chin, then bend at the waist and reach toward the floor. If you cannot easily touch the floor you may have fascial restrictions elsewhere in your body causing your plantar fasciitis to continually return.

As people get more active with the spring weather this fascial tightness is not as tolerant of faster and more frequent movement. The weakest link in the chain is where the tissue must travel at a ninety degree angle from the lower leg to the sole of the foot, hence the tearing of this tissue at the edge or center of the heel.

A full body assessment with tissue length testing is the best course of treatment

This torn tissue creates an inflammatory response; weight bearing on it only increases the sensitivity. When you slow down activity and the demands on the tissue the stress decreases and the pain / inflammation subsides. With many recurrent or chronic conditions the cause is more than likely at a different site than the symptomatic area. Treating the feet alone may not get rid of the problem permanently.

A full body assessment with tissue length testing is the best course of treatment to address the cause rather than continually treating the painful body part. The goal of therapy should be to mobilize the tightest tissue in the body, not necessarily the painful part.

For more information call Patti Doyle, " The Organic Mechanic," at 250-650-1350.

Winter 2009 - Publisher's Pick

Listening to Your Body

By Chris Bruels, Trager® Practitioner

"Listen to your body" is a commonly heard phrase.

What does it really mean? How would it change your life if you listened to specific physical sensations - the pain/ pleasure stimulations?

To listen to your body is a culturally revolutionary act. Many spiritual traditions teach people to value the spiritual being as distinct from the physical being. Philosophical systems value the mind over body wisdom. (Did you notice how you responded to reading "body wisdom"? This would be an indicator of how much you have integrated these messages!) Once you become sensitized to this bias, you will find it in many places and systems. Our language is so full of it, it is hard to write this article!

Many of us, when asked how we are feeling physically, will report on our experience of what parts of our body are painful. Here, again, is the cultural bias towards finding our bodies "a painful burden" rather than noticing what feels good about them. Are you aware that the neurological pathways for pleasurable stimulus are more numerous, thicker, and faster than those pathways for pain? Our biological disposition would be to notice what is feeling good.

The body will heal quickly if we listen to it soon enough

The role of pain is to protect our bodies. This neurological system is critical to our well-being, yet, in our disregard for the messages from our body, we overlook and sometimes deliberately overpower the messages of pain.

How revolutionary would it be if you stopped doing something as soon as you become aware of any discomfort? Imagine getting up from your computer as soon as your wrists or shoulders become sore, regardless of your report being unfinished. Imagine that you stop chopping firewood as soon as your back begins to ache regardless of whether you have finished the week's supply.

Now, luckily for us achiever types, the body will heal quickly if we listen to it soon enough, give it a rest, or occasionally change activities to uses the body differently. The reports get done and the firewood brought in. The pattern of activity will be different as will the resulting comfort in your body.

Chris Bruels is a Trager ® somatic therapist with 25 years experience helping people with pain, improving posture, and eliciting deep relaxation.

Fall 2009 - Publisher's Pick

How to Love the Skin You're In

I know of no other season that causes women so much angst as the summer time - that glorious time of year when it's hot and muggy out, and we're invited to the beach/pool/lake to enjoy the good weather by donning our bathing suits (which appear to be made smaller by the year) and luxuriating in the sunshine on our beach towels.

I'm sure I'm not alone when I state that nothing makes me nuttier than when I'm expect-ed to wear a bathing suit out in public. I transform from being a mature, worldly, educated, competent woman into an insecure, neurotic, obsessed being who curls into a ball and cries at the thought of wearing a one-piece - okay, maybe I'd consider a "tankini" (Goddess bless whomever invented those woman-friendly two-piece getups). Why does this happen to me and to so many of us?

As a psychotherapist who specializes in helping women with food and body image, I believe it comes down to the following:

• Media portrays of stick-thin women as being the only "normal" and acceptable size and shape for women."
• The pernicious and yet powerful diet industry that is always trying to convince us that we, too, can be thin if we just have enough willpower.
• The "thinness is next to godliness" cult-like phenom-enon our society has developed over the last century.
• Our worship of physical fitness and health, which is defined by over-exercising (often to the point of injury) and eating a pure and wholesome diet (those who transgress are often scorned in public and behind their backs).

  Competition amongst ourselves - how many times have you been praised by other women for losing weight, only to be met with disapproving looks from the same women when you gain it back?

  Summer will be more enjoyable if you remember the following:

1. Remember this fact: ninety eight percent of women are not built like fashion models; they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and the majority of these women are not thin.
2. Remember the reason you're baring skin in the first place - to do fun and relaxing activities like swim-ming, feeling the sun on your skin, lying around reading a good book, or playing with your kids: you're not in a fashion show.
3. Remind yourself that the people around you are not obsessing about the size or shape of your body; that's your stuff. They've got other more important things to be thinking about.
4. If you want younger generations of women to love and accept their bodies, be a role model and show them that you don't buy into media stereotypes of how women are supposed to look
5. Eat sensibly and exercise regularly, but don't be obsessive about it - you'll feel better about yourself and your body as a result.

Esther Kane, MSW, is the author of It's Not About the Food: A Woman's Guide To Making Peace with Food and Our Bodies.

Sign up for her free monthly e-zine "Women's Community Counsellor" at: http://www.estherkane.com

Summer 2009 - Publisher's Pick

Back to Basics

by Denise Meilleur

No matter what kind of therapy we choose as a means of self-care -- whether it is some kind of body work, energy work or counselling-in order to create and maintain optimal health and wellness there needs to be an integrated approach. If our nutritional needs are not addressed and our imbalances not corrected we will not reach the level of well-being we all seek.

If everything in the universe is made of vibrations (scientists have long determined this is the case), then what kind of vibrations are there in junk- and fast food, and in packaged or fried foods? What we eat is broken down and ends up in our blood-our river of nutrients. Ultimately those vibrations also end up in our tissues and organs, including our brain. Soon the machinery starts to fall apart and prematurely decay. Eventually, we wonder about the dark circles and the bags under the eyes, the aches, the depression, the restless nights and the bad moods. Because those foods are practically void of nutrients, we are never thoroughly satisfied; our tendency is to overeat until we are stuffed and can hardly breathe. Then we wonder about being overweight. Hmmm!

While most of us know what a healthy diet consists of, many will not commit to making healthier choices on a somewhat daily basis. We will try everything before we even think of taking a close look at what we have in our cupboards and on our plates. Why is that? We are attached to our bad habits and don't value ourselves. We will blame heredity, pollution, and advertising for our health and well-being. Choosing the easiest way out cannot give optimal results. Unless a health crisis pops up there is great resistance in letting go of all those "less than ideal" foods we put into our mouths. We wonder about our lack of energy and think that our eating habits have nothing to do with it.

While many are eating a healthy diet, few realize that symptoms such as headaches, constipation, hormonal issues, frequent infections, digestion troubles, and even aches and pains are signs that there are some kind of nutritional deficiencies to be addressed. While a popular saying is that we are what we eat, we are actually more what we absorb and assimilate. Nutrition, while not the "be all and end all", is still the foundation of optimal health, and, when balanced, helps the body to heal itself naturally.

While taking supplements might be easier than changing eating and lifestyle habits, it will not get us where we want to be. Supplements can be used as part of a nutritional therapy to correct imbalances and help restore function

in a body system or organ that is challenged beyond its capability. Supplements provide added nutrients to speed up the balancing process, but they cannot be used in lieu of healthy foods.

My experience is that it is much easier to lose health than it is to regain it. We need to choose, prepare, and consume food with the consciousness of nourishment and optimal health. When buying groceries, stay in the periphery rather than the aisles. If you do need to shop the aisles, don't bring your shopping cart. Minimize the amount of food you purchase in a bag or a box and eat more green, leafy vegetables. Limit your intake of simple sugars and drink pure water. Have the goal of making healthy choices eighty percent of the time. It may be convenient, but the regular use of packaged and refined foods comes at a cost. It is not only more expensive but we really don't get good nutritional value for our money. The cost also extends toour peace of mind, energy level, productivity and quality of life.

Denise Meilleur is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Registered Certified Reflexology Therapist, Registered Aromatherapist and Essential Oil Therapist™. She owns and operates New Heights Wellness-Holistic Sanctuary.

Winter 2008 - Publisher's Pick

History of Some of our Christmas Holiday Traditions

The holiday season is filled with traditions that revolve around plants kissing under the mis-tletoe, decorating the Christmas tree, filling the house with ever-green boughs. But have you ever stopped to wonder why we do these things and where the tradi-tions sprang from? Many of them pre-date the established Christian Church and stretch back to antiq-uity and pagan superstitions. Perhaps this is why so many of us cling to the traditions even though church attendance is declining precipitously: these plants speak to an ancient part of us, the pagan part or "wild man" in us.

Frankincense and myrrh. The word perfume" has its roots in the words per," meaning through," and fumum," meaning smoke." Throughout history, peo-ple have burned pleasant smelling herbs, sending their prayers heavenward and thus gaining the attention of the gods. In the Mideast both frankincense and myrrh were two popular resins that were collected from shrubs and used in this manner.

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii), native to Arabia and East Africa, helps clear the mind and reduce congestion in the lungs when burned as an incense. In Ayurvedic medicine from India this pale colored resin has been used internally to treat dysentery, fevers, vomiting, and menstrual cramps. It is also used topically in liniments to improve arthritis, athletic injuries, bruises, acne, tumors, and to fight infection. Modern research shows that it offers anti-inflammatory benefits in cancer.

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) is recorded in ancient Egyptian papyruses and is mentioned several times in The Bible. Native to the area around the Red Sea, myrrh was used as a preservative for wine and in the embalming of the dead. Myrrh is a powerful disinfectant, destroying bacteria and stimulating white blood cell production when used internally. It has been around since ancient times and is used by herbalists today to treat gum infections, yeast overgrowth, impetigo, lung infections, and digestive dis-orders. It is also used as a liniment for arthritis. Modern- day herbalists sometimes refer to myrrh as "golden seal of the East." Only small amounts should be used for brief periods of time, as excessive use may be toxic.

Evergreens. The fact that evergreens retain their green-ery all year round is in itself a symbol of eternal life. Decorating trees was to honor and ensure the continua-tion of the seasons. It is a tradition thought to originate in Germany over one thousand years ago. Trees were originally decorated outdoors while still growing. The first ornaments were nuts, fruit, cookies, candles, and paper flowersall offerings to thank the spirit of the tree. The star at the top is said to represent the unity of all the elements. For centuries, the Church discouraged the decorating of trees because of its pagan origins. In 1643 the British Parliament abolished all Christmas festivities. When Queen Victoria decorated a fir tree for Windsor castle in 1841 a tradition was established in the English-speaking world.

Mistletoe (Viscum album in Europe and Phoradendron flavescens variety in America) is another herb associated with the holiday season. About 200 B.C. the Druids cel-ebrated the beginning of winter by gathering mistletoe and hanging it in their homes for good fortune. Only the highest ranking priests, using a gold knife, collected this sacred plant, which grows as a parasite on oak and several other trees. Many scholars believe mistletoe to be "The Golden Bough." There is a Nordic legend that tells of Balder, the son of Frigga (The Goddess of Love), who was magically protected from all harm. Mistletoe was the only thing that might harm him. Loki (an evil spirit) made an arrow from mistletoe and with it, Helder (a blind deity) mortally wounded Balder. His mother, Frigga, was so grieved that her tears fell on the mistletoe and were trans-formed into the white berries which now grace the plant. Balder was so loved by the other gods that they restored him to life. Frigga was overjoyed and decreed that from then on, the mistletoe should be a symbol of peace and hung high. Whoever should kiss under the plant would receive a blessing from The Goddess. If enemies met under the plant, they must lay down their arms and keep a truce for the entire day. The fact that mistletoe stays green and produces white berries in the winter makes it a natural winter decor. Tradition says that with each kiss under the mistletoe, remove a berry. When they are gone, the plant is said to have lost its power. As a medicinal herb, mistletoe has been used to regulate blood pressure and as a nervine for seizures. Mistletoe is currently used to treat cancer in a formula called "Iscador" that works as an immuno-modulator in the anthroposophical medicine founded by Rudolph Steiner

Chanchal Cabrera is a medical herbalist and horticulture therapist.
She can be reached at 250 336-8767
www.chanchalcabrera.com

Fall 2008 - Publisher's Pick

Eat Fresh - Eat at Locals

...at harvest time. Can you feel the buzz of energy coming off the ripe fruit and berries, the fresh vegetables, the excitement of Fall Fair competition homemade jams, preserved fruit and fresh baking? These simple pleasures, like a cool swim at the local swimming hole, create lasting family memories and memorable stories for children to share back at school. Dietary habits are shifting, and transportation networks enable us to buy fruits and vegetables from all over the planet for a price.

We need to ask whether those far away "unseen" farms use dangerous pesticides and chemicals, or genetically modified (GMO) seed. These practices raise important nutritional and health questions. Fruit and vegetables can be genetically modified to ripen faster, resist travel dam-age, and enable transport to distant locations with less spoilage (and perhaps less taste, texture, and nutrition as well). Corn is one commonly modified product (GMO). It is difficult to find non GMO corn in the stores (as related by Percy Schmeiser, a farmer from Saskatchewan, who told his story in Courtenay recently; he was relentlessly persecuted by the GMO "monster" Monsanto).

Our natural preference is for organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables, which have superior colour and taste, as well as higher nutritional value. Most consumers also prefer buying locally grown products in season over exotic fruits and veggies that have travelled from afar and have lost nutrients and freshness during their ocean voy-age, long haul trucking, or expensive air shipping. Buying locally grown food with the assurance that the seed is not genetically modified (non GMO) is a shopper's guarantee for the best nutrition. You are what you eat!

ORGANICALLY GROWN FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES HAVE SUPERIOR COLOUR AND TASTE AS WELL AS HIGHER NUTRITIONAL VALUE.

This trend is very apparent: Vancouver Island abounds with dedicated small and medium growers. It also manufactures secondary food products such as cheese, wine, bread (sound like a picnic?), and even fresh wheatgrass. These growers contribute to making our area a tourist "hotspot" known for unique quality and locally grown food. The whole of Vancouver Island has become a local food paradise, which fits nicely into the "Hundred Mile Diet" what would happen to the grocery store shelves if our main link to the mainland BC Ferries were cut off? Or if food costs escalated due to the price of gas? Obviously, having a reliable source of locally grown foods in season is an important security concern that is being addressed by our local growers. Also, interest in locally grown foods has created a whole new category of tourism for Vancouver Island. Farm visits and food and wine tasting make "agri-food" a cultural and targeted focus for the business development groups. We are definitely "on the map."

Fresh means better flavor, too. Dining on the "100 mile diet" is a sumptuous experience at Locals, a new gourmet hotspot in Courtenay, where well-known chef/owner Ronald St. Pierre has pledged to give preference to serving the best in locally grown organic produce and entrees. Many Valley people are not aware of the vast array of local products that are easily accessible. Locals facilitates closing the producer-consumer gap through its story telling on the menu, in the photo journey, and in the server's engagement. The concept of Locals and the 'New Provence' branding strategy also support the 'Hundred Mile Diet' food trend.

This is just the beginning! The concept and trend make sense! Why should food be shipped withering distances, with significant added cost, when we have excellent growers on Vancouver Island who can supply our needs with an immense diversity of tasty, freshly harvested fruits and veggies? The aim of the local grower is to deliver the food within twenty-four hours of harvest & fresh! Local growers will often welcome the consumer to visit the farm and purchase directly. You can't get much fresher than that unless you grow your own!

Another easy possibility is to "hand pick" your choice of fruit, veggies and locally made food products at the Saturday Farmers Market from the array of fresh picked bounty. The Farmers Market is an intense local experience! While there, you can chat with your neighbours, enjoy the entertainment, munch and taste; you can even dance to the music! No dress code, free entry for all, and the whole family will enjoy the outing. It is about good food, community and fun!

For even more adventure and fun family outings, take a look at the 2008 Comox Valley Growers Guide, available for free at the Farmers Market info table, or at the Visitors Centre downtown. Do a motor or cycle tour of the local farms see where your food is grown, meet and talk to the growers! This pamphlet lists all farms, where and who they are, what they grow, anticipated ripening dates, the hours of operation, and directions to the location.

Happy Fall Harvest and healthy eating!

Summer 2008 - Publisher's Pick

Grief & Gifts - by Anna Klassen

What is grief? We all have this experience at some level during our lifetime. The abandonment by a parent, death of a family member, loss of a pet, or even the loss of a favourite toy as a child can cause trauma.

In his book A New Earth Eckhart Tolle writes about "triggers" that resonate within us and bring us deep emotional pain. I remember an occasion from when I was very young. I went with my mother to visit a recently widowed mother of a large family. At one point the lady described her grief by saying, "It feels as though I have been flung into the wild waters of an ocean." My mother, who had been a widow with three small girls, nodded her head and they both wept. It is possible that I stored this memory in my brain and now recall it as a source for my grieving -trigger. Other experiences built upon this. My pet was killed and an uncle died -more triggers. Our triggers are unique; they are created from our own experiences.

Most people experience loss and grief irregularly throughout their lifetime, which gives their emotions time to heal and fond memories to become a focus instead. However, when there are multiple deaths within a short period of time, as was the case in our family last year, it may be more than a person is physically and emotionally able to bear. That is not to say that a single loss cannot be overwhelming.

Grief has many different forms and can be experienced several times a day for weeks, months, and sometimes years. There is guilt for not having been there for them more often, or anger for being left behind to miss them. Then depression hits, and we retreat within ourselves, refusing to speak out for fear of burdening family and friends. The tears come and we shut ourselves away in case (heaven forbid!) someone may see us cry for missing our loved one. Then there is the lack of concentration. Simple tasks become a major challenge. We lose ourselves in our grief and forget to take care of ourselves, to nourish and feed our bodies as we should.

Gifts of Grieving

Meditation can be a time of great relief from the enormous pain and vibrating sadness. The messages that came to me while I meditated were both peaceful and informative. There was a greater awareness of how life is both fleeting and precious. I was able to feel more compassion and have a greater understanding for those around me who were dealing with their own grief.

Grief can be a time of cleansing. The tears that come when we are full of grief are chemically different than those that spring from the emotions of joy. There is a feeling of release after a sorrowful cry. In some religions and cultures there are specific times for this cleansing to happen. This can be at the burial or cremation, or in the preceding day or two. Wailing, the tearing of garments, viewing of the body, and staying together as a family while sharing memories of the deceased are other griev-ing processes.

We may find comfort in the knowledge that whatever form our grief takes, it is unique. Remembering to be particularly kind to ourselves creates in our body a peace that will eliminate the need to be in grief. An acceptance of where we are with grief and what is helps our moments become more joyous.

Spring 2008 - Publisher's Pick

Grandfather Google

Why do humans, unlike other species, live far beyond their reproductive years? One current idea among evolutionary biologists is that any behaviour, or other trait, exists to help the species survive. So what is the survival value for our species of older humans, ur Elders?

One appealing answer to this question is that Elders carry and pass on essential cultural knowledge, values, and practices, accumulated over a lifetime at least they used to. Those of us interested in knowledge about the food and medicine in wild plants, surviving without tools, and other ancient skills, have found it either difficult or impossible to find these Elders in modern mainstream society. Many who would have been our Elders, but who are now just pleasantly retired old folks, have discarded them as either irrelevant or as representing poverty or an outmoded way of life.

Fortunately, the Elders still exist. They don't look like they used to, but they're still out there, and they are more accessible than ever. If you've read this far, you're ready for a challenge. Before the challenge, though, two reminders. The first is expressed in the language of one of my teachers: The Scout uses all available resources. This means that on a base of skills passed down for many generations through experiential learning and mentoring, the Scout in a modern context also uses modern methods, modern tools, and modern materials, this includes the internet.

Secondly, keep in mind that many people have offered their knowledge to the world through the internet, and the World Wide Web can be regarded as an Elder. Approach this task with respect and gratitude for these people and their work, but also keep your eyes and your mind open.

Give yourself a five-point bonus if you find sources that contradict each other. Add five more if you resolve the disagreement. Remember that although the internet gives access to an enormous wealth of facts, it can't give you personal experience, nor can it offer wisdom with the immediacy of a human Elder.

Here, should you choose to accept it, is your mission: choose a plant that you can identify, but whose gifts you don't know. Then, invoke the Elder known as Google. Find out where the plant grows and what its gifts are for the human people. Tools? Food? Medicine? Beauty? Poison? Shelter? Clothing? Cordage?

You can take this to another level of challenge by finding a plant whose name you don't even know. This is a true nature mystery. Give yourself ten extra points when you identify it. Then continue with the rest of the search. One of my best learning experiences was with a pungent-smelling plant that took me two years to identify. The reward was that once I knew its name, I wanted very much to know its gifts. That plant had been playing Coyote to me, keeping just out of sight until my hunger to know was ready to be filled.

When you've done this with some plants, move on to birds and mammals. Then for the best challenge, extend your search for the Elders in the Net. Choose a skill or an area of deeper understanding that you want to develop, and learn more about tracking, the ways of the Scout, brain tanning, spiritual awareness, firemaking without matches, building shelter. See what Grandfather Google can do for you with these. You'll find limitations, as well as good suggestions and stories. Googling is not a substitute for dirt time, but it can enrich your dirt time and expand your knowledge.

Wes Gietz teaches ancient living and survival skills.

Winter 2007 - Publisher's Pick

A PERFECT BALANCE

Life is full of magic. The per-fection of a solitary flower grow-ing along the pathway, the grace-fulness of a flock of trumpeter swans descending into a field, the power of the waves crash-ing on the beach, the beauty of a rainbow spread across the cloud-soaked sky: these are sacred moments to remind us of life's perfect balance.William Blake wrote, To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour.

We are part of a physical world composed of form and matter, which we know intimately through our five senses. Each of us is woven into the fabric of diverse shapes, colours, and patterns which makes up this world. Our bodies all come from a common source of elements. Every life form on the planet emerges from the same clay formed in the primordial sea. Every atom in our physical form has been recycled, either from previous organisms, or from mineral deposits left behind by the receding waters.

The physical universe is like an incubator in which we develop and master our physical capacities. But we're also part of a parallel universe, an infinite source of thoughts and potential. It's in this invisible, inner world that we experience insights and understanding that give meaning to our lives. It's also where we dream of possibilities to fulfill our desires.

Each of us has an inner wisdom that enables us to dis-cover the secrets to our own happiness. Our thoughts are limitless. We can think and feel whatever we choose, at anytime, without restrictions. Have you ever tried follow-ing a thought back to its beginning?

It might seem like a strange concept, but every thought is really a continuation of a previous thought. And, in the same way, every thought leads to another one. A thought has no beginning or end in an ever-expanding ocean of awareness within us.

There is nothing more powerful than a thought because a thought is the source of every action. It's like a seed. All it needs is a little looking after, and it starts to grow. Everything we create comes from a thought. So if we can think something, then we can create it. The ability to walk comes from the toddler's thought of walking. The ability to fly came from the thought of flying.

What makes a thought grow is that you believe in it. Walking doesn't come from the thought of crawling. Flying didn't come from the thought of staying on the ground. The world is a reflection of our thoughts and feelings. Whatever we believe becomes real. If we see our cup as half full, then we encounter opportunities for learning and growing. If our cup seems half empty, then we encounter frustrations and disappointments

There is meaning in everything around us and within us. A life of meaning involves living in two worlds at the same time. Our parallel worlds are completely connected; we experience them simultaneously. When we're joyful, both our minds and our bodies are joyful. When we're unhappy, our minds and bodies are unhappy together.

There is no separation. The invisible world flows unre-stricted through the physical world. This means that what we think and dream about in our inner world can be manifested in our lives.

How do we do that?

Step one is to trust in our goals and dreams. Trusting acts like a magnet to attract the creative energies from the invisible world.

Step two is to be grateful for everything that we experi-ence, even the difficult things. Everything happens for a reason. Everything is a lesson. Being grateful for the les-sons aligns our thoughts with opportunities arising from the invisible world. Everything in the universe is energy. Energy is constantly transforming into different patterns. In the invisible world, everything exists in a state of poten-tial, just waiting to happen. When we align our thoughts with this source of potential, we resonate with the infi-nitely creative energy flowing from the invisible world.

Step three is to accept our circumstances in life with patience, and joy. We do this by letting go of judgments and expectations about how we think life should be. This creates the space for radiance and love to flow freely in our lives. Love is high frequency energy with infinite pos-sibilities for creating peace and harmony. Through love, we create our happiness.

Step four is to be aware of the signs that guide us. Signs are close encounters with the invisible world. Remember that to create what we want in our lives, we need to access the infinite source of potential from the invisible world because that's where everything originates. Everything comes from a thought.

To access the invisible world, we need to calm the inner dialogue, with all it's doubts and uncertainties, and connect with our inner wisdom and peace. With a little practice, we can become an observer of signs. Once we recognize the signs, we can figure out the messages: the clearer the sign, the clearer the message.

Signs come in many different forms. They are usually unexpected events, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. We're thinking about a friend we haven't talked with lately and they call us up. We're sitting in a park watching some children play and a butterfly lands on our arm. Signs have two characteristics in common: they always appear at the perfect moment and for the perfect reason.

The final step is action. When we recognize the signs, and follow-up on the messages with action, we have an opportunity to fulfill our desires. If we miss a sign, there's always another one coming along. Meanwhile, we get to practice a little more. In the parallel universes, opportuni-ties for learning are never-ending. Everything is possible.

Life is a perfect balance.

Dr. Cam Dodds is a naturopathic physician practising classical homeopathy and lifestyle counseling in Comox.

Tel: 339-5564
Email: drdodds@homeomed.ca