Are you suffering? “Chronic pain is a problem that has reached near epidemic proportions,” said Edward Covington, M.D., director of the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at the Cleveland Clinic. “The ‘can do, can cope’ spirit of Americans can lead to untreated chronic pain, which has a severe impact on people’s work, personal relationships, hobbies, and even sex, and can greatly diminish their quality of life. In addition to physical disability, it may also lead to irritability, anxiety, or depression.”

Do you endure discomfort to the point that it is affecting the way you live your life? Are you sick and tired of conventional methods of pain management? Are you taking pills that aren’t effective? Is your medication creating negative side effects? Are you ready to try something new? Perhaps it is time to consider an integrative approach to healing… a new way based on ancient methods. Are you aware of Hypno-Reiki?

Hypno-Reiki is a combination of two powerful methods of healing, Hypnosis and Reiki. Each method has proven to be effective, but when used together, the modality has great potential. Hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation, or altered state of consciousness created by focused attention. For thousands of years, it has been used as an effective method for relief of physical pain and discomfort. In the hypnotic state, we are open to positive suggestions and imagery which will create change. It is an ideal time to implement other therapeutic modalities, such as Reiki, because our whole system is primed to healing. Reiki, a healing practice originated in Japan, is a non-invasive, gentle modality which translates to “spiritually guided life force energy or universal healing energy”. It helps the body’s natural ability to heal itself though the flow and focusing of energy.

The Center for Disease Control reports in 2002 that 62% of U.S. adults had used some form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), often in conjunction with other alternative and conventional medical treatments. The 2007 National Health Interview Survey, which included a comprehensive survey of CAM use by Americans, found that “people use Reiki for relaxation, stress reduction, and symptom relief, in efforts to improve overall health and well-being. Reiki has been used by people with anxiety, chronic pain, HIV/AIDS, and other health conditions, as well as by people recovering from surgery or experiencing side effects from treatments.”

Hypnotherapy can help with the perception of pain, by changing the expectation. In studies about how the human brain and nervous system work, Dr. Kenneth Casey, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan and a neurology consultant to the VA Health Care System in Ann Arbor states that “the brain has mechanisms to directly control what we feel, it actively controls the flow of sensory information that results in our perceptions.” In fact, key regions of the brain appear to react as much to the expectation of pain as much as they do to actual painful stimulation. The mind can alter the feeling of pain by substituting another feeling such as heat, tingling, numbness. It can also divert the location of pain to another body part, thereby allowing relief.  In a January 5, 2004 article by Benedict Carey, The Los Angeles Times reports “the brain can virtually shut down pain signals when preoccupied.” 

At that point, the body’s energy system is aligned with thoughts of health and wellness. The body-mind connection is fully functioning while in the state of hypnosis. The mind doesn’t know the difference between what is imagined and what is perceived as reality. When Reiki is administered to someone in the hypnotic state, the benefits are magnified. The healing power of life force energy is added and the whole body becomes at peace.

Though Reiki may be an unfamiliar term and may sound "new-agey," the effectiveness of this ancient treatment has been shown. The International Journal of Behavioral Medicine reviewed 66 clinical trials on biofield therapies. It was concluded that there was strong evidence that biofield therapies such as Reiki help reduce the intensity of pain. Julie Kusiak, MA, a Reiki practitioner in the integrative medicine department at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, states, "Recent studies on Reiki therapy reflect a broad spectrum of its benefit for pain relief.” Examples cited were decreased anxiety and pain, lower fatigue, reduced depression and better quality of life.

Hypnosis and Reiki create profoundly relaxing effects, which make the combination of Hypno-Reiki even more effective for the treatment of anxiety, stress and pain. Hypno-Reiki complements any other form of medical treatment, as there are no contraindications. There is a long history of both scientific and anecdotal evidence to support the use of behavioral and relaxation approaches to treat chronic pain. The American Hospital Association President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock stated, “Complementary and alternative medicine has shown great promise in supporting and stimulating healing. It’s one of the many tools hospitals look to as they continue to create optimal healing environments for the patients they serve.”

Much research concludes the effectiveness of hypnosis as an alternative method of healing. Scientific American Mind’s (July, 2005) article titled “The Truth and the Hype of Hypnosis” which stated that “hypnosis has been shown to be a real phenomenon with a variety of therapeutic uses- especially in controlling pain.” The article further cites a meta-analysis published by the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis which found that “the pain relieving effect of hypnosis is often substantial, and in a few cases the degree of relief matches or exceeds that provided by morphine.”

In Biofield Therapies:A Best Evidence Synthesis,a systematic review examined 66 clinical studies and found “equivocal evidence for biofield therapies’ effects on fatigue and quality of life for cancer patients, as well as for comprehensive pain outcomes and affect in pain patients, and for decreasing anxiety in cardiovascular patients”. Currently, there is a peer review method for analyzing the state of scientific studies done on Reiki programs in hospitals and clinics. The process is rigorous, impartial and incorporates the best practices for scientific review. Dr Mehmet Oz is a proponent of Reiki and is often quoted as saying, “Reiki has become a sought-after healing art among patients and mainstream medical professionals.”  

According to a 2008 American Hospital Association survey, 84% of hospitals indicated patient demand as the reason for offering Complementary and Alternative Medicine services because of “clinical effectiveness”. Simply stated, it works.

More and more, science tells us that the condition of our body is directly related to our positive thoughts of wellness or our negative thoughts of stress, anxiety and pain. Thoughts are energy. Thoughts create. Your body is a manifestation of the thoughts of your sub-conscious mind. You have the power to change the way you think and to change the way you feel. There is an unlimited supply of “spiritually guided life force energy”  available to you to help create your natural state of being, which is a state of well-being. If you are suffering, you can give yourself permission to let go of the pain. You can change your expectations and move toward a better, more joyful life. Perhaps Hypno-Reiki is the way to do it!

Patricia Lynn Belkowitz, C.Ht., EFT-CC, and Claire Staffa, RM, HM

Patricia Belkowitz is a clinical Hypnotherapist focusing on health and wellness. Claire Staffa is a certified Reiki Master specializing in balance, harmony, and assist the body to heal itself. They practice together at Dr. Sharon Norling’s Mind Body Spirit Center in Westlake Village. For more information about Patricia go to www.TheMindMatters.com and to find out about Claire, visit www.HarmoniousReiki.com or log on to www.TheMBSC.com.

Study Abstract

BACKGROUND: Bisphenol A (BPA) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) are high-production-volume chemicals used in plastics and resins for food packaging. They have been associated with endocrine disruption in animals and in some human studies. Human exposure sources have been estimated, but the relative contribution of dietary exposure to total intake has not been studied empirically.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the contribution of food packaging to exposure, we measured urinary BPA and phthalate metabolites before, during and after a “fresh foods” dietary intervention.

METHODS: We selected 20 participants in five families based on self-reported use of canned and packaged foods. Participants ate their usual diet, followed by three days of “fresh foods” that were not canned or packaged in plastic, and then returned to their usual diet. We collected evening urine samples over eight days in January 2010 and composited them into pre-intervention, intervention, and post-intervention samples. We used mixed effects models for repeated measures and Wilcoxon signed rank tests to assess change in urinary levels across time.

RESULTS: Urine levels of BPA and DEHP metabolites decreased significantly during the fresh foods intervention (e.g., BPA geometric mean 3.7 ng/mL pre-intervention and 1.2 ng/mL during intervention; MEHHP geometric mean 57 ng/mL vs 25 ng/mL). The intervention reduced geometric mean concentrations of BPA by 66% and DEHP metabolites by 53-56%. Maxima were reduced by 76% for BPA and 93-96% for DEHP metabolites.

CONCLUSIONS: BPA and DEHP exposures were substantially reduced when participants’ diets were restricted to food with limited packaging.

 LUNAFEST is a traveling film festival of notable and award-wining short fils by, for and about women.  Films tour 150+ venues and screen in front of 20,000 people across the US and Canada.

Established in 2000, LUNAFESTpromotes women filmmakers, raises awareness for women’s issues and support women’s nonprofit organizations.  To date, Lunafest has raised over $575,000 for local women’s community nonprofit organizations.

 They are looking for films By, For & About Women at LUNAFEST. 

 LUNAFEST is looking for films by amateurs, students and aspiring indi filmakers.  We are seeking a diverse range of films which embody the unique, touching and inspirational forles of women in our local, national and international communities.  We are especially thrilled to receive animated, documentary, international and humorous pieces.

Short films must be 20 minutes of less and directed and/or produced by a female.  There is no limitation based on the year of production.  Winning filmmakers are awarede $1,000 cash!

100% of LUNAFEST porceeds go to non-profit organzations – 15% are donated to the Breast Cancer Fund, the leading national organziation focused on preventing breast cancer before it starts, and 85% to local women’s nonprofits.

Submit your film postmarked by April 1, 2011 through withoutabox or online at LUNAFEST. 

Submit your film, Share your story, Support local communities.

Host a LUNAFEST in your community!

For more information, please contact:

Suzy Starke German

LUNAFEST Program Manager

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Breathing: Basic How-To's

At the very center of our being is rhythmic movement, a cyclic expansion and contraction that is both in our body and outside it, that is both in our mind and in our body, that is both in our consciousness and not in it. Breath is the essence of being, and in all aspects of the universe we can see the same rhythmic pattern of expansion and contraction, whether in the alternating cycles of day and night, waking and sleeping, high and low tides, or seasonal growth and decay. Oscillation between two phases exists at every level of reality, even up to the scale of the observable universe itself, which is presently in expansion but will at some point contract back to the original, unimaginable point that is everything and nothing, completing one cosmic breath.

Breathing is a natural object of meditation. By putting attention on your breath, you will change your state of consciousness, begin to relax, and detach from ordinary awareness. Many systems of meditation use focus on breath as the main technique. In the Buddhist and yogic traditions are many examples of people who reached enlightenment by doing nothing other than paying attention to the rising and falling of their own breath. In this sort of meditation you can try to experience the dimensionless point between inbreath and outbreath and to glimpse enlightenment in that space. You can come to know reality itself as an eternal oscillation between being and nonbeing. All this is possible from experiencing breath, which is the mystery of being unfolding right in front of our noses, connecting us to the universal rhythm.

If today you can be aware of breathing for 10 seconds more than you were yesterday, you will have taken a measurable step toward enlightenment, will have expanded your consciousness, furthered communication between mind and body, become a little more whole, and so improved your health. While diet and exercise are important, they are not the sole determinants of health. People who eat excellent diets and exercise faithfully are not always healthy, but the likelihood of being a healthy person who does not breathe well is slim.

When learning how to breathe, begin by closing your eyes for a few minutes. Practice moving your breath. Keep your back straight. Begin with a deep, audible sigh, then quietly inhale and see how slow, deep, quiet and regular you can make your breathing and still have it feel perfectly comfortable. You should feel that you are getting enough air with no sense of not getting enough air. Do this for at least eight breaths, then open your eyes and breathe normally. This is a simple exercise but an effective one, and you should do it whenever you can.

Next, pay attention to your exhalation. If you watch people breathe, you will see that most of them use effort to inhale but none to exhale. Exhalation is usually passive and takes less time than inhalation. When you breathe this way, you do not move nearly as much air in and out of your lungs as you can. The more air you move, the healthier you will be, because the functioning of all systems of the body depends on delivery of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide. To get more air into your lungs, concentrate on getting more air out of them by attending to exhalation.

At the end of a normal breath try squeezing more air out. You will be using your intercostal muscles to do this, and you will feel the effort as they compress the rib cage. Try to make your exhalation as long or even slightly longer than inhalation. Whenever you think of it, practice this technique of extending exhalation and developing your intercostal muscles.

Midlife Crisis is the term we use to indicate a trauma experienced in the middle years —usually having to do with the question, “What am I doing with my life?” There are stories of extreme reactions that all of us have heard: like the guy who is a doctor, quits one day, and goes to live in the woods; as well as less dramatic cases like the financial consultant who enters the ministry.

There is nothing wrong with changing careers. But we don’t say midlife celebration, we say midlife crisis!  Crisis, because this time is often associated with feelings of unhappiness and confusion. Some people choose to “run away.” Others are afraid to change anything, then feel for the rest of their lives that they have been short changed. These are the people who say in later years, If only . . . , I missed my chance to . . .

And, so, we have books such as Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow by Marsha Sinetar, How To Find Your Mission In Life by Richard Bolles, Life Launch by Hudson and McLean . . . the theme being that if you knew what you were meant to do in the world, you would have a purpose, which leads to fulfillment, happiness, and good relationships.

How do we figure out our purpose? Look at your natural talents and interests, the books say. Many include self-assessments to help you figure out what you love, just in case you don’t know anymore.

When children start school they bring their natural talents and gifts with them. Instead of encouraging these, the first thing we do is teach them to put their interests on hold. We begin early the process of hiding the clues, the keys to our adult lives. We begin attaching labels: slow, average, ADD, LD . . . Years later the potential scientists or artists or teachers have the seeds buried so deeply they can no longer remember what set them on fire. And they need a book or a therapist to help them rediscover who they are.

I have a sign in my office which reads, “It is better to build children than repair adults.”

We need to pay attention to the child who needs to drum on the desk, the one who memorizes better when shooting baskets, the one who is interested in rocks. We need to stop labeling children as dysfunctional and start labeling the positives: keeps excellent rhythm, very coordinated, a whiz at the computer, great rapport with animals, natural comedian! Children who grow up learning about their own talents and styles become confident adults who achieve dreams and are enthusiastic about lifelong learning.

Remember the old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? We can give children the right start by respecting each one’s unique learning needs. For those of us who are already grown up, see you at the book store!

© 1998-2010 by Mariaemma Pelullo-Willis

Awareness Integration Movement technique presented at Day of Renewal

Christine Cutbush and Jeni Winterburn will be presenting the Aim technique a the Day of Renewal on June 5th.  Aim was designed to blend the gentle but profound awareness created in the Feldenkrais method with the ancient tradition of Yoga. Using Feldenkrais and Yoga strategies Jeni and Christine show students and Yoga teachers alike how to unlock habitual patterns of movement and reawaken the body’s natural alignment.

This extraordinary work is the culmination of decades of study and teaching both in Feldenkrais and Yoga therapies. The perspective is unique and thought provoking, supplying participants with tools for growth in their lives and in their yoga practice.

Movement beyond the mat.

Inspiring the body to open and creating an environment for change has been a theme that has woven itself through the teaching careers of both Jeni and Christine. These two senior teachers bring a wealth of knowledge to the mat, using self-discovery, humor and reflection they deeply deconstruct asana making this workshop suitable for all levels of students.

Destructive physiological habits form quickly and rob us of choice, this practice gives us back the ability to choose how we move, using a minimum of effort for maximum reward. Strategies shared in this AIM workshop go beyond the mat to support you in everyday life. Join us and experience Awareness, Integration and Movement in a workshop setting. 

Because of their background and experience, Christine and Jeni are qualified to offer Yoga Alliance CEU’s towards RYT 200 renewal, any Yoga teachers that are interested in this work can earn up to 3 CEU units per 3 hour workshop.

Christine’s Bio

Christine Cutbush, a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner®, yoga instructor, Bones For Life® teacher and a reflexologist brings a wealth of knowledge from over 20 years of experience helping people of all ages and abilities move more efficiently. She trained in many styles of yoga and has completed several yoga teacher training programs including John Friend’s first Anusara training and 3 years of Iyengar teacher training.

Christine has studied closely with international teacher Donna Farhi whose work is based on developmental patterns of human movement. Christine has combined the Feldenkrais Method® with yoga and teaches people how to safely deepen their yoga practice. She enjoys helping people enrich their lives by developing enhanced awareness

Jeni’s Bio                                                                                                                     

Jeni has been teaching people how to move for 27 years she is a registered teacher at the E-T- RYT500-hour level with Yoga Alliance and also holds a 200-hour teacher training credential with Kriya Yoga, Chicago. She is currently running two Yoga teacher training programs from her own Yoga studio in Simi Valley, California (Yoga Nook) educating teachers to RYT200 and RYT 500.

Her yoga background includes trainings with many well know teachers including Angela Farmer, John friend and Judith Lasater. Jeni felt a strong connection with Judith Lasater’s work and in 2009 worked very closely with Judith assisting and supporting her teaching in California, England, Ohio and at the Yoga Journal conference in Colorado.   

Through her many years of experience Jeni has developed and teaches her own style of Yoga that she calls “Deconstruction” an eclectic mix of Hatha forms. She is excited and eager to bring A.I.M. into the yoga realm.

By Dr. Bunny Vreeland

Latest scientific research shows that we can lower blood cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, and reduce risks of cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and live longer. How, you ask? Simply by making a few lifestyle changes. Hypnosis can help make those changes easier.

Since it is your intention to grow younger and live longer, the most important thing you can do is to think younger.

Your mind controls your body … Your body mirrors your thoughts … it has no choice … Your mind, a field a thoughts and ideas … are the sole influence over the energy molecules in your body … and therefore a young mind will help you to transform your body into a younger

looking body …

In my ANTI-AGING Hypnotherapy sessions, I’m going to show you some very advanced tools you can use to slow down the rate at which you age. The more slowly you age, the more youthful you remain. This cannot only extend your life but also save you from suffering from “old age” disease and disability. It will also help you look and feel years younger.

When I talk on Anti-aging, I have learned to clarify one thing first. Anti-aging is not the same thing as life extension. Aging is the process by which you gradually weaken and lose function. Anti-aging seeks to understand this process and intervene to preserve youthful characteristics.

Welcome to my Eight Life Changing, Anti Aging Sessions:

• Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid gland
• Liver disease
• Inadequate absorption of nutrients from the intestines
• Malnutrition
• Poor metabolism
• Compromised health

• Formation and maintenance of cell membranes (essential for life).
• Formation of sex hormones (progesterone, testosterone, estradiol and cortisol).
• Production of bile salts, which help to digest food.
• Conversion into vitamin D in the skin when exposed to sunlight.

1. Have a comprehensive lipid panel which includes cholesterol, LDL (buoyant and dense), HDL (HDL 2B), C-Reactive Protein, VLDL, homocysteine, and insulin.
2. Test your red blood cell fatty acids. The Kennedy Krieger Institute — Johns Hopkins University is the premier fatty acid testing laboratory in the world.

• Consume a diet of pure fats and oils. Support the health of your cell membrane with pure, unprocessed, organic oils in your diet. Liberal use of seeds, nuts, cold pressed fats, and oils is highly recommended with reduction of carbohydrate intake. Organic butter, cream, meat fats, and eggs contain essential fats and should be included in your diet. To cook foods at high temperatures such as when stir-frying or sautéing food, use coconut butter, avocado, or olive oil.
• Eliminate all chemically processed oils/fats. Partially hydrogenated or trans fats are toxic to the liver and brain, cause high cholesterol (LDL) and contribute to such difficulties such as fatigue, toxicity, neurodegenerative disorders, aging, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, mood disorders, immune abnormalities and cardiovascular disease. Essential fats found in pure, unprocessed fats and oils are crucial to all cellular function. Processed fats and oils must be completely avoided ― margarine, vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut butter, Crisco, commercial mayonnaise (Hellman’s, Miracle whip) and salad dressing.
• Eat certified organically-grown foods. At this time in history, we are under the greatest of pressures. Literally thousands of harmful chemicals are in the food, air, and water. Pesticides, herbicides, endocrine disruptors, dyes, chemicals, antibiotics, heavy metals, and hormone residues contaminate the food supply. Avoidance is the best way to protect yourself and your family from harmful toxins.
• Eat whole foods. Processed foods are manipulated and changed in a way to extend the shelf life of the food. They are less nutritious as many vitamins and nutrients are lost in the process. Stay as close to nature as possible in eating. If the bugs won’t eat it, we shouldn’t either.
• Eat pasture-raised meats, free range poultry/eggs and wild ocean fish. www.eatwild.com and www.themeatrix.com are good resources. Avoid farm-raised fish which are fed an unnatural diet of corn, soy, dog food and wastes and do not have the essential fats found in ocean fish. Fish to be consumed include wild Alaskan salmon and small body fish such as sardines. Obtain salmon, halibut, and tuna that are safe to consume from www.vitalchoice.com.

by  Sherry Gaba 

You may be a single woman by choice, a single parent, a single woman who has just been dumped or has done the dumping, or just someone that enjoys being a singleton. Whatever your circumstances are, being single is a time to celebrate and honor who you right at this very moment. It is a time to honor all of the opportunities that await you such as finding who your authentic self is. That’s right, take the mask off and enter the place of the un-known without being in fear. Only the un-known offers us infinite possibilities for future love if that’s what you want or maybe a trip to India, or perhaps taking that yoga class you keep putting off. Anything and everything is possible when you are single. Here are the 10 reasons why being single can be satisfying.

1.      It is a time to be true to yourself and find out what really fulfills you. What is it that you really value and want out of your life?

2.      It is a time to find out why you are here and what is your life purpose? What are you here to do on this planet and what is it that is meaningful to you?

3.      It is a time where you have control over what you do and how you do it. There is no one looking over your shoulder telling you how to spend your money or where to take a vacation. You are on your own, and you can go anywhere your heart desires.

4.      It is a time to develop yourself spiritually and take a look at your unique spiritual nature. You get to ask those existential questions such as what is a higher power. Is there something outside and separate from myself that is a silent witness to my life as it unfolds?

5.      It is a time to figure out what it is I really want out of an intimate relationship? What is it I contribute to relationship? What is the nature and quality of the relationship I desire? What are the deal breakers in what is acceptable and unacceptable in a partner? You get to do the choosing rather than always waiting to be chosen.

6.      It is a time to build your community and support. Invite someone for coffee, dinner, a walk, or a talk. Having a network of friends can be one of the most nurturing things you can do for yourself?

7.      You get to dine wherever and whenever you want? You don’t have to cook for anyone or eat some strange type of delicacy just to please your partner. 

8.      You get to say NO NO NO and set clear boundaries for yourself. When you establish healthy boundaries, your self esteem sky rockets and you develop safety and trust in yourself and others because no one can overstep the boundaries you have created for yourself.

9.      You learn how to be present in the moment without judging yourself or others harshly. You become consciously aware of the preciousness of each moment enjoying your sacred alones with complete joy and freedom.

10.   You are accountable to no one but yourself. Once you learn to count on you, the possibilities are endless.

Being single is about reframing and redefining what being alone means. You no longer have to play victim to your singleness. If you are looking for true love, it magically comes to you without any effort because you radiate confidence, self assurance without neediness or desperation. This can be the time of your life if you believe it is…..re-discover the joyous space between what you   were, what you are now, and what you are becoming.