April 19, 2005

A friend sent me this beautiful article.

I wanted to share it with my readers to help remind us of the consciousness, compassion and tolerance found in humans and non-humans alike at times of crisis.

From Jim France of the Pavilion Hotel Group in Bangkok:

At a resort on Phuket, one of the most popular attractions is (was) elephant rides.

As many as eight people on one elephant, first into the surrounding forest, then down to the beach, to lunch at a fresh water lagoon, then back to the hotel.

The elephants (nine) were kept chained to in-ground posts, not because they needed to be, but because it made the mothers feel better. Their children seemed safe from a tromping when feeding the beasts.

About twenty minutes before the first wave hit, the elephants became extremely agitated and unruly.

Four had just returned from a trip and their handler's had not yet chained them.

They helped the other five tear free from their chains.

They all then climbed a hill and started bellowing.

Many people followed them up the hill.

Then the waves hit.

After the waves subsided, the elephants charged down from the hill, and started picking up children with their trunks and running them back up the hill; when all the children were taken care of, they started helping the adults.

They rescued 42 people. Then they returned to the beach and carried up four dead bodies, one of them a child.

Not until the task was done would they allow their handlers to mount them. Then with handlers atop, they began moving wreckage.

Many super-human and super-sentient capacities were exhibited through these wonderful elephant beings, including concern and compassion for one another and their fellow humans through the transitions they were going through.

For me, this is another sign that we will eventually awaken to recognizing the animals as our companions and conscious co-creators of life on earth, instead of beasts of burden, food and clothing.

April 18, 2005

Yes... Spring has arrived.

For the ancient Taoists (now mostly frozen in bronze) it was a time to clean the temple, the vital organs, and maybe the self as well...

And for us -- why not get into shape for summer too, look and feel our best. I’m like that -- April is my favorite month for positive change all around.

When it comes to health, the Spring time -- no matter where you’re living in the world — is a time of cleansing and re-birth.



What is the ultimate means for cleansing the body?

You might be surprised to know, but its fasting.

And it’s best done in April, or at the end of the winter months.

But anytime is good.

The idea is to stay in tune with the cycle of the seasons, and we want to thrive in the summer.

For those of you who think of fasting as some sort of extreme sport reserved for health fanatics, I want to talk to you about fasting in a different light.

Fasting is truly one of the premiere health practices that can and should be incorporated into everyone’s life on a regular basis.

People who’ve never fasted for more than a day don’t know much about the health value of fasting. But fasting is an ancient practice that profoundly purifies the body.

Our bodies are 'food bodies'.

And fasting from food gives the body a rest from the constant labor of digestion and assimilation.



How to heighten your awareness, sharpen your senses, renew your energy and calm your mind...

What happens when give your body a rest from the constant round of digestion and elimination is the process of autolysis -- where the body consumes or gets rid of all its excesses, including weight and toxins.

Cells that are weak don’t survive the process, only the healthy cells continue to function, creating a renewed strength, vitality and energy

Fasting has actually been reported to be more effective than chemotherapy in reversing cancer and other diseases.

I know two people who recently reversed early stages of cancer permanently simply on a regime of periodic fasting and intelligent dietary change.

It makes sense, of course. Fasting is how we clean house.

Fasting is serious business and it purifies the body of a lot of toxic build-up from junk food, prescription drugs, alcohol, drugs, metals, pesticides and preservatives.



What happens to all the toxic garbage we put into our bodies?

Well it doesn't necessarily come out on its own.

And these toxins can (and will) remain in the body for years compromising the health of our liver, kidneys, heart and brain.

Without fasting for a period of time, your body will not have a chance to rid itself of these toxins.

Now -- you may not be ready to go on an extended fast to purify your body, but in the mean time you can start right away with a one day fast.

Anyone can safely fast one day a week without any worries.

It’s not that hard. (I know because I do it myself. And trust me, no one loves food more than I do.)



Let me give you the straight goods...

Giving your digestive process a 24 hour break once a week is such a powerful health practice that doing this alone can literally add a decade to your life span.

This is no joke.

Chinese men and women who live in Ningxia, China live well into their hundreds with a vitality that makes them look like Jack LaLane.

Regular fasting, natural herbs and no access to McDonald’s seem to be the main reasons for their happy-meal lifespan.



Can you do a one day fast?

I don’t know. Can you sit in front of a T.V. for an hour. It’s really just about as easy as that.

Ok, you can do it.

So here’s your step by step program:

Try it just one time, and you’ll be converted for life.

You want energy, stamina, beautiful skin, and the confident feeling that your finally giving those 21st century biohazards a knock-out punch?

Here it is baby. Go for it!



Here are the simple steps...

1. Go to the market and buy two gallons of pure spring water, 8 lemons, and a bottle of organic maple syrup.

2. Eat your “last meal” of the day – something light and healthy, a salad, rice and vegetables. Something that feels good.

3. Now the next morning when you arise, go to the kitchen, walk right past the coffee grinder and prepare your “fasting lemonade” for the day. If you don’t like lemonade, use grapefruits.

Juice about four lemons and strain out all the pulp. Mix the juice with a gallon of pure water.

Add maple syrup to taste. Drink a couple glasses right there in the kitchen.

4. Now shower and get ready for the day. If you catch your reflection in the mirror, say “you the man! (or lady!)”.

5. Continue to drink the gallon jug of your “fasting lemonade” on and off all morning and finish it by about 2 p.m.

6. Make your next batch then (or you could have made both batches in the morning to save time -- storing one in the fridge).

7. Drink the next batch during the day and finish it about two hours or so before bed. You’re basically drinking whenever you feel hungry, to reduce the craving and get you through the day.

8. A few times throughout the day gently massage your abdomen, exercise, do a little yoga or take a short walk or two to activate your organs and glands, helping to move the toxins through (and eventually out of) your body.

10. The next morning your fast is over.

Refresh yourself with a soothing herbal tea, and have some of your favorite fruit.

11. At lunchtime, congratulate yourself. You did it! Try not to go straight to your favourite indulgence, but eat a moderately healthy meal…


Wasn't that easy?

Now -- if you do this simple one day fast a few times a season and you will notice profound benefits.

My own confession?

I do this very fast every Sunday -- and I can tell you that it is the single most invigorating, energizing, rejuvenating and effective health practice in my regime – and I do more things for my body in a month than most do in a lifetime.

Not to brag.

But just to impress upon you the extraordinary value of giving your body a single day to enjoy a full day of rest.

That day of rest once a week can make the difference between an average life and radiant one.

(and radiance is a good thing...)

love and good health,

daniel

To reach Daniel for a complete health consultation, write to me
corinne@feelingtoinfinity.com

April 18, 2005

About a year ago I got a call from a promoter friend of mine in L.A. saying he was about to gamble a huge portion of his (much in demand) consulting time on promoting a totally unknown film.

He felt like people were ready for something a bit radical and spiritually challenging. And his instincts were right on.

“What The Bleep Do We Know?” is exploding in popularity, winning awards in every film festival it enters, and now hitting major theaters around the world.

What the bleep’s it all about?

If you were around in the 70’s, someone, somewhere, probably at one point handed you a copy of Fritjof Capra’s, The Tao of Physics.

A revolutionary book that showed how ancient mysticism and modern physics were actually part of the same study.

“What The Bleep Do We Know?” visually explores quantum physics -- exposing you to some of life’s great questions and opening a door to spirituality while highlighting the scientific facts that support its truths.

Down the Rabbit Hole...

The movie walks you through profound investigations about reality that leave you feeling like you’re teetering on the edge of a vast abyss -- longing to jump, but afraid to leave behind any certainty that you know what the hell is going on here.

As this film races through the mainstream in America and Europe its gaining a following of people who are just happy to know there are others out there who think and feel like they do.

While the visual effects in the film are stunning, so are the interviews with some of the world’s most renown physicists and scholars.

Your Thoughts Effect Water Molecules... And What Else?

At one point, the main character is introduced to an experiment conducted by Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese scientist who shows how positive or negative thoughts drastically change the formation of a single water molecule.

Emoto took bottles of water and taped a word or phrase on each of them.

Sometimes he’d use music or even just intentioned thoughts associated with an emotion -- love, appreciation, hate, gratitude, anger, etc.

The positive messages consistently created symmetrical, beautiful, snowflake-like formations, while the negative thoughts produced chaotic and disturbed formations, with no order or pattern.

It begs the question: “If thoughts can do that to water and your body is made up of 90% water, imagine what our thoughts can do to us”.

What Have You Been Thinking About Today?

Thoughts, as quantum physics proposes, are vibrations.

Each thought has its own frequency. The frequency of a thought impacts the overall frequency of your body.

How many thoughts have you had today? Thousands? Millions?

How many of them were negative or characterized by self-doubt, fear, anxiety, anger, stress…

What effect did each of those thoughts have on the cellular structure of your body?

What patterns were you ingraining into your brain chemistry.

A lot of what I speak about in Feeling To Infinity is based on research into vibrational medicine done by people like Bill Moyers, Fritjof Capra, Anodea Judith, Deepak Chopra, Richard Gerber M.D. and Fred Allen Wolf, to mention only a few of those who have stepped into the public light.

Raising Your Body's Frequency To the Highest Level Possible

All of them agree that you can alter the vibrational frequency of your thought patterns by introducing substances of higher vibration into your body.

Clinical research shows that essential oils have the highest frequency of any substance known to man.

In essence, this is how therapeutic essential oils work on the emotional and physical body as modes of healing – above and beyond the obvious herbal, chemical and pharmacological properties, which are all richly documented.

“What The Bleep” talks a great deal about how our negative thought patterns can become chronic and how we can become chemically addicted to certain types of neurotransmitters based on the emotional experiences they’re creating for us.

Are our bodies chemically addicted to negative patterns of emotion?

Something to think about…

Every emotion, like every part of the body, has a specific vibrational frequency and this is why certain emotions are associated with various energy centers of the body.

We take on the very qualities of what we put our attention on. And since 80% of our internal-talk is typically negative, there is a lot of emotional clearing to be done!

Therapeutic essential oils are soluble to the cell membrane. They effect change on a cellular level in our body and our brain.

Oils that are used for emotional healing are uniquely chosen based on the frequency of each oil, and how it effects the pattern of emotion its addressing.

So next time you find yourself overwhelmed with your job, your relationship, your future, take heart in the message of quantum physics:

Nothing is as it seems.

You and everything around you is a mere shifting pattern of frequencies, existing simultaneously on multiple planes, unified with all of existence, already perfect.

Truly -- the more we learn about the inner workings of ourselves and our world, it becomes more rational to ask: what the bleep do we know?

March 31, 2005

Last Friday I was getting my haircut at a local salon.

The woman washing hair next to me was wearing rubber gloves -- not just for dying hair, but for shampooing as well.

I asked her about it.

She said: “Shampooing all day gives me horrible rashes all over my hands. The chemicals are stronger than you think!”

This immediately jogged my memory of a phone call I got from a nutritionist friend of mine about ten years ago.

She warned me about the toxic chemicals I was putting on my head every day. This was also the year when the general media picked up on this travesty.

One might ask: Why are we still being sold carcinogenic chemicals in our personal care products?

And even more interesting -- why are we still using them?



Big Brother Is Not Watching

It took me some time to accept the fact that our government agencies -- put in place to protect us from putting very harmful substances into our bodies -- don’t do that.

Why don’t they protect us?

What are we paying them for then?

What is their motive to not protect the consumer?

You can answer all these questions (and many more) in two words: financial gain.

Statistics say that one in four of us will die of cancer, but we’ve become remarkably complacent about this fact.

We’ve accepted the rising cancer risk as part of life.

You might be surprised to know that complaints about shampoos are among the most frequent made to the FDA -- scalp irritation, swelling, severe hair loss and damage, eye infections and nerve damage are the top five.

Take a look next time you’re at your local store.

70 – 80% of the shampoos and conditioners on the shelves list no ingredients. Others have the most common synthetics listed: sodium lauryl sulfate and propylene glycol.



The Nasty Twins You’ve Brought Into Your Home

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

-- is found in 90% of all commercial shampoos
-- corrodes the hair follicle and impedes hair growth
-- blamed for many cases of premature hair loss
-- a key ingredient in engine degreaser and garage floor cleaners (nice!)
-- exposure can cause burning sensations, coughing, laryngitis, nausea and vomiting according to the Material Safety Data of the U.S. government
-- it penetrates your eyes, brain and liver
-- it compromises your immune system
-- studies have proven that this compound damages protein formation in the eye leading to cataract formation


Propylene Glycol

-- commonly used in antifreeze, latex and laundry detergents
-- can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
-- alters cell membrane leading to heart problems

Many companies also put formaldehyde in their shampoo.

Its an inexpensive preservative and disinfectant. (It is also a suspected cancer causing toxin.)



No Toto, We’re Not in Kansas Anymore... No One Is Protecting Us.

If you really want that bouncy, shiny, bubbling, sleek mane of hair that you see on all those sexy shampoo commercials, consider eliminating the toxic chemicals and doing your hair, eyes, liver, heart and brain a big favor.

Our hair products at Feeling To Infinity are all one-of-a-kind formulas that include all the benefits of pure therapeutic essential oils -- not just for the health of your hair but for the health of your body as well.

Hey Mr. FDA -- Just Say NO!

-- c

Here are some toxin-free hair products for the Revlon supermodel in all of us

March 23, 2005

Imagine for a minute, walking through an open field beside a babbling brook.

Your lover by your side, not a soul within miles.

The sun is warm, the trees are in blossom, birds are singing, you’re one with nature.

Clothes fall away, soft music begins to play, and you and your lover find yourself lying naked together in a field of … poison oak.

This was the tearful account of a friend of mine who was desperately seeking help to relieve her Jobian suffering.

She was covered in poison oak sores all over her body.

And it looked like it would be a couple of weeks before she saw any significant relief.

If you’re a diehard urbanite and your feet rarely leave pavement, this helpful tip may not be of use to you.

But if you hike, bike, bird watch or just chase down your wandering pets, you may find yourself taking home a souvenir of your wilderness adventure.

You won’t have to bore your friends with your tales of itching if you apply the right essential oils.

Peppermint applied neat or slightly diluted with V6 carrier oil will cool the heat of the sores. This will make a huge difference in your comfort level right away.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia) is a miracle oil when it comes to skin eruptions of all kinds. It’s antiseptic and antiviral properties begins a healing process immediately.

Lavender is a skin healer. It reconstructs the cells, calms the skin tissue and reduces scarring to a remarkable degree.


Blends have a synergistic effect that simply can’t be found in single oils so here is the blend that you’ll want to have on hand next time you’re rolling around without a blanket.

And let me remind you that you need to be certain you’re using 100% pure therapeutic oils to avoid further irritation to the skin and to initiate real healing.


The "Melrose" Blend

Melrose has antiseptic properties and can be used topically for cleansing cuts, scrapes, burns, rashes, acne, herpes, and stressed tissue. It also aids in supporting healthy cell function. When it’s diffused, Melrose can help dispel odors and mildrew.

Ingredients:
Rosemary, Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree), Clove, Naouli


So, don’t let a little poison oak stop you from expressing yourself next time you’re moved to run around like a new-born baby.

Just wear one of those little belt packs to carry your Melrose and Peppermint.

(And just in case you're not alone bring enough for two...)

March 23, 2005

Guest Healer
Daniel Hebert - Health and Optimum Life Coach

At age 43, singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge found a lump in her breast.

Cancer.

In an interview with Stone Phillips she said her battle with cancer was a gift:

Etheridge: “I've never known such love and good energy that is coming to me every day. Every moment.”

Phillips: “That's the gift...”

Etheridge: “A wonderful gift. I've changed my lifestyle. I’ve taken what I consider poisonous things out of my life. Out of my food, out of my work, out of my social circle, out of everything. Because I want a clean, cancer-free life. And I believe I can have that.”

Phillips: “Even as a rock star.”

Etheridge: “Even as a rock star. I know. It's a funny profession. But even as a rock star. Yeah.”

I've been following Melissa Etheridge's story over the last couple weeks. I can relate.

I’m not a famous rock star, but I once had cancer.

And I cured it.


Does the body forgive?

I sing and play guitar with a rock band, and I’ve been a performer my whole life. I’ve been an actor since I was four. And actors are a certain lot.

They have late nights, performance anxiety, years of Kraft dinners, cigarettes, booze and plenty of “lifestyle” --- you get the idea.

I always enjoyed the illusion of my sheer physical vitality.

As a young man I was never ill, never caught colds or flus and such. I could keep up long hours of work and socializing etc. — good thing I was a young pup — and got by mostly on coffee, sincere intentions and pure drive.

By the time I was 19 I was an accomplished actor in my region, and the artistic director of a reputable theatre company.

But by 24, I was so deprived of energy I thought I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or something.

I was dragging my butt all over the place. My sleep was terrible. I struggled with my weight and complexion.

I was irritable all the time, and depended more and more on stimulants to get going -- which over time had the opposite effect I was seeking.

It was ‘hello Elvis’.

Finally, I went for my first physical in a decade.

You guessed it -- I had cancer cells in my blood... and I had brain cancer!

I was shocked and depressed.

But my doctor (the late, great Michael Coyle, the leading expert in live blood, dark-field analysis in North America) told me something that most doctors didn’t seem to acknowledge:

Cancer could be reversed -- naturally and permanently.

Dr. Coyle put me on a radical fasting and juicing regime for starters. I observed a lot of strict discipline regarding diet and exercise as well. I used a radical regime of essential oils (including Clove and Helichrysum) and a variety of oil-based supplements.

I took on my new lifestyle with a do-or-die commitment. It really was a turning point moment.

In six months, I returned to the hospital to have more blood tests done.

A miracle.

Not only was I certified cancer free, but it turns out I was in the best shape of my life.


And A True, Unexpected Gift

Now -- I can’t claim to be a cancer expert. This is just my own experience and healing story.

But what I can say, is that this potentially life-ending disease brought me to a serious crossroads in my life about health and responsibility.

Like Melissa -- who went through the hell of chemo on top of it all -- I consider the experience a gift.

I learned that I, myself, had to be responsible for my ongoing health.

And no doctor -- whether alternative or conventional -- was going to ‘save’ me.

I also learned that people love me and care for me and that it wasn’t fair to them for me to risk a premature death because of my own chronic bad habits.

Cancer was a very humbling experience.

Staying Cancer-Free For Life

Today I'm no saint.

But because I truly put into practice optimal health (at best) and at least balancing out (at worst), I can stay cancer free.

And no matter what happens I will ALWAYS try natural therapies before any conventional methods -- one of which Melissa Etheridge describes so well here...


Phillips: “And following the surgery, chemotherapy.”

Etheridge: “Yes. It's the closest to death I've ever been. The chemo takes you as far down into hell as you've ever, ever been. You go to move and you can't. Every cell in your body is aching.”

Phillips: “From the chemotherapy.”

Etheridge: “From the chemotherapy, yeah..


I admire Melissa Etheridge for her strength and will, not to mention her work as an artist. I’m happy she's currently well. And I hope she stays that way.

The truth is -- anyone who wants to know can find out that there ARE, indeed, PLENTY of effective alternatives to treat cancer other than chemo and radiation.

It's not just hype or bad science.

Cancer is both caused and cured by what is happening in the body. I've observed and proven this in my own life.

Another truth?

One in four of you reading this article will die of cancer.

Here's a start in educating your way to life...

love and good health,

Daniel

Dr. Kennedy's Alternative Therapies For Cancer

(Ron Kennedy, M.D. is a friend and longtime student of my late doctor, Michael Coyle. He's an amazing resource for natural healing of every kind. Ask him about his near-death experience that inspired the cosmic paintings on the walls of his office...)

March 10, 2005

In 1986 I was living (or surviving might be a better word ) in Manhattan.

I lived about 5 minutes from Greenwich Village and used a 10 speed bike to get around town.

I spent most days speeding and ducking through traffic, and breathing exhaust from buses that were too old to still be street-worthy.

I loved New York. That little island felt like a huge heart that never stopped beating.

But as all New Yorkers know, you pay a price for the ride.

For me that price was an invisible shell I wore around me to protect myself from the onslaught of psychic energy that comes from living in such close quarters with your fellow islanders.

A Thread Through the Traffic...

One day, while riding with my shell securely fastened, senses heightened by streaming traffic, car horns, shops, buyers, kids, junkies and limos, I caught a split second scent of something wafting through the hundreds of other smells on the street.

I stopped and started sniffing the air like a deer. Then I turned around and rode back to the spot where I first noticed it.

I tracked it down from around a corner and two blocks away, coming from a street vendor selling incense. It was Frankincense.

I was shocked at the emotional response I had from this scent. I couldn't attribute it to any conscious memory, but it made me feel calm, grounded, connected.

Like Water in a Desert

Frankincense has been used for centuries as a holy anointing oil as well as a general cure for countless physical ailments -- diffusing it, inhaling it and take it internally.

It supports the immune system and reduces symptoms of allergies, high blood pressure and headaches.

It's especially known as a primary ingredient in blends for depression and anxiety. And it's come to be known as one of the most powerful anti-oxidants found in nature.

This rare and valuable oil was gratefully received by the parents of new born babies as a form of blessing in the Near East.

It was also the holy incense of the Hebrews, burned perpetually in their tabernacles for more than a thousand years during the time of Christ and in Catholic Churches for over 2000 years now.

Frankincense is precious, and the price reflects its value.

It comes from a tree requiring a rare desert climate. It grows only in North Africa and the Southern Arabian peninsula.

If you find a bottle of Frankincense for less than $60-$70, it's been cut with alcohol or massage oil. Don't compromise on purity if you're spending money on Frankincense, because the real thing will blow your mind.

And if you don't have the spare change to put out for a bottle of this pure gold, you can receive all the benefits of Frankincense through a number of different blends designed to compliment and enhance it's therapeutic value for a fraction of the price.

This is one of the gifts of blends -- they're created by a master blender who weaves together the right single oils to produce a potent effect on the body and mind.

Two of the most popular oil blends containing Frankincense are:

Three Wise Men
This blend promotes a feeling of grounding and spiritual awareness. It's a blend of oils formulated to open the subconscious mind and enhance emotional equilibrium as it soothes and uplifts the heart.

Ingredients:
frankincense, sandalwood, juniper, spruce, myrrh (note the number of woods...very grounding)

Inspiration
This blend includes oils traditionally used by the native peoples of Arabia, India and North America for enhancing spirituality, prayer, meditation and inner awareness.

Ingredients:
frankincense, cedarwood, spruce, rosewood, myrtle, sandalwood, mugwort

(here are links to 3 Wise Men and Inspiration...)

Thanks for spending some time with me.

I hope in the midst of a busy day you turn a corner and find your own aromatic sanctuary when you least expect it.

breathe deeply and feel to infinity,

corinne

P.S. The photo above is part of a porcelain sculpture series by contemporary Chinese artist Ah Xian.
Press here and scroll to the bottom of the site to see more of his unusual work...

March 04, 2005

The word pretty much describes itself.

Your flame is being exhausted.

Your wick is at its end.

No more fuel to keep your body’s fire alive.

You don’t have to be a CEO or high powered anything to know what its like -- you feel numb, void of feeling, even empty of tears.

Don’t panic -- your body’s just telling you to recharge your batteries.

Burnout is not a ‘corporate condition’.

Lost love, family struggle, life change, health ups and downs... no matter how busy we insist on keeping ourselves to avoid feeling, our emotions will not be ignored.

And you may find yourself shutting down, leaving you feeling like you’ve lost yourself somewhere along the way.

The oils below are for general emotional burnout -- a way out of the bubble that may be keeping you on the outside of life, looking in.

The oil blend made of these 4 oils is

Release

Geranium stimulates nerves and assists in balancing hormones,
opening and elevating the mind.

Sandalwood is rich in sesquiterpenes, which stimulate the pineal gland and the limbic region of the brain, the center of our emotions. The pineal gland releases melatonin, a hormone that enhances deep sleep. Sandalwood is similar to Frankincense oil in its support of nerves and circulation.

Blue Tansy may help cleanse the liver and it calms the lymphatic system, helping you to release anger or frustration and regain a feeling of self-control.

Ylang Ylang brings a sense of relaxation and helps balance male and
female energies.It restores a rested self.


Release helps you rekindle your own internal flame.

And those in your life who stand in that glow will be happy to have you back.


--c.

February 25, 2005

No individual should live as the superior, or the inferior, or even the equal, of all others. Rather, each should live as the intimate servant of others through love.

The true politics of human relationships is the politics of servants everywhere -- every one serving, and every one served.

-- Adi Da Samraj --

February 25, 2005

35 Practical Buddhist Principles for Discovering Clarity and Balance in the Midst of Work's Chaos

written by Michael Carroll
Shambhala Publications, 2005

A Simple Question In A Complex World

A close friend of mine recently asked his Guru how it was possible to stay mindful of his spiritual practice and still do mundane daily tasks (such as being in front of the computer all day).

The response he got was that there was no situation in which he could not be fully engaging his practice and at rest in contemplation.

It’s a simple question, but at root it speaks to anyone who takes on a spiritual practice in the midst of ordinary life.

If you read the biographies of great spiritual masters, you find that most had long periods of solitary cave or temple dwelling, and not a lot of mention of taking teenagers to soccer practice or meeting management deadlines.

Where You Work Is Where You Grow

How to bring a sense of spiritual practice into every aspect of your life and work is the question that Michael Carroll attempts to address in his new book,
Awake at Work.

Carroll is a Buddhist priest and also a man with a long history of corporate life. He offers some simple and practical ways to cultivate the power of mindfulness -- being somewhere completely -- while at work.

He shows that not only can work become part of your practice or faith, but that day-to-day activities and ordinary human interactions are the fertile ground for much needed lessons that lead to human and spiritual growth.

Carroll offers 35 phrases designed to open your heart and mind to what is around you.

Using them on the spot throughout your workday, they help to reflect back patterns of negative presumption, betrayal, stress and self-consciousness, while at the same time serving as reminders of the power of kindness, simple compassion and the pleasure of awareness.

Welcome The Tyrant

“Welcome the tyrant” helps in relating to anger coming from another. “Avoid idiot compassion” reminds us that superficiality is a way of avoiding feeling, and it doesn’t result in making a true connection or offering real help.

Carroll shows us that rather than living as victims of our jobs, we can transform the common hassles and anxieties of life in the workplace into valuable opportunities for personal growth, heightened wisdom, and increased effectiveness.

Awake At Work often reflects on the emptiness of the kind of social ceremony we often find in the work place and how it inhibits true compassion and caring.

Carroll reminds us that we are by nature in relationship with everything and everyone, and it is through self-reflection and simple forms of remembering that we can return, at any moment, to a natural sense of intelligence, delight in what we do and an appreciation for the simple enjoyment of human interaction.

Awake At Work can be found at Shambala Publications

c --

February 18, 2005

As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.

-- Carl Jung

February 18, 2005

I decided to watch the Superbowl this weekend. To be honest, I’m not a big football fan, but I do have a great appreciation for smart marketing. And when someone is spending 2.4 million dollars for 15 seconds of your time, you know they hired the brightest marketing minds in the country.

So contrary to most, I work while the game is on (and give my full attention to the commercials).

What’s funny is that no matter how crassly commercial and full of political agenda this event becomes, there’s always a moment when I find myself heart-moved by the sheer humanity of the tens of thousands all gathered together in one place.

You can’t help but feel the unity of sharing this little planet together, and the compassion for each one living their life, loving, suffering, striving for a sense of purpose and peace.

1 in 30 Americans Are On Some Kind of Antidepressant

Something struck me though as I was writing this newsletter and gazing over the sea of faces at the Superbowl. According to statistics, 1 in 30 Americans are on some kind of antidepressant (for women, it’s 1 in 10.)

So, of the 76,000 thousand people sitting in the Alltell Stadium in Florida, watching the Superbowl, that means that 2,300 had taken an antidepressant that morning with the hope that their day would be free of depression, anxiety and fear.

Thanks to aggressive and persistent marketing by drug companies, relying on drugs to keep you emotionally balanced is becoming more and more common, from teens to the elderly.

Watch Network TV For a Day and Count The Drug Commercials

How many of the TV commercials are telling you that all your unhappiness, anxiety, and depression can be erased with the help of a little pill...

Drug companies know how to market. It’s subtle and packaged with happy faces and gentle music. If you have an emotional problem, there’s a pill out there for you that can take away the pain.

How many people are taking that little pill because life is just not working out the way they planned, or they just don’t know enough about alternatives to choose something other than what’s on their doctor’s prescription pad. After all, why would your doctor give you something that’s not good for you?

I don’t want to suggest that depression and anxiety are not real. They are very real for those who suffer from them. Chemical imbalance is a disease that can be corrected. And many people find help in prescription drugs.

I’m not a medical doctor and I’m not qualified to personally direct people on the use of antidepressants, but like any choices we make in life, I highly recommend that you educate yourself on the full disclosure of antidepressants.

I Have 5 Friends Who Take Antidepressants Every Day

Out of those five, I feel that only one really needs to.

The other four are just like you and me. They’re looking for something that life isn’t giving them. They’re searching for happiness and not finding it, and they’re trying a chemical approach to finding a way out of their pain.

For some people, antidepressants not only fail to deliver the peace of mind they seek, but they can lead to addiction, complex side effects, severe and sometimes life threatening withdrawal symptoms and in some cases, greater suffering than most will ever want to experience.

So, in that light, and in support of those who are fighting their own personal battle, I offer you this story, told to me a couple years back by Dr. Ann Blake Tracy.

She’s the founder of DrugAwareness.org and a true expert in the field of serotonin-based drugs (such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Effexor, Serzone, Remeron, Seraphim, etc…)

This story is also a testament to the power of essential oils and the natural path to healing and well-being.

February 16, 2005

I was so facinated with a natural occurence I found on the web this week, I had to share it with you.

The cloud photos are of a real (non-photoshopped) formation that appeared for 24 hours in Hilo, Hawaii directly over the Lotus Zen Monastery (which you can see under the cloud in the bottom photo.)

My husband, Jeff, knows the monks there. They took it as a sign of blessing on their perpetual meditation practice for world peace.

"A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed... It feels an impulsion... this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons."

Richard Bach, American author
(from Jonathan Livingston Seagull)

February 16, 2005

(Daniel Joseph Hebert is a professional Shiatsu Therapist, Gym Coach, and Optimal Health Consultant living in Toronto and Northern California.)

When my friend Corinne asked me to write a feature article for Feeling To Infinity I was humbled and excited. I want to give away as much information as I can to the general public about straight talk regarding optimal health, so this is a great venue for that.

If you engage these 8 practices, you’ll be healthier than virtually everyone you know.

Does this require a little discipline? Yes. But not that of a monk. It’s a practice. You don’t have to be perfect. But you DO have to practice-- if you want tangible results.

And of course -- you should never believe anything you read or hear. Prove it to yourself by honest trial. Self-authenticate. Then do what is best for you.

So, here they are…



The Eight Baby Steps to Maximum Energy and Vibrant Health


1. Fasting and Raw Juices

Fasting is when you stop taking all food for an extended period of time, ingesting only water or diluted juices. It’s the single most powerful health practice a human being can perform.

Fasting is radical in that it evokes the great healing power of the body itself, unaided by any medicinal substances or nutrition.

The radical practice of fasting all foods and drinking raw juices is the best course (under guidance) to arrest and reverse the process of almost any disease.

Baby Step: Pick one day every two weeks (for me it’s a Sunday) and do a raw juice fast. Using whatever fruits and vegetables you like best. This is perhaps the best health practice you’ll ever do for yourself over the long haul.



2. Pure Water and Cleaner Air

Clean water and air are two of the most important elements that support health, so ensuring their purity makes a lot of sense.

Just think about it: your body is over 70 percent water. You can live for weeks without food, but only days without water. And our constantly breathing lungs feed on and “digest” air 24 hours a day for as long as we live -- not just at dinner time.

Water and air should be considered the fundamental energy sources that sustain our health and well-being. Simple, natural, clean air and water themselves are the secret elixirs of longevity.

Baby Step: Get a decent water purifier. British Berkefeld makes the best, and Gaiam is a great place to find quality air purifiers.



3. Raw Organic Foods

No big surprise. Raw foods contain the living nutrients and enzymes that cooking kills or makes unusable or even toxic. Don’t listen to the hogwash about organic being no better for you than conventional.

It’s true that organic isn’t necessarily as a rule more nutritious than consumer/generic foods (although in my opinion, it still tends to be), but the point is organic foods contain less or no added chemicals or genetic modifications and such nasties.

Baby Step: Start buying your groceries at a good health food store, or gravitate toward the organic when you’re cruising through the produce section of your local market.



4. Essential Oils

Therapeutic essential oils are the missing link to health and wellness altogether. A therapeutic grade organic oil is as good as gold for the body. It’s the oldest, most studied science in medicine, and the applications of oils are literally more than you could learn in lifetime.

Baby Step: Diffuse the core healing oil blends of Valor and En-R-Gee.

5. Breath and Body-Work

Breathing is the primary sign of life. Without breath our hearts will eventually stop beating, and we will physically die. Breath, then, is our principle food, or “soma.”

We need air to live. Our primary dependency is therefore not ideas, or people, or food -- but oxygen.

Bodywork is essential for helping us to relieve tension and become more actively aware of our own peculiar structural misalignments. Shiatsu, Massage, and Chiropractic as well as the Alexander Technique are excellent choices.

Baby Step: Parcel out money to get yourself a deep massage once every two weeks without fail. And remind yourself to breathe slowly and deeply while receiving the treatment.



6. Focused Exercise

No, not just doing the bike in front of the T.V. (although that is definitely better than nothing). But real participatory movement that engages your awareness and makes you compensate for balance and rhythm.

Yes, aerobics and weights are good. But so is Tai Chi. Pilates is excellent, maybe the best. And of course Yoga is always warranted.

No matter how gentle the exercise, some sweat is always a good welcome sign, even if it’s just from concentrating.

Baby Step: Sign up for a weekly Pilates or yoga class (and hold yourself to it...!)



7. Avoid Radiation and Chemicals

Don’t microwave your food. Why? Because it kills it. And if you do, don’t come within three feet of the oven when it’s operating because its radiation is dangerous to your health.

This is no joke. Tons of people now put screens up over their PC monitors to minimize radiation. Try not to put your lap-top on your lap for too long.

And chemicals -- understand that certain chemicals and combinations of them can cause disease both directly and indirectly.

They are famous for causing every manner of immune system dysfunction you care to name and are related to the development of every kind of cancer.

Seriously -- throw out your shampoos and detergents and household cleaners for a start and get natural ones, but don’t be fooled by just “natural” labels. And yes, these things are more expensive. But absolutely worth it in the long run.

Baby Step: Start by replacing what’s in your shower, and go on from there…



8. Meditation and Emotional Balance

If you’re not beginning your day with a simple meditation -- whether that’s just a continuous breath exercise, or prayer, or just sitting still and witnessing the arising of all the mind that is trying to formulate and orchestrate your day by sheer habit, then you are basically living out unconscious patterns of mental (and emotional) activity.

This creates all kinds of unnecessary stress and it also reinforces the underlying conditions that create disease and physical weakness.

Meditation is about resting – and relaxing the habits of the body and mind. So that your life and experience become less bound, and more free.

Always at least start your day with this conscious focusing of attention and energy.

Tap into something that is just your being, without a thought or effort, that is already still, essentially at rest, and not dependent on how the day turns out.

And on that basis, practice emotional balance throughout the day. Volatile emotions and lack of relaxation are serious risk factors to health that cannot be underestimated.

Baby Step: Meditate for 20 minutes before you begin your day and before you go to sleep at night. A small favor to yourself you’ll come to greatly value.



Final Thoughts

These eight steps are the most basic beginning to a healthy life.

Each one is worthy of a full article in itself, but in the time we have here, basics are where we need to begin, and the beginning is the place where it’s easiest to say, Yes!

If you want advice on anything I’ve mentioned or want an exact weekly health program for your body, just tell Corinne and she’ll pass some more information on to you.

She’s at corinne@feelingtoinfinity.com

I made a promise to make time for Corinne’s friends at Feeling To Infinity and that’s what I’ll do.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

all the best,
Daniel

February 07, 2005

Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the action stems the dream again, and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.

-- Anais Nin --