According to Jake, finding and keeping a healthy relationship partner requires three basics:

• Intolerance
• Being the kind of person you want to attract
• Showing up fully and not holding yourself back

Intolerance is the first key
Yes, intolerance! Think of it like this, there are three stages to romantic relationships: dating, relating, and mating (mating being the equivalent of marriage). During the first stage — dating — you want to be intolerant of things that don’t work for you. This doesn’t mean you need to be rude or disrespectful, just firm. If your date picks you up late and that really doesn’t work for you, let him know. If he does it again, tell him that if it happens one more time he’s out. Apply the three strikes and you’re out rule.

What a lot of people do very early on in relationships is negotiate about everything, trying to compromise. These efforts may be appropriate once you get to the relating stage, but they are not appropriate in the dating stage. The dating stage should be easy. It’s a time to have fun, explore how your rhythms sync up, and figure out if you’ve got good chemistry, which can be pretty well determined from first base.

The second key to attracting a good partner
Be the person you want to attract. If you say you want a partner who is mature, reliable, financially stable, and able to communicate well — you need to be that person. Relationships work best when like attracts like. If you find someone to compensate for your limitations, it’s too easy to become dependent on that person. More often than not this leads to problems.

The third key
Show yourself. Don’t hold back, only putting forth your best self. This is a flawed strategy — waiting until you are invested in the relationship before telling your partner any “bad news” about you or your life.

A woman recently asked her male partner “Are you in love with me?” The man made himself nervous with the question. Out of fear that she would disapprove of his answer, he sidestepped her question, leaving it unanswered. He missed an opportunity to show up, justifying his actions as a way to “avoid conflict and hurt feelings.” But by not showing up, he missed the chance to clarify their relationship, which from a Green Psychology point of view would have been the kind and respectful thing to do. It doesn’t matter what the answer is. Showing up and being honest allows us to see what’s obvious. When people don’t show up, or they aren’t honest, the relationship drifts into the territory of fantasy. This results in misunderstanding, power struggles, resentment, and a lack of true intimacy.

You may find this formula challenging, but it works. If it feels difficult, that’s just because it’s unfamiliar. Although this approach may feel difficult at first, if you do this — living, partnering, and relating will become much easier.

Sources for this article include:

http://greenpsychology.net

Source: Natural News

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological condition that usually afflicts people from age 50 and up. But younger cases do occur, the most famous being actor Michael J. Fox. PD affects around one million in the United States. As is the case with other neurological disorders, its rate is increasing. An estimated 60,000 new cases of PD are diagnosed annually.

Tremors of the hands, slight head oscillations, muffled speech, and lack of facial expression changes or frozen face are common symptoms of PD.If you’ve ever seen interviews or other visuals of Muhammad Ali after his retirement from boxing, you will have witnessed some of Parkinson’s main manifestations.

PD is considered incurable by mainstream medicine, but if detected early enough it is said to be manageable with drugs. We all know, however, that these drugs are not without major drawbacks and have many side effects.

Tai chi was tested for other aspects of PD, such as posture problems, problems with gait, and balance issues. Gait and balance issues have caused many unpredictable and often dangerous falls for elderly and brittle PD victims. This is the area where tai chi showed clear improvement.

Tai chi itself demands slow, gentle movements, shifting balance and weight while standing. It requires focused awareness while maintaining posture and balance. This alone seems to challenge what a PD patient is capable of. Tai chi can be a challenge for someone who is moderately awkward or clumsy, though the Oregon tests were conducted using “tailor made” tai chi exercises.

Since PD impairs dopamine production in the brain, leading to motor control issues, it’s speculated that the exercises practiced over time train the brain to restore the dopamine production or compensate for its lack thereof.

Tai chi for Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and depression
The Oregon Research Institute study recruited 195 people with mild to moderate PD. They were divided into three groups that used three different exercise methods: resistance exercise (weight training), stretching, and tai chi were practiced by each group for six months, with the study being funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine on February 9th, 2012.

Each group was supervised with two 60 minute exercise sessions per week. Tai chi came out with the most positive results, especially by improving common functional abilities. The resistance training showed some balance improvement with decreased falls as well.

Earlier tai chi studies have shown decreased pain and insomnia for patients with fibromyalgia and arthritis. Elderly folks suffering from chronic depression also showed improvement using tai chi as a daily practice.
Many communities throughout the USA have tai chi group sessions.

If you or someone you know are sensing any early warning signals for PD, it may be wise to look into one of these groups.

Sources for this article include

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1107911

http://www.susanamatthews.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%27ai_chi_ch%27uan

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001463/

Healing is a process of coming home to one’s authentic self—to the loving presence that is the ground of our being. But we often get trapped by the false refuges of fear-based habits and judgmental thoughts.

To help us bring the fruits of mindfulness practice into our lives for healing and transformation, Dr. Tara Brach offers Meditation and Psychotherapy.

Created for mental health professionals and illuminating to anyone interested in the core techniques, practices, and insights of Buddhist psychology, this experience-focused audio learning program helps us find our way back to natural presence, a place where peace and our deep love for life grows.

Course objectives:

Apply the R.A.I.N. technique in your work with clients
Utilize mindfulness meditation to clear blockages that prevent living fully
Discuss basic concepts of Buddhist psychology
Recognize aspirations and intentions that support awakening
Practice a variety of different guided meditations
Adapt specific mindfulness practices to individual client needs
Integrate mindfulness into your personal and professional life

Learning How to Face Our Tangled Emotions and Release Our Limiting Beliefs

There are many skillful means that we can use to train ourselves and our clients to become aware, teaches Brach, a psychotherapist and meditator of more than 30 years. But they all lead to one essential question: Can I be here in this moment?

Using her R.A.I.N. technique, a four-part process that helps us learn how to stop running away from our tangled emotions and start to lovingly face them, we’ll investigate and unblock the beliefs that cause suffering. Guiding us through meditations and practices on mindfulness, loving-kindness, forgiveness, allowing, and more, Brach shares key tools and expert insights for moving through this liberating process so that we can open and allow our lives to unfold, moment by moment.

“Mindfulness can strengthen our attention, awaken compassion and empathy, and expand our acceptance of our own inner states,” teaches Brach. Meditation and Psychotherapy draws on the strengths of mindfulness meditation and the practice of modern therapeutic methods to help clear the emotional blocks holding us back.

Highlights:

R.A.I.N., a liberating four-step process for learning how to end the suffering caused by clinging to our emotions
How we all can awaken from the trance of unworthiness using mindful awareness and lovingkindness
The alchemy of self-compassion and how it can help in our relationships with others
Why we don’t have to believe our thoughts—the transformative power of self-inquiry
“Touch and go,” an approach for gently disarming the energy of trauma
Tips for adapting practices for your individual client’s needs
A new model of psychotherapy that emphasizes the client/therapist relationship as an unfolding partnership

More than eight hours of expert insights, practices, and tips for using mindfulness meditation and modern therapeutic methods to help untangle our difficult emotions

Learn More

On the way to finding and creating vibrant, successful relationships, too many of us end up tangled in the same old patterns, tripped up by relationship habits that get in our way whether we “know better” or not.

In Rewire Your Brain for Love, neuropsychologist and psychotherapist Marsha Lucas, PhD, helps you untangle those relationship snarls, bringing together the latest neuroscience with a practice consistently heralded by top academic institutions for its effectiveness in changing the brain: the practice of mindfulness meditation.

Dr. Lucas’s clear, unintimidating, often laugh-out-loud style invites you to explore how the brain functions in relationships, helping you understand how your current relationship wiring developed and showing you how you can rewire your relationship brain through mindfulness meditation.

A down-to-earth therapist and self-described neuroscience geek, Dr. Lucas has written a chapter-by-chapter guide with compassion, wisdom, and humor. In Rewire Your Brain for Love, she takes you on a journey through seven high-voltage relationship benefits-everything from keeping your fear from running the show to cultivating healthy, balanced empathy-and offers specific mindfulness practices to help bring those benefits into your life.
With a few minutes of practice a day, you can change the way you interact with everyone around you . . . especially those closest to you. You can transform your brain from an enemy to an ally in all matters of the heart, creating more loving communication, building emotional resilience, and reducing overreactivity-not to mention enjoying better sex.

You don’t have to become a monk, or a vegetarian, or spend hours contemplating your navel-you just need to update the relationship wiring of your brain. The simple practice of mindfulness can help get you there, with Dr. Lucas showing you how.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marsha Lucas, PhD is a licensed psychologist and neuropsychologist, and has been practicing psychotherapy and studying the brain-behavior relationship for more than twenty years. Prior to entering private practice, she was a neuropsychologist on the faculty at the Emory University School of Medicine.

She has a special interest in the practice of mindfulness, especially in how it stimulates the brain to grow new, more integrated circuits ~ which may be at the heart of well-being, including emotional balance and resilience, enhanced relationships and friendships, and greater empathy and connectedness.

Her book, Rewire Your Brain For Love: Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of Mindfulness, takes the ancient practice of mindfulness meditation, the latest neuroscience, and the complexities of relationships — and offers readers an easy-to-understand, warm, down-to-earth approach to building better, healthier relationships.

Dr. Lucas’ psychology practice is located in Washington, DC. She lives in suburban DC with her husband and their son.

PURCHASE

The work of a holistic medical doctor represents the best of both worlds — a unique blend of conventional Western medicine and alternative medicine. These M.D.s incorporate at least one type of complementary medicine — perhaps acupuncture or herbal therapy — into their medical practice.

The holistic doctor offers the perfect solution for patients who want to benefit from both the technological advances of Western medicine and the preventive, natural approach advocated by complementary modalities.

Meeting with a holistic doctor will involve the two of you discussing in-depth your medical history and treatment options. Diagnostic tests (blood-pressure, blood work, urinalysis) may be required to check your health. Your initial visit could last for more than an hour since this is your first opportunity to establish a working relationship.

In the case of holistic medicine, physician and patient work as a team. You can discuss the extent to which you’re willing to try the natural, non-drug alternative therapies and at what point you wish to have access to prescription drugs.

Key principles of holistic medicine
The underlying philosophy for holistic medical doctors is that no one health care modality offers all the “answers.” This is truly medicine for the 21st century, since it accepts wisdom from many different cultures and healing belief systems, including drug intervention when deemed necessary.

In addition, holistic medicine fosters a cooperative relationship between doctor and patient as the two mutually explore the possibilities offered by a number of modalities. For instance, a patient might be undergoing radiation therapy for cancer while also benefiting from immune-boosting Chinese herbs and the practices of biofeedback and visualization.

Which types of conditions are best treated by holistic medicine?
People with complicated health issues often seek out a holistic medical doctor because they believe in the power of the body to heal itself (one of the basic tenets of natural medicine) but they also need a physician who can prescribe drugs if needed.

Other people come to holistic M.D.s for treatment because they have exhausted all the options of conventional medicine. A holistic physician will be able to factor past treatments into a new health regimen and may be able to guide you through ways to improve your health through alternative means.

You might see a holistic physician for any of these health problems:
• heart disease
• cancer
• HIV or AIDS
• high blood pressure
• depression
• infertility
• menopausal symptoms
•prostatitis
• diabetes

Training/education required
Holistic medical doctors have earned the post-graduate degrees of either medical doctor (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO), and they have completed their three-year residency doing patient care. In addition, the practitioner has several years of study and clinical training in one or more alternative therapies, including biofeedback and stress management, body work, nutrition, herbal medicine, spinal manipulation, homeopathy, and acupuncture.

What to look for when choosing a holistic doctor
First and foremost, you need a practitioner you can trust who shares your philosophy of health. A holistic medical doctor should ideally help you choose from several health care modalities so that you have powerful methods for self-care at your disposal. You must feel comfortable talking with the practitioner and be confident that she or he will explain therapies to you.

If the doctor is a member of the American Holistic Medical Association, she or he abides by a high ethical code. Here are some of the criteria by which you can judge a holistic medical practitioner:

1. The practitioner is devoted to treating the whole person: body, mind and spirit.

2. Treatments are always done in the best interest of the patient.

3. The practitioner continues to improve his or her skills and knowledge of both medical science and alternative modalities.

4. The doctor allows the patient to share in decision-making regarding treatment. Their job is to educate patients and help empower them to take responsibility for their care.

5. The doctor acts responsibly in delivering both medical and alternative treatments. He or she does not make outrageous claims or promise a “cure.”

6. The practitioner guards patient/doctor confidentiality.

7. The doctor donates some time to giving medical care to those who cannot afford treatment.

You can find out more about holistic doctors by checking www.holisticmedicine.org on the web. You can also call the American Holistic Medical Association located in Virginia at: 703-556-9245

Questions to ask the holistic doctor
• What complementary therapies do you use in your practice? Are those therapies appropriate for treating my condition?
• What training do you have in alternative medicine?
• Why do you think it’s important to blend complementary and conventional medicine in one practice?
• What will be my role/your role in healing my condition?
• How much say will I have in deciding the course of my treatment?
• How will I know that a particular type of treatment is working?
• How often will I need to come for an office visit?
• Do you accept medical insurance?

Because we are human, though, our families will get sick in spite of our best efforts. So it’s wise to stock up on some handy natural remedies for mending winter viruses. Here is a roundup of time-tested remedies to help keep your family well.

1. My favorite preventive measure is vitamin C. Many years ago, scientist and author Linus Pauling, Ph.D., documented that the human body could use up to 3,000 milligrams per day of Vitamin C simply to maintain good health and prevent illness. I have found the powdered Calcium Ascorbate to be the most easily tolerated in children. I give my daughter 2 grams per day of this powdered Vitamin C mixed in water.

2. By now, most of us have heard of the health-enhancing effects of the herb Echinacea, which was widely used by the Native Americans to stay well in winter. New scientific studies continue to debate its effectiveness. However, this number one cold-fighting herb has proved its worth many times over in my household. I give it at the first sign of sniffles. My daughter prefers it in the chewable tablet form, however many tasty echinacea tinctures are made just for kids. Remember that echinacea should only be taken for 5 consecutive days when a cold is coming on. Then your body needs a break from this powerful herb for several days or it will begin to deplete your energy.

3. According to herbalist and author Daniel Gagnon, astragalus is one of the best immune strengthening herbs available. It’s believed to tonify the Qi (“chee”), which means essential energy. This makes astragalus useful for frequent colds and appropriate to take when you’re feeling “run-down.” This herb also comes in many tasty liquid tinctures for children.

4. Schizandra is a Chinese herb that is widely recognized for increasing the body’s resistance to a broad spectrum of adverse biological, chemical or physical effects. It also is believed to help the body handle stress. This herb is often combined with astragalus in liquid tinctures.

5. Garlic contains several natural compounds that are both anti-viral and anti-bacterial. These include allicin, which is one of the plant kingdom’s most potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics. Garlic comes in small odor-free tablets that are small enough for children to swallow.

6. Elderberry has received a lot of scientific attention in recent years for its ability to reduce flu symptoms and duration. This herb comes in a very tasty liquid form that I keep by my bedside in winter. Whenever I feel that achy flu-like feeling coming over me, I dose up on this elderberry syrup. It has helped me and my daughter sail quickly through several bouts of flu that left our friends bed-ridden for weeks.

7. Homeopathy shouldn’t be overlooked for helping you stay well. The scientifically proven homeopathic remedy, Oscillococcinum (also known as Anas Barbariae or heart and liver of a duck) is the most popular flu remedy in France. This remedy works best during the first 48 hours of the flu. I’ve had good success with it many times.

8. Ginger is my all around favorite herb. This spicy root contains nearly a dozen antiviral compounds that have specific effects against the most common family of cold viruses, the rhinoviruses. Ginger can also help reduce pain and fever. My favorite use of it, however, is for settling an upset stomach. A few drops of the tincture over ice, or taken directly, will bring instant results. You should always have ginger tincture and capsules in your medicine cabinet.

9. Peppermint is another all-around winter wellness champion. Not only can peppermint ease indigestion, calm an upset stomach, and soothe headaches; it is also used to reduce fever. I give it to my daughter as a cool tea when she has fever, and I drop a few drops of the essential oil onto a wet washrag to cool her burning head. It can also be diluted and rubbed into the soles of the feet for fever reducing and stomach calming. There is also a wonderful tasting tincture that combines peppermint and ginger for an upset stomach.

10. Zinc is another necessary nutrient for staying well in the winter. A recent study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine found that zinc lozenges substantially reduced cold length and symptoms, including cough, headache and nasal congestion. Fortunately, zinc comes in tasty lozenges that children enjoy sucking on. Give it at the first sign of sore throat or sniffles.

Most importantly, teach your family to wash their hands frequently – especially before meals. Viruses are spread directly from person to person by hand-to-hand contact. Hand washing may be the easiest and most often neglected step we can take to keep our families well.

And, by the way, your mother was right. Hot chicken soup can help you recover from a cold or flu – especially if is has lots of fresh garlic, onions and ginger in it. A steaming cup of herbal tea can also help relieve congestion and open clogged sinuses. So don’t despair when a family member gets sick, just bring out your arsenal of natural remedies, and they’ll soon be on the road to recovery.

The one common denominator that is shared by all of the happy people and lacking in the unhappy people is a sense of self, the acceptance of who they are. The happy ones do not want to be different; they do not want their life to be different. They are enjoying what they have and don’t care about what they don’t have. They understand that they are constantly growing and changing. They are doing the best they can and that is good enough. They do not look for validation outside of themselves and do not care what anybody else thinks about them.

A hero can be defined as someone who does what is best for the common good no matter the risk, danger or cost. The definition of “common good” gets to be a little tricky because it is so subjective. Morals, ethics, politics and judgment will always make “common good” a shifting ideal. I believe that the common good is anything that helps us to evolve to be divinely inspired beings who put others before us. It takes quite a bit of courage to stand up to a gossip, or your friends when you believe them to be acting against the common good. It takes more courage to be who we think we are, regardless of what public opinion might think about it.

The biggest challenge I see with people today is that they are unwilling or afraid to stand up for what they think is best for themselves and others. It could be that they are afraid of losing friends or employment; there is always something that is blocking their willingness to think of others before themselves. In a metaphysical sense, they have bought into the concept that they are separate from everyone and everything else and they can do whatever they want without consequences. However the consequences are inevitable and usually take the form of misery and suffering.

Most of us have some concept of what a hero is. What we don’t have a handle on is what our story is. Even worse, we let people tell us what our story should be. Basically, our story is whatever we believe about ourselves to be true. We can be victims of our childhood suffering from emotional scars; or we can forget all of our baggage from the past and focus on who we are right now. Our story is whatever we want it to be. The biggest story of all is whether we are happy or not; whether we are the result of our past or the creation of what we believe to be true. Whenever someone asks “tell me about yourself” or “who are you?” The answer is “MY STORY.” Our past is only the training ground to be the hero of our story. If we are happy, we are the heroes. When we suffer, we are not.

The highest metaphysical/spiritual teaching is that we create our experiences, perceptions and reality. We create this individually, as a family, community, nation and world. The reality of a street beggar in India appears to be far different than the reality of the people who created Facebook. However, there is one thing in common between the two. They both are creating their experience for their own enlightenment. The street beggar has an illusion that his/her life is hard, while a multi-billionaire has an illusion that his/her life is easy. The amazing thing is that the street beggar may be happy and the billionaire may be miserable. It depends on who understands that their reality is an self-created illusion and it is all good.

For me, to be a hero in my own story means that I have to take responsibility for my thoughts, words and actions and understand that whatever I am experiencing has a purpose. The purpose for my reality and the purpose of your reality is exactly the same. It is to be happy no matter what and to understand that we are experiencing the same thing viewed through different perspectives. If I am not getting what I want, then to be happy I have to change one fundamental belief. I have to want what I have. This takes a lot of discipline and courage and most people are too lazy to do this. The street beggar can be happy because (s)he accepts life as it is and doesn’t want anything else. The ironic thing is that when they become happy, God will smile and life will change. Here is the absolute truth about being a hero; sometimes it takes more effort to be happy than it does to suffer.

Sometimes being a hero means showing up and giving 100% of myself to whatever is happening at the moment. It might mean letting someone else have that parking space I was waiting for five minutes to get because I can walk. It might mean letting someone in line ahead of me because they are obviously in a hurry. It might mean being kind to someone that isn’t. It might mean doing everything simply because that is who we are, without expectation or desire for reward.
Where you are is the result of all your past decisions. Who you are is the result of the decision you make from one moment to the next. Probably the most valuable asset we have is our smile. When we can smile in the face of challenges and fear, we will always win and be happy. When we can smile through pain and despair, we are the hero.

About the Author:

James Robinson, has enough life experiences to fill five biographies. A trial lawyer for almost 30 years, a cattle rancher, horse trainer, dog breeder, restaurateur, alternative healer, international seminar leader, ordained minister and deacon, father, survivor of two marriages, and international entrepreneur, James has been successful in everything he has done. He has studied with philosophers, internationally known gurus, healers and sages. Through all of his trials, tribulations, successes and especially his failures, James has learned a lot of lessons about suffering, pain and happiness. He has written scores of articles and regularly shares his wisdom on the internet, facebook, twitter and Selfgrowth.com. James regularly travels to all four corners of the world to share his wisdom, healing and humor. http://www.selfgrowth.com/guide/jamesrobinson.html

Wednesday the 1st We begin the month with Mars slowly moving backward in the heavens. It’s hard to be wise when you’re irritated, frustrated and impatient. We do need to reach beyond what we want to cooperate with “those” people. Today and tomorrow, Venus faces Mars and tries to convince him to cooperate, see another side or go to therapy. Whether you are in a relationship or simply have to relate to other people, today is the best day to take stock of your approach and make some adjustments to your own inner warrior but reaching for Venus to see the other side. It’s obvious in the world of politics: Regardless of which camp you are in. I dare you [Mars] to read the words of a candidate or politician on the other side. What does he say and how do you respond to it? Can you step out of your camp long enough to listen? What are you afraid of?

Thursday the 2nd More from the Venus Mars opposition party. There are great differences between how men and women think and act: Particularly in a relationship. The opposition highlights that again today. Can you live with those differences? Are you happier alone? Most of us know the answer to this. If you want a partner, but refuse to give until you get what you want: Well, this is a long day and even longer 4-month period. You may be righteous, but it can’t end happily ever after. Sigh. In the work place, avoid joining a camp if possible. Don’t be the woman who complains about her man to form alliances with others. The intensity of Mars is so great you will make everyone around you miserable. You will ultimately lose. Instead reach for Venus. I dare you to find 3 good things about your mate. Take that to the work place and find 3 good things about “those” people.

Friday the 3rd Venus moved into the constellation Pisces last night. Here, she is good at compassion. On the 9th, she’ll cross Uranus. This is a wonderful time to literally liberate your heart. I know; someone is driving you to the edge. You may truly find that liberation is all about leaving. But for most of us, it’s about finding the good stuff right where we are planted now. Let’s take the Venus challenge and find 3 sweet things about your life right now. Feed those with others and turn that inner warrior Mars into a planet of positive action and yes reaction to the old terrorist in our own thoughts. BTW, this is a fine day for a meeting or a date. Listen with your heart.

Saturday the 4th The Moon faces Pluto this afternoon and evening. Time to clean house: Hope your closets or drawers and turn your burden into a treasure for someone else. There is no better use of today’s energy. Do yourself a favor, turn off your phone and listen to music. Folks up north may be a little stir crazy. Stir up some interesting food with different spices to feed your need for some exotic place.

Sunday the 5th Super Bowl Sunday: Venus with Uranus could bring a surprise for the underdog, but likely excitement for the fans throughout the game. Yes, Venus is more about art than sports but this game brings advertising out like no other and no one will be surprised that the ads are also artfully surprising. BTW, ifs you prefer shopping to watching the game, expect some enticing sales too.

Monday the 6th Clear thoughts and communication are highlights of this day. Wise managers and sales reps take advantage of it. Everyone can play along: Why not look into your own eyes and have a clear conversation? You know you would like some answers but you’re probably hoping for compassion too! The Venus Uranus aspect is great for breaking free of old regrets that bind. We can see the good stuff today and ahead.

Tuesday the 7th Plenty of ideas for business are everywhere. Hopefully our legislators are getting things done. The next few days are rich with opportunities for all. You may not be in a business but you need to get something done. Roll up your sleeves and get started. Take notes or take out the trash but push a little to get going then follow the momentum.

Wednesday the 8th Watch what you say out of impatience or exhaustion. The Moon crosses Mars within 2 days. Today we feel it building and we are ready to get going. There is a caution in relationships of all kinds. Speak directly but don’t demean. As impatience mounts, wish parents and managers inspire their teams, yes even when the team frustrates them. Might no seem like a tall order, but most of us are tested during today and tomorrow.

Thursday the 9th Use your voice consciously. Notice I didn’t say quietly or carefully. It’s imperative to be conscious of who you are speaking to. Yes, the political stage is full of confrontation but that’s not pulling them together and won’t work for us either. Tune into the potential hostiles around you. No need to feed them and no need to be on the phone complaining when you need to be aware. Yield that place on the freeway. It’s not worth it. Stand down if you notice you are fighting any battle over something that really won’t matter in a few minutes much less tomorrow.

Friday the 10th The Moon triggers the Venus Uranus pair. Yes, this does shine a light on freedom. Yes, I could mean that folks are looking for something new or fresh or just different. This is strong all weekend. Think beyond the moment. Do you want to live with your actions? I know we are really wise and responsible folks. It’s just that this day and this weekend we want something fresh. Try a new look. Explore job opportunities. Try a different lunch. But when it comes to that exotic stranger take your time. In other words: take longer than tonight to decide.

Saturday the 11th Things look a little differently today. It’s easier to see the simple structure in your life that offers its own freedom. This is a fine day for a blind date if you’re looking. Take it slow but it’s a great day to get to know someone. Venus is very strong. Look into your heart and his eyes. Listen to her story and share yours. This is a good time to begin something and a great time to see the good stuff you already have.

Sunday the 12th Write a story about the romance of your daily life. Yes, you might be thinking of your cats or maybe the gift of silence or solitude, but there is something sweetly romantic and poignantly personal about where you are today. Saturn helps us see the simply beauty of a sunny winter day.

Monday the 13th Venus triggers Pluto: Sweet Venus is happy and philosophical. She understands that life in a relationship takes time and space and emotional energy. She wonders what it would be like to live alone as she pulls into a frustrating square to Pluto the planet of depth and yes, destruction. But this alone isn’t enough for a divorce. It is however enough to consider what to hope for on Valentine’s Day….grins. Seriously, this aspect is brief, just a few days, but it is winter and folks are tired of where they are and ponder what might be. If the mood strikes you, take a walk in the world of what ifs but do it as if you are curious not cataclysmic. Look at your life as if you were on the outside looking in. Chances are; what you take for can be seen as highly desirable if you look with fresh eyes.

Tuesday the 14th The day of love: When women long to be remembered and men fear they will forget. The power of the Venus Pluto transit could send you over the edge a bit. Step back and look at the other 364 days of the year. Breathe deeply and grow in gratitude. Neptune and Mercury sit together. No better aspect to rewrite the story of love. Can you reach beyond longing and touch the blissful wave of connection? You can today if you breathe into your heart and try. In the material world: there is no better combination for confusion. Yes, the waiter may well get your order wrong and yes, there is a wait. Neptune wants to flow. You might go for drinks and dessert rather than wait with the crowd. No matter where you spend the day, give from your heart and what you receive will the greater than you can imagine.

Wednesday the 15th The news is unusually filled with hyperbole and exaggeration. Step aside. Tune into the facts but turn away from presumption. We truly are writing the script of the future. It isn’t all done. This is a particularly good day and even month to rewrite your vision of the future and to see the power when you turn off predictions of doom. BTW this is a great day for meetings on every level. Folks what to do something: What will you show for this day?

Thursday the 16th Rise above your disappointment. That’s easier said than done. But the planets are in a wonderful position to help us ascend. Jupiter and Pluto continue to help us rewrite the story and the high-minded or compassionate place where Venus lingers today makes it particularly good to rise above. Gratitude is her ally and yes, there are many ways to be blessed. But today it’s just a little easier to share your blessings with those around you. This is not synonymous with endless giving: it’s about the natural boundaries between giving and taking. Only today, it’s a little easier to receive the gifts of your heart felt giving….ahhhh.

Friday the 17th Venus moves into the mansion Revati. The end is the beginning and the beginning is part of the next chapter. Venus loves to be here and will remain the rest of the month. AS the Moon crosses Pluto this morning, we get to see what is ending. No need for drama, it’s actually pretty easy to let go. Notice where your energy takes you as you read this. The fascinating thing about these transits: it’s not about leaving “them” but about leaving out thoughts of them. This is a good day for pleasant conversations on big issues. It’s great to listen to another side and entertain it. That makes this good for a quiet date and even better to write your own personal ad and carefully read another’s.

Saturday the 18th It’s a pleasant day for almost anything. Don’t push your body too hard, but get it moving. Don’t expect too much from others…but listen to them. Enjoy the gift of entertainment or getting a project done. It’s hard to be irritated unless you’re determined to blame someone.

Sunday the 19th The Sun crosses Neptune: It’s a great time to create your image. Neptune is spiritual immersion and visual inspiration. But it needs a little shape or structure. Look into the mirror and notice your best feature. Highlight it. Neptune is fluid: allow inspiration to flow through you and entertain a different look. If you aren’t up to it alone, wander into the store that appeals to you and ask a professional for her view. One of the great things about women: We often talk to each other in the dressing rooms or get inspired when we see someone with our shape in something new. No need to shop, but it helps bring in a fresh color or shape. Carry it back and revisit your closet. Yes, this is true with music and food too.

Monday the 20th See themes below for this week. Mercury is in a mansion that’s all about getting to the bottom of things. In other words: get to the root of the matter. The Sun with Neptune is intoxicating. It helps us heal with insight and maybe a little imagination. Take care: Mercury it pulling ahead to face Mars and he’s coming back to greet the messenger. Today and this week are powerful. Your words might come back to haunt you.

Tuesday the 21st Venus is strong and wise and today, she triggers Mars from the far edge of the heavens. It’s not face to face, but takes a little effort to see where she’s coming from. Caution: If you are truly compassionate you probably aren’t going to play the may way or you’ll pay card. Manipulation and love are strange bedfellows. Some folks are really good at it. If you find yourself on the couch with one of them know what you are playing with, and paying for.

Wednesday the 22nd Talk isn’t cheap today. The Moon…think perceptions and emotions…joins Mercury and faces Mars. Yes indeed, what leaps from your lizard lips could well reach across time and space and cost you dearly. Deep sigh…If you happen to have planets in Vedic Leo and Aquarius or Western Virgo and Pisces you really shouldn’t hit the send key spontaneously. In fact, this would be a great day to practice belly breath for a few seconds before you blurt. Are you in an important meeting or taking your life a little too personally? Calmly repeat what you hear before you respond. Mars loves a good yoga class. There, it’s hard to say anything other than “ohm and ahhhhhh!” Besides, only the instructor gets to be bossy and even Mars needs to take time off.

Thursday the 23rd The Moon runs away from what she said yesterday. Literally, she moves toward Uranus which is all about freedom. Yes, it does require detachment in the process. Are you detaching from what you said, wish you could say or the need to listen? Grins…It’s another day in life school. We are learning about Mars from the inside out. Humor really does heal even when we laugh at how big it seemed then and how little “it” matters in compassion to other things now.

Friday the 24th It’s Venus’ day of the week: Time to look and feel good from the inside. Good news! Venus is very happy in the heavens. That makes it easier to radiate confidence and good will. No need to be frugal. It’s abundant and even attracts more in return. Yes, this is a good day for any social interaction. Mars is still looking at battles from the past. But today, it’s easy to leave it behind. Hmm, if we can learn this lesson today the entire future is more radiant and definitely more attractive.

Saturday the 25th More of Radiant Venus: The Moon continues to reflect her and illuminate our perceptions. Funny isn’t it? When we are compassionate and bring good will it is easier to notice it in others. This is a good date weekend and a great blind date day. You might even look online. The person you passed over in a dark moment might just look different today.

Sunday the 26th Oh lucky days! Today and tomorrow, the Moon crossed Jupiter. It’s all about a fresh look and a fresh start. Set things in motion today. Yes, you can find a new wardrobe in your own closet and yes, it is time to get out and walk or dance and start your resolutions over. These are happy transits and help the old moody Mars move his energy into action.

Monday the 27th Speaking of resolutions and plans of all kinds, Mars can be called into action if you give him someone to serve. Think of “servicemen and women.” Bring you team together. Acknowledge the obstacles. It’s helpful to acknowledge what is humanly possible and diffuse some of the stress. Sometimes we do fail and need to start over. There is no better week to do that than this one.

Tuesday the 28th This is the date of my husband’s stroke 4 years ago. Just writing it gives me pause because it is the day that my world changed. Today is a fresh beginning and I know better than to look back for long. Still, many of you have similar life experiences. It is after all part of the cycle of life. That said, today is not the end of the month it’s another leap year. He got another chance and so do we. Yes, life is hard. We try to avoid that part but it finds us and the most amazing thing happens: We find the strength to rise to the occasion.

Friday the 29th The gift of an extra day. How will you use it? Venus pulls forward to Jupiter and Spring is in the air. Should be a good day for meetings and a fun evening for anything.

Central Themes: Venus is unusually strong most of the month. She is the planet of love and compassion. We have a mixture of action and reaction from retrograde Mars. The sweetness of Venus well placed in “light” lunar mansions. The capacity to rewrite the story line we’re running in our thoughts and to literally embrace the gift of today without dread from pain in the past. I have on my lap a prayer flag with a quote from Buddha. It is a perfect message for the blend of planets this month.

“Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness. Happiness is the art of never holding in your mind the memory of any unpleasant thing that has passed.”

Mars is moving backward and it seems we’ll never get ahead. That’s more a feeling than a fact. We’ll see it in the Republian race. Notice that nasty Mars ads hit the media and rebound onto the aggressor. Assuming that I have the accurate time of birth for Newt, Mars is not his friend. He does best when he is inclusive and magnanimous with his fellow candidates. 4 years ago we watched this with now President Obama: When he rose above he was able to soar. The only Republican candidate rising above now is Santorum. While he is a wild card for his party it is interesting. Secretary of State Clinton gets some really positive transits this Spring. She could end up on the ticket some how. Don’t know if it will be for VP or P but it will be tossed around this month as Mars leaves political power brokers planning for a fierce race and wondering what the Supreme Court will decide regarding Obama Care in March and April. Yes, I do know that Secretary Clinton is determined to rest at the end of this year. I wish her well, she certainly deserves time to rest and write her story. But I have to say, she may be recruited….may be.

Personal responsibility for your part in the drama in your life: Retrograde Mars is really good at turning the blame inward as irritation, defiance and yes, depression. When you bring these with you to the party it’s imperative to accept your part in your discomfort. This is a big one, but there is no better time than the present to notice how we push folks away. If you are easily disappointed, it’s time to “appoint” your self in charge of changing that. If you are too sensitive…it’s time to grow a more tolerant skin. If you are overwhelmed, it may be the best time ever to take a break from your demanding schedule and more than anything, stop binging on your despair. Mars retrograde is good at turning the tables. Would you like to sit with you at the table of life? If not, find some humor in the journey of life and make some changes. I dare you….that’s Mars’ call to action…to find the good stuff. If you can’t, I hope you can take find a way to rest and recover. We need the capacity for fight or flight: It isn’t usually needed at the check out line. Move the energy through you so it doesn’t come at you. That’s the gift of Mars and how he builds a great team or family. [I just heard from a teacher client who is using the Mars line with her students! We can all grow a little this month.]

Planetary pairings: Neptune with Mercury, Jupiter to Pluto and Venus is blissfully compassionate. Let’s write a different story. Turn off the news and set aside your bank account. What ever finds you in fear or frustration regarding the future is not your friend. Unfortunately, it is everywhere. So let’s rewrite the story. Bad things do happen to good people. Unfortunately that is part of the human experience. But is it a wise investment to saturate your thoughts with fear? Anxiety is abundant this year. Would you squander your joy on fear or will your rewrite your story with me? Look around your world. Neptune with Mercury is good at creative writing. They are even better at multi sensory awareness. Pick up you child or pet and smell him. Notice how your heart opens. It really is simple. Now rewrite your story around that gift. Adore your spouse and notice how you are adored in return. It’s almost magic. With that bond, Jupiter the story teller helps us travel a different path. It’s not like winning the lottery, but it does offer the priceless gift of this very day and time.

The 20th to the 29th: Karmic Voice or Dharmic Choice? Mercury moves forward facing Mars and Mars moves backward. They are both squared by the eclipse path. Rahu your drive for success, hunger for excess and risk on one side and Ketu the consequences of your desires on the other. Hmmm: You want to spew like Mt. St. Helens. Maybe you can’t hold it in any longer. But what will be the consequences? Could you forgive what you just said? Will you apologize? Take a deep breath and reach beyond the moment. Where is the pain coming from? Chances are it is really old. If it comes out, own it and work to repair the damage in you and to him. If you catch yourself, look deep into your eyes or grab a pen and write whatever wants to come out. There is no better time to find the burn within and heal it with insight. Yes, it’s true you are afraid of being abandoned again. Yes, it’s true that you want to be loved for who you are. But that’s where the story begins. Let’s rewrite it with dharmic choice if only after the lava flow comes out.

How the Money Grows: I expect the Market to slow a little as Mars moves backward. Jupiter to Pluto keeps it moving as we look for investments for the future. This should be strong for the price of oil and gas but that means a struggle to pay at the pumps.

Where the Love Flows: It flows everywhere but it begins with each of us. Look for evidence that you are loved. We can rewrite the story simply. “I am loved and I share that abundance generously.”

A break from Politics: President Obama faces his toughest challenges in March and April. I’m giving him the month off. I wish him well. The First Lady’s chart gets sweet transits by Jupiter and Venus. I hope they let her out of the box this month. Romney still has the strongest aspects for the nomination but there is a lot of ground to cover by his competitors. To read more go to my Winter Stars article at www.cynthianovak.com

All twenty-two children lay quietly with their eyes closed, their yoga mats arranged in a circle like the petals of a giant, multi-colored flower. Some are restless, distracted by the flickering candles in the center of the circle, but even the 3-year-old is participating.

The teacher gives instructions in a soothing voice, and the children imagine themselves going through a door that leads to the ocean. They listen for the sound of the waves, slow and rhythmic, like the sound of their breathing. After they have fully relaxed, the teacher tells them to come back through the door, and they start awakening by wiggling their toes. They sit up straight, place their hands over their hearts and bow to one another.

These young students at YogaWorks in Laguna Beach are not the only kids spending time in meditation. Meditation can take different forms, but is basically a state of mindful awareness or attention to the present moment. Though commonly associated with Eastern religious practices, meditation itself is not religious in nature and is used by people of all walks of life.

Parents, teachers and researchers are discovering how meditation can relax children and help them thrive in life and academics. Studies abound on the benefits of meditation for adults, and recent research is beginning to confirm that benefits extend to children as well.

Stress-Reduction and More

The relaxing ocean meditation is just one meditation that Sabine Sato uses in her yoga classes at YogaWorks. Yoga and meditation offer children a way to cope with their busy schedules of school, homework, sports and more.

“(Children) have very little time just to be,” says Sato. “The little meditation we do…really gives them time just to breathe and imagine.”

Psychotherapist Gina Biegel has studied the impact of meditation on teenagers and found that it does in fact decrease anxiety and depression. Her eight-week study of over 100 teenagers even found improvements in sleep patters and changes in medication use.

“We tend to be going-going-going all the time,” says Beigel, who practices at Kaiser Santa Teresa Hospital in San Jose. “We need to take a moment and not feel the need to do-do-do all the time.”

The benefits of meditation go beyond stress-reduction. Meditation can help kids understand that feelings are okay, build confidence and establish closer relationships.

Nancy Brady has taught meditation to OC kids for the past five years. She was able to use meditation to enable 8-year-old Joey to handle his grief after his grandmother passed away. Brady helped Joey “visit” his grandmother, and he was able to tell her that he missed her and loved her. Afterwards, he was no longer sad.

“It enriches my life to watch a child establish strong inner connections that strengthen his or her abilities in school and will continue to grow through life,” says Brady. “I like knowing that children have a more complete set of tools—beyond anger and frustration—to live the best life they can.”

Bringing Meditation to the Classroom

Studies reveal that meditation may have numerous benefits for children in the classroom. In a 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied School Psychology, mindful awareness exercises helped 1st through 3rd graders reduce anxiety and improve school performance.

Another study showed even more wide-reaching effects. Canadian students in 4th through 7th grade experienced improved optimism, attention, behavior and aggression through mindfulness exercises in the 2005 study by Kimberly Schonert-Reichl of the University of British Columbia.

“Meditation before bed helps a child sleep better, feel balanced during the day, develop his dominant learning pathways and strengthen the non-dominant ones,” says Brady. “In short, meditation can help children excel in academics and athletics.”

An exciting pilot study shows that mindfulness may benefit children as young as four and five. Last year the Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) at UCLA introduced a mindfulness program to preschoolers, the first controlled study on that age group. Mindfulness increased the preschoolers’ memory, planning and organization. Impacting a child’s development at such an early age has the potential for wide-reaching effects. While the results look promising, they are preliminary and further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

MARC is one of many organizations across the country seeking to bring meditation directly into classrooms. No formal programs have yet been brought to OC public schools, but there is interest in the possibilities, according to Dr. Lucy Vezzuto, coordinator of research and development for the OC Board of Education. Vezzuto is currently studying the research on mindfulness practices as a way to help students to be focused while feeling calm and safe. A ready state for learning, she says.

Yoga can create a similar calm and focus. At Anneliese’s Willowbrook School in Laguna Beach, Veronica Jacques leads her second graders in 20 minutes of yoga exercises each morning. She sees a marked improvement in classroom behavior, and parents often report that their children are focusing better at home, as well.

“It does help them improve their balance and ability to concentrate,” says Jacques. “It also promotes a deep sense of peace and serenity. They are not wild when they come in the classroom. They are really focused and ready to learn.”

Discovering Meditation Through Yoga

Children are discovering the benefits of meditation through yoga, and yoga studios are responding with classes designed for kids. One of these is mini yogis, a Los Angeles-based company that offers classes in OC.

Founder Shana Meyerson was pursuing a successful career and a graduate degree when yoga turned her life around.

“I discovered yoga and just realized that my whole life would have been so different had I found it as a child,” says Meyerson. She withdrew from school and quit her job to start the company, which specializes in kids’ yoga.

Yoga includes meditation and brings children similar benefits. Unlike school and sports, yoga is non-competitive. In learning to be non-competitive, children become less critical of themselves.

“Acceptance is a large part of yoga,” explains Meyerson. “Children learn that they are okay just the way they are.”

She has seen this significantly impact her students, including one shy 12-year-old tomboy who came into her first session hiding behind her mother’s skirt. With Meyerson’s help, she was able to embrace her differences from other girls and gain confidence. Within the first week she made a remarkable transformation.

Learning acceptance also teaches children to be less critical of others. A yoga class typically concludes with the children bowing to one another with their hands over their hearts in a gesture called “Namaste.” The bow signifies acknowledging the divine light in one another.

“I think that’s a great thought,” says Debbie Lavdas Tomlinson of Aliso Viejo. Kindness towards others is just one of the things her children Zoe, 4, and Ty, 2, have gained from yoga.

“They get things out of yoga that they don’t get anywhere else,” she says. “I would love for them to keep yoga in their lives forever.”

Yoga provides additional benefits that meditation alone does not. Practicing yoga postures promotes physical strength, builds stamina and increases coordination and flexibility.

“It’s very good for her athletically,” says Rachel Dawson of Laguna Beach, whose daughter Eliyah, 5, has been taking yoga classes for over a year. “She’s not into sports yet, so it’s a great way for her to have a ‘sport.’”

Special Benefits For Special Needs

Perhaps some of the most exciting possibilities are for children with special needs. Researchers at MARC completed another pilot study on the effects of mindfulness on teenagers and adults with attention deficit disorders (ADD). Though more research is needed, the participants experienced significant improvements in inattention and hyperactivity.

Brady used meditation to help one child with ADHD improve his attention span. During his first session, the 6-year-old boy rolled around on the floor because he was unable to sit still. Just a few sessions later, he joined the class for a few minutes, and at each subsequent session he was able to participate longer. He carried this ability over into his everyday life.

Brady also sees possibilities in meditation for helping children with autism. This spring, she is starting classes for parents of autistic children. She hopes to teach parents methods that may assist their children.

Meyerson has seen yoga help a child with a mild form of autism. The girl, who suffered from Asperger’s Syndrome, refused to even come into the class for a year. After a few years of teaching, she was meditating for up to half an hour.

“It really does make a difference in children’s lives, especially if they have special needs,” Meyerson says.

Sharing Meditation Together

Then a parent and child experience meditation together, they can enjoy the benefits while also creating a special bond with one another.

Dawson and Tomlinson both started their children in yoga to enjoy time together.

“Mini yogis is a lot of fun to do together, too, as mom and child,” says Tomlinson. “I do the table pose, Zoe does the chair and pretends to eat, say, a spaghetti dinner on me.”

Moms-to-be can even use yoga and meditation to bond with their unborn babies.

“You are connecting with the soul of your baby in utero. It’s a feeling of connection, of oneness with your child inside of you,” says Mallika Chopra, author of two inspirational books for moms, and daughter of spiritual guru Deepak Chopra. For her, meditating during pregnancy was a beautiful and magical experience.

Whether children experience meditation with a parent or on their own, the benefits can last a lifetime.

“Meditation is a precious gift that your child(ren) will have for their entire lives,” says Chopra. “It’s something they will always have at moments of stress and frustration, and when they want to be at a (more balanced) place.”

Source: www.Parentingoc.com