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2. motherhood
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May 2008
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Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. Our mission is to provide insights and information to
improve the quality of life physically, mentally, emotionally and
spiritually. In each issue, readers find cutting-edge information
on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green
living, creative expression and the products and services that
support a healthy lifestyle.
Vegetarianism
Saving the Planet One Bite at a Time
by Jana Hayes
pg. 6
Belly Dance? Fat Chance!
An Interview with Carolena Nerriccio
18
Blazing the Solar Frontier
20
The Birth of Sacred Mission
by Anton Knoll
22
Stay Juicy
24
by Keith Waller
by Keith Waller
pg. 9
by Jody Gehrman
The Busy Woman’s
54-Minute Weekly Workout Solution
by Philip Bruley
Thai Seasons
pg. 16
17
Traditional Thai Cuisine Offers
Fresh Vegetarian options
28
35
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May 2008
coverartist
letterfromeditor
For the last couple of days, I have been wracking my brain,
hoping for a topic to magically come to me for this month’s
publisher’s letter. I considered a “fluff” piece about how
beautiful spring is this year along the Strand; the azaleas… the
dogwoods… the multitude of greens in the returning foliage...
The next idea to cross my mind was a stern editorial lashing
of Monsanto, that “multinational agricultural biotechnology
corporation” bent on making the entire world dependent on
their genetically modified seeds at the expense of our long term
health. (See the Action Alert on page 9.) A little too heavy handed, even for me.
Instead, I have decided to tell you the story of a friend of mine.
Circle of Light
Sandra Bierman
Sandra Bierman, grandmother of
five, was born in 1938 in Brooklyn,
New York, but from age 4 grew up in
Oklahoma, Texas and Maryland. Her
father was a Swedish immigrant and
her mother a Texas farm girl. She was
nurtured as a child by her part-Cherokee
grandmother. Sandra and her husband
have lived in Boulder, Colorado, since
1988.
Art scholarships began at age 11. Now
her oils are widely collected and are
published and distributed worldwide.
Sandra’s paintings often depict earthy
women with bare, feet and large,
caring hands. “The women may be
cradling a child, getting solace from a
cat or washing their hair in the rain­­—
reflections from my own life,” she says.
“In a way, the whole painting is a selfportrait from the inside, out.” For the
sake of important elements in her work,
she often exaggerates or distorts shapes
and lines to enhance the overall flow
and composition. “I apply the paint, but
it is a struggle to not get in the way of
the process as it unfolds. It works best if
the vision guides me, not I guide it.”
To view more of the artist’s work, visit
SandraBierman.com.
Grand Strand
Let’s call my friend Wo, short for wo-man which could be a man or a woman. My
friend Wo is a woman, but not just any type of wo-man. She is a parent, a mother.
Wo has a child named Chi, a boy about 11 years old. Chi was born with a terminal, degenerative, genetic disease—one that usually shortens the lifespan to 20-30
years. Chi has good days and not-so-good days. And through it all Wo is beside
him holding his hand, standing up to doctors making sure he gets the best of care.
I see Wo every Sunday at church, except for those not-so-good Sundays when
Wo has been up all night with Chi. On those occasions when I see Wo and Chi
together, my heart soars for the magic that they share. I am amazed at the strength
that this remarkable wo-man demonstrates. Wo is a single parent, working full
time, raising Chi, and continually searching for better treatment – or even a cure
– for Chi’s disease. I met Wo at a spiritual book club, an upbeat and happy person,
ready to take charge of her own growth. I applaud Wo, her desire to evolve, for in
her own evolution and enlightenment lies the path to Chi’s wholeness as well.
One of Wo’s biggest struggles is to believe that her son will outlive her, to rise
above the conventional prognosis and see beyond current medical evidence.
It is not an easy task to hold a Vision of Health when all you have been taught
disagrees. As Wo searches and discovers new and exciting truths, she shares her
newfound knowledge with an open heart, often demonstrating acceptance when
these very truths help others, but not Chi.
Wo is not alone in this world. There are parents, too many to count, who are in the
same situation, struggling to hold a Vision of Hope. Spiritual teacher Ross Peterson
said, “There are no irreversible conditions of the body…only irreversible conditions of the mind.” Please join me in blessing these very special Angels, those who
hold steadfastly to belief and Visions of Hope, both parents and children. Namaste.
Happy Mother’s Day,
newsbriefs
Healing & Wellness for Body, Mind & Spirit
L
contact us
Publisher
Keith Waller
Managing Editor
Anton Knoll
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Chance Diebold
Melody Rike
Sharon Bruckman
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Advertising Sales
Keith Waller
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based ink.
indsley Field, grateful and enthusiastic newcomer
to The Grand Strand, moved to Murrells Inlet this
past December with her husband, Dr. John Fisher.
Formerly of Maine, Lindsley ran a successful healing
and teaching practice, Path to the Heart, and brings
20 years experience to her newly opened practice.
Skilled in bodywork, energetic and metaphysical
techniques, she is a certified Trager® practitioner,
Usui and Karuna® Reiki Master and teacher, Aromatherapist and Shamanic counselor. “I love to create
a collaborative relationship in my private sessions as
well as in my workshops. My desire and passion is to
inspire and empower, invite self-awareness, self-care,
and within this process help people discover easier,
freer ways of feeling and being” says Field.
Lindsley’s unique integrative approach reflects her understanding that “healing
happens within, and once addressed the physical body responds beautifully. Our
bodies will automatically realign to more positive ways of functioning and feeling.
Habituated and conditioned patterns of tension, pain and holding can be released.
As people experience more comfort and ease within their bodies, their minds relax
and quiet, their spirits feel lifted, lighter, happier. They experience a renewed sense
of well being and vitality.”
Besides being a great way to manage stress, stay relaxed, healthy and out of
the doctor’s office, her work has helped many with a variety of symptoms, such as
limited movement, stress, back and neck pain, depression, anxiety, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, ALS, fibromyalgia, cerebral palsy, physical and emotional trauma,
PTSD, headaches, muscle spasms, carpal tunnel syndrome, recovering from injuries
or surgery. She has worked in a variety of settings, including hospitals and clinics,
and served all age groups, including children and the elderly.
For more information, contact Rev. Lindsley Field, C.T.P., Healing & Wellness for
Body, Mind & Spirit, Murrells Inlet, at (843) 651-1086 or email mysticheartdancer@
gmail.com. See ad page 28.
Bones for Life®
Strength and Safety
M
ay is National Osteoporosis Month. All of
us need strong bones – young and old alike
– and there are exercises proven to strengthen
the bones, improve posture and make movement
easier and more comfortable. Bones broken in
a fall or sports activities are more than painful,
they are a dangerous signal that something needs
to be done.
Heidi McGovern, Physical Therapist, Feldenkrais Guild Certified Teacher® and Certified Bones
for Life® instructor, is teaching a 20-hour Bones
for Life® Segment 1 workshop at the Ocean Creek
Resort, across from Barefoot Landing in Myrtle
Beach over two consecutive weekends. The program focuses on proper skeletal alignment while performing weight-bearing motions, so that dynamic effort is efficiently
transmitted throughout the whole body. The exercises and practice are ideal for all
ages and abilities, and everyone will participate.
May 2008
newsbriefs
The program will begin on Friday, May 30th, 6 - 9pm, Saturday, May 31st 9 am - 5 pm and Sunday, June 1st from 9 am -1 pm,
then continue on Friday, June 6th, 6 - 9 pm and Saturday, June
7th, 9 am - 1 pm. Cost is $325 for those that register before May
7th, and $375 thereafter.
For more information contact Heidi McGovern, at (843)
361-8436, [email protected] or visit BonesForLife.com.
See ad page 9.
ArtRageous
Kids Day in Pawleys
T
hursday June 26th at
9am—with the leadership of Mary Frances
Sheets at Pendragon Art
Supply, Mike Morris and
the Midway Fire Department in Pawleys Island—
ArtRageous will bring the
community together and
let kids express themselves
at this fun all day family event beginning at 9
am. It’s designed for kid’s
of all ages to paint a tee
shirt, decorate the sidewalk with chalk, have a
balloon battle, get their faces painted, drive the drunken golf
cart, and more. Also, kids can join a competition to design and
create the new National Fire Safety Poster. The Fire Department
will keep the poster entries until October (National Fire Safety
Month and Unleash Your Inner Artist Month). Then the posters
will be sent in for the National Judging.
The Pawleys Island Plaza parking lot will be the location
Grand Strand
for ArtRageous, and should rain threaten, the rain date will be
the following day, June 27th.
“School will close in early June, and many kids will go
into summer hibernation with too little to do. Give them an
opportunity to start something creative” suggests Mary Sheets,
owner of Pendragon Fine Art Supply.
PenDragon and Midway Fire Department are looking for
donors and sponsors of the event to help provide supplies and
equipment so that there will be no cost for the kid’s participation. Your tax deductible donation, in the form of a check made
out to R.E.A.P. can be dropped off or mailed to Midway Fire
Station, 67 St Pauls Place, Pawleys Island SC 29585. You can
make a difference. “I would very much love to see this take
off for the kids, and volunteers to help are loved and needed”
adds Mary.
To learn more about ArtRageous Kid’s Day, call Mary Frances Sheets at (843) 237-5735, Mike Morris at (843) 545-3653
or Midway Fire Department at (843) 545-3620. See Pendragon
Fine Art Supply ad page 42.
Air Conditioning System Runs
Entirely on Solar
V
erlun Wolf and Dan Evans of Carolina Solar in Surfside
Beach are introducing the Millennia System, a new 1.5,
2 and 5 ton air-conditioning and reverse cycle heating system
that uses 75% less electricity than typical heat pump systems
and is designed to run completely from solar panels and back
up batteries. This allows the system to heat and cool your home
or office with the sun all day and battery back-up all night.
This high efficiency system is not plugged in or powered by
the electric utility, but runs entirely from the power provided
by solar panels and batteries contained within the cabinet. The
1.5 ton system uses eight 200 watt solar panels plugged directly
into the 24 and 48 volt system, without additional inverters or
equipment.
Verlun and Dan will be demonstrating the new system at
the Green Builder’s Conference April 28th to 30th at the Myrtle
Beach Convention Center. For more information, contact Dan
Evans at (843) 238-5805, and visit CarolinaCool.com. See ad
page 11.
This Month at Springbank
Retreat For Eco-Spirituality and the Arts
E
xploration of
the self with an
emphasis on quiet
and contemplation
are themes for programs in May at
Springbank Retreat
for Eco-Spirituality
and the Arts near
K i n g s t r e e . Fe e s
for the workshops
include lodging,
meals, and instruction.
A Contemplative Retreat will be led by the Springbank
staff from Friday, May 9th to Sunday, May 11th. Participants
are invited to spend uninterrupted time on 80 acres of wooded
trails where they can enjoy the natural beauty of Springbank.
By retreating into the quiet of nature and their own souls, they
will have time to listen and be in the comforting silence. The retreat will feature guided meditation each morning and evening.
Spiritual direction and healing massage are available.
Entering the Monastery of the Cosmos will be offered Friday
through Sunday, May 16th -18th. Rev. Jim Conlon— an author,
teacher, priest, and director of the Sophia Center in Oakland,
CA— will lead the workshop, which gives participants a time to
ponder the call of the cosmos and the quest for the true self. He
will explore the understanding that human lives are enveloped
by the divine mystery that permeates every aspect of existence.
Rev. Conlon will present another program, Finding God in the
Stars and the Street, in November.
Other fall programs at Springbank Retreat feature opportunities for learning about basketry and painting, transformation
to assure Earth’s survival, Native spirituality, and two retreats
that incorporate singing.
For more information, contact Springbank at (800) 6710361, [email protected], or visit SpringbankRetreat.org.
See ad page 29.
antibiotic-free, and processed at USDA inspected facilities.
For the full selection of natural or organic grains, pastas, dairy,
meats, baked goods, vegetables, herbs and other farm products,
sign up for the weekly email list for updates and pre-order forms.
Charlie is always looking for volunteers to help out too.
Ovis Hill delivers Wednesday evenings from 4 - 7 pm at
196C Stonebridge Drive, Myrtle Beach, Bypass 17 at Palmetto
Point, and every Saturday in Florence at 2519 West Palmetto.
The farm store, at 1501 Weaver Street in Timmonsville, is open
to the public.
For information and sign-up for the email newsletter, call
Charlie Caldwell at (843) 992-9447, email to CCCotswold@
aol.com, or see OvisHillFarm.com. See ad page 41.
Biodynamic Craniosacral
Therapy
Advanced Training for Cassena Spa
S
allie H. Gentry, LMT, of Cassena Spa in Pawleys Island will
participate in a course in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
at the Body Therapy Institute in NC, April 24th - 27th. The course
is being taught by Michael Shea, a respected teacher in the field
of Craniosacral Therapy, and whose work and studies include a
Masters Degree in Buddhist Psychology. The course introduces
new research and understanding of embryology as it relates to
human development, and how the skilled therapist can utilize
this understanding when working with a client.
For more info on Craniosacral Therapy contact Sallie Gentry
at (843) 314-4611. Cassena Spa, 9428 Ocean Hwy 17, Ste 4,
Pawleys Island. See ad page 38.
Ovis Hill Farms
Weekly Deliveries Extended
O
vis Hill Farms has announced that they will continue the
weekly Wednesday Evening Farm Market in Myrtle Beach,
replacing the original twice monthly trips. Charlie says that
green vegetables are coming in, along with most of his normal
item selection, but eggs and certain cuts of chicken and lamb
are in short supply and should be pre-ordered. As always, all
livestock products are free-range, pasture-raised, hormone- and
May 2008
newsbriefs
Train the BrainTo Know Freedom
D
av i d H i l l e r b r i n g s
Psych-K, a new system
for breaking through difficult
personal limits and barriers for people in the Grand
Strand area for the first time.
Among new techniques to
help break old habits, stop
self defeating paradigms
and enhance performance,
Psych-K originated on the
West Coast in 1988 and has
spread across the country,
reaching our area with the
instructor certification of David Hiller.
“If you believe you can, or you believe you can’t…you’re
right”, is a quote attributed to Henry Ford, illustrating the dilemma many of us suffer when our belief systems set up barriers
that prevent us from reaching our life goals.
“There are unlimited applications”, explains Hiller. “PsychK can help stop smoking, boost a weight loss program or improve sports performance. But it can also help reduce anxiety,
panic attacks and post traumatic stress. Even at work, it can
help improve your work habits, finance management and career
opportunities.”
Psych-K facilitates communication between the conscious
and subconscious mind and improves “cross-talk” between
brain hemispheres to help change outdated or destructive
thought patterns. With the proper leadership of the Psych-K
instructor/facilitator, it is possible to achieve the success or
peace which you always thought was never to be within your
reach
For more info, contact David Hiller, M.Ed., Certified Psych-K
Consultant, Empowerment Coach and Workshop Facilitator at
(843) 333-8260, [email protected], and see listing
page 46.
A Gathering of Peacemakers
O
n August 4th - 10th, Julia and Robert Roskind, authors
of five books, will follow up on the 70 free One Love
concerts they’ve taken to schools, prisons and public venues
in the United States and Jamaica with The Gathering of the
Peacemakers: Seven Days of Conscious Instruction and Six
Nights of Conscious Music, in the mountains of North Carolina.
The keynote speaker is Elder-in-Residence and Mayan spiritual
guide Tata Pedro Cruz, from Guatemala, who will explain the
principles behind the Mayan calendar and prophecies.
“This area’s balance of wilderness and shelter is a perfect
environment for relearning the way of harmony and grace,”
explains Julia Roskind. Workshops will explore issues of health,
relationships, energy, gardening, sustainable communities and
living with nature. Evening concerts include performances
by Corey Harris, Dub Conscious, Laura Reed and the Deep
Grand Strand
Pocket Band, Afromotive, Ras Alan and Chalwa. Asheville-based
recording artist Laura Reed notes that, “All the music will be
musical medicine.”
Cost is $275 for the week. Meals are an additional $125.
The site is the 152-acre Holston Camp in Banner Elk, NC. For
information visit OneLovePress.com or email Roskind@boone.
net. See ad page 26.
The Universal Lightworkers
Conference
Returns to South Florida
S
outh Florida proudly hosts the 12th annual Universal Lightworkers Conference at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott North
from Friday, June 13th – Sunday, June 15th. One of the longest
running, original and most renowned New Age conferences,
it is claimed by many to be not only “the Conference of all
Conferences,” but also different from all the rest—a gathering
of ‘love and light’ featuring the world’s most influential spiritual
teachers and authors.
This year the speakers confirmed include the world renowned author, James Redfield (Celestine Prophecy), Gary
Renard (author, Disappearance of the Universe), Michael
Mirdad (author & spiritual teacher), Pat Rodegast (author &
channel, Emmanuel), Patricia Cota-Robles (author and channel),
Shinto (spiritual teacher), Michelle Whitedove (author, channel,
and Lifetime TV’s #1 Psychic), Kathryn Andries (author, Soul
Choices: Six Paths to Find Your Life Purpose), and Steve & Ami
Sciulli, who lead energy balancing through music and vibration.
In addition to these exceptional speakers, this year’s ULC
features great music from Jonn Serrie (composer from the movie,
What the Bleep...), Here II Here (formerly known as Inner Voice),
Armand and Angelina, Life in Balance, and the Ron Gosio Band,
as well as singing, dancing, and most of all laughter.
To join the conference, call (360) 671-8349 or register
online at UniversalLightworkers.com.
Action Alert:
Genetically Modified Sugar on
its Way
A
merican Crystal, a large
supplier of table sugar,
recently released the following
announcement:
“The 2006 and 2007 [sugar
beet] crops were the best two
in American Crystal’s history.
It will certainly be a challenge,
but reaching similar yield levels
is definitely possible with average or better weather in 2008.
Several factors like Roundup
Ready®, XBeet, new fungicides
and others will make significant
contributions to this possibility
for 2008. Every grower needs to take advantage of the many
learning opportunities available to them this winter to make the
most of new practices and technology.”
To understand the concerns surrounding crops genetically
modified to produce their own insecticide, fungicide, or to resist
commercially-applied poisons, and discover what happens
when these crops find their way to the dinner table, watch the
European Union’s documentary at the link below. This has, by
the way, never been shown on US airwaves:
www.OrganicConsumers.org/articles/article_11386.cfm
Although all genetically modified crops are a serious issue,
to voice your specific concern about genetically modified sugar
beets, call American Crystal Sugar now at (218) 236-4400 and
tell the operator you want to leave a consumer comment. Then
tell their public relations person that you want them to honor
the pledge they made in 2001 to avoid genetically engineered
sugar beets, and that you will boycott any products that use
sugar from GMO sources. (If you get voicemail, leave comments
in their general mailbox.)
Visit Citizens.org for more information.
Action Alert:
Mercury in the Environment
Our Fault Too
A
n alert Natural
Awakenings reader from Conway called
about mercury in energy-saving compact
florescent bulbs, and
the environmental
hazard they represent.
Although the bulbs
save a tremendous
amount of the mercury produced by coal-fired power plants
compared to their incandescent counterparts, many people
aren’t disposing of them safely. “I see people tossing them in
the woods, throwing them in a trash barrel and burning them
with the trash,” he related.
There are several serious concerns here. First, burning trash
is not healthy for the environment, neighbors or anyone nearby,
now and possibly for years in the future, and poses an even
more serious danger when batteries or household items of metal,
plastic or unidentifiable material is burned. All florescent lights
and many electronic items contain mercury along with other
toxic metals and contaminants. If you have any questions about
how to dispose of all types of waste, contact your county Solid
Waste Authority. If transporting hazardous trash is a problem,
ask them for suggestions for convenient drop-offs or pickups.
Action Alert:
Solar Power Legislation
T
he South Carolina solar bill, which supports the growth of
clean solar energy, has been introduced in the Senate as the
Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008. One of our Senators
has yet to become involved with this bill, and we hope you will
help change that. Call Senator DeMint now (202) 224-6121
and ask him to sign on today as a co-sponsor.
The Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008 would extend
the commercial solar tax credit for 8 years and the residential
solar tax credit for 1 year, both expiring soon, while removing
the $2000 cap on the residential credit. The bill also extends
clean energy tax credits that support the development of other
renewable and energy efficiency measures, also expiring soon.
So far, the bill has 27 co-sponsors. We need 65 for this bill to
have a legitimate chance of passing.
May 2008
healthykids
What to
Inspect
When Expecting
a handy health checklist
for pregnancy
by Amy Linn
T
alk about a double-whammy.
Pregnancy is not only the most
critical time for establishing a
new baby’s well-being, it’s also the time
when mom is especially vulnerable
to the stew of harmful chemicals in
the world; toxins that are increasingly
making their way into women’s bodies,
wombs and breast milk.
The good news is that mom can
take care of herself and her coming
little one simply by practicing a few of
these10 steps. Making a vow now of
progress, not perfection, ensures a good
beginning.
1.Say yes to organic food
Switching to more organic foods
will reduce the whole family’s exposure
to pesticides, hormones, antibiotics,
nitrites and more. Going natural also
provides super-nutrients that can help
reduce cancer risks and boost overall
health. Plus, babies en utero tend to
develop a fondness for the things mom
eats during pregnancy, establishing
healthier eating habits for life.
Admittedly, a totally organic
lifestyle can be pricey. It’s best to buy
organic versions of the foods we eat
most. Use organic, low-fat dairy and
buy organic varieties of the produce
with the highest loads of insecticides,
including peaches, apples, sweet bell
peppers, celery, nectarines, strawber10
Grand Strand
ries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes,
pears, spinach and potatoes. (See FoodNews.org/walletguide.php.) Organic
ketchup offers the added benefit of the
ultra-healthful antioxidant, lycopene.
Five-cent solution: Replace one
more item on the shopping list with its
organic counterpart on each trip to the
grocer’s.
2.Beauty without chemicals
Choose natural or organic personal
care products, including shampoos
and conditioners, soaps, deodorants,
perfumes, makeup and moisturizers.
Conventional brands of cosmetics and
lotions often contain noxious chemicals
like phthalates, which have been linked
to birth defects. A simple way to avoid
exposure is to shun products that list
fragrance as an ingredient.
In the hair and nail department,
avoid hair dyes and nail polishes with
toxic components, such as coal tar or
formaldehyde. Instead, choose green
products at the local natural food store,
or shop online at Aubrey Organics,
Burt’s Bees, Terressentials, Jason Natural
and similar sites. (Visit TheGreenGuide.
com and CosmeticsDatabase.com.)
Five-cent solution: Instead of
slathering on makeup, take advantage
of that mother-to-be glow.
3.Cotton to organic cotton
By some estimates, conventional
cotton accounts for 10 percent of the
world’s pesticide use and 25 percent
of insecticide use, making it one of the
most toxic crops on earth. Help weave a
healthier world by buying organic cotton
towels, linens, mattress pads, encasements and mattresses. Newborns sleep
about 12 hours a day, with their little
noses, eyes and mouths pressed against
the bedding. Find green bedding at The
Organic Mattress Store, The Natural Sleep
Store, Good Night Naturals and others.
Five-cent solution: At a minimum,
wash conventional linens in nontoxic
laundry products.
4.Furnish wisely
Avoid furnishings using polyurethane foam, which is often treated
with toxic fire retardants called PBDEs
(polybrominated diphenyl ethers).
Take a pass on those cute foam chairs
for children, too. As the foam ages, it
breaks down and releases PBDEs into
the air, which eventually wind up in
bodies and breast milk.
Five-cent solution: Shop at secondhand stores for lower prices on
good products that have had time to
off-gas nasty fumes.
5.Meet the new-old rules
Don’t smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, use illicit drugs, guzzle caffeinated
drinks or clean the kitty litter. Cat feces
can contain an organism called toxoplasma, which is particularly hazardous
for pregnant women and can, in rare
cases, present problems for the fetus.
Avoid touching the face while gardening and always wash up afterward, in
case cats also are dirtying the soil.
Five-cent solution: Ask others to
clean the cat box, or wear rubber
gloves.
6.Shun mercury
At all costs, avoid eating fish high
in mercury, a potent neurotoxin known
to cause developmental and health
problems for fetuses and children under
the age of 6. Common high-mercury
fish include king mackerel, marlin,
orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish
and tuna (big-eye or ahi). Limit intake
of bluefish, grouper, Chilean sea bass,
canned albacore tuna, yellowfin tuna
and Spanish and gulf mackerel. Also
watch out for sushi, which has murky
status in the mercury arena. (See recommendations at www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_regional.aspx)
Five-cent solution: Fish contains
beneficial protein and omega-3 fatty acids, so don’t give it up entirely. Aim for
safer options, such as shrimp, salmon,
pollock and catfish.
7.Let bugs and weeds be
Pregnancy is no time to come
into contact with pesticides or insecticides, which researchers have linked
to cancer, reproductive problems and a
host of other health and environmental
issues. Pesticides, such as organochlorines (OC), accumulate in the food
chain. Some, like DDT, now largely
banned in the United States, remain in
the environment for decades.
Five-cent solution: Switch to natural alternatives, such as fly paper, bug
swatters and hand-weeding.
8.Pick healthy pans
Teflon pans are easy to clean, but
they’re manufactured with chemicals
like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA),
a water contaminant and suspected
carcinogen that may also cause birth
defects. Use non-Teflon pans with a
splash of olive oil, instead.
Five-cent solution: Shop secondhand for cast iron, glass or stainless
steel pans.
9.Renovate later
Pregnancy may seem like a fine
time to fix up the house. But it’s actually the worst time, with all the ripping,
scraping, gluing, sanding and painting
that renovations entail. Remodeling
can be particularly toxic in homes built
before 1978, when almost all paints
contained lead, a substance that can affect nearly every aspect of fetal development. (Test for lead with a kit from the
local hardware store.) Most of today’s
commercial paints still contain hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOC),
but paints with few or no VOCs are
available. Older houses also are prime
territory for asbestos, a fire retardant,
widely used in everything from ceilings
and plumbing to insulation and flooring.
If puttering is a must, at least use green,
natural products.
Five-cent solution: Resist the redo
and relax. Baby won’t arrive criticizing
the wall color.
10.If it stinks, it stinks
When something smells terrible, it’s
often terrible for us, too. The nose knows
when to stay as far away as possible.
Common toxins include cigarette and
cigar smoke, bleaches, conventional
household cleansers, refinery smoke, solvents, paints, paint thinners, glues, oven
cleaners, air fresheners, vinyl shower curtains and new carpets (that “new carpet
smell” is a bad sign). See a warning label
on a product? Leave it alone.
Five-cent solution: Feel free to
be unapologetically picky in making
healthy choices.
Reprinted by permission from Grist
(grist.org). For more green parenting
advice and tips, check out Brood Awakenings, a special series on parenting
and health at grist.org/parenting.
May 2008
11
healthbriefs
Acupuncture
Alleviates
Menstrual Pain
M
ood swings, bloating and cramping—symptoms of menstrual discomfort—can range from mild to severe, and
have a serious impact on a woman’s quality of life. Yet, while most women resort
to an over-the-counter pain killer to find relief, a German study now has shown
that acupuncture may offer a valid alternative.
New research, conducted at Charité University Medical Center in Berlin,
studied 201 women who agreed to randomly receive acupuncture or no treatment. After three months, which included an average of 10 acupuncture sessions,
63 percent of the women receiving this treatment reported at least a 33 percent
improvement in their symptoms, compared with 24 percent of women in the control group. Researchers concluded that acupuncture can render benefits to women
suffering from menstrual discomfort and should be considered by health insurance
companies as a viable option for treatment.
Slender
women
eat yogurt
A recent study of more
than 3,000 women showed
that those who eat yogurt
have a body mass index 15
percent lower than those
of nonyogurt eaters. They
also consistenly receive
their daily allowances of
calcium and vitamin D.
Source: American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2008
Cooked or Raw?
New findings by Italian researchers confirm that
cooking certain vegetables, such as carrots, zucchini
and broccoli, preserves or even boosts their
antioxidant power, making them, nutritionally, even
more valuable than their raw veggie counterparts.
Source: American Chemical Society. 2007
A Good Start for Baby
I
f new moms want their babies to grow up loving fruits and
vegetables, they should eat plenty of these good food choices
themselves—at least during pregnancy and breastfeeding. A recent
study from the Monell Center suggests that the best predictor
of how much fruits and vegetables children eat is whether they
like the tastes of these foods. Julie A. Mennella, Ph.D., the senior
author reporting the findings, explains, “If we can get babies to learn to like these
tastes, we can get them off to an early start of healthy eating.”
The research involved 45 infants, divided into groups of breastfed babies and
babies fed on formula. A follow-up questionnaire revealed that mothers who breastfed their babies while frequently eating fruits and vegetables saw an increase in their
baby’s acceptance of those foods during the changeover to solid meals while weaning. Flavors, the researchers found, are transmitted first through amniotic fluid during
pregnancy, and then through the mother’s milk. Breastfeeding affords babies the
opportunity to familiarize themselves with certain tastes early on, setting the stage
for likes and dislikes later in life.
Source: Monell Chemical Senses Center, 2007
12
Grand Strand
THINK TWICE…
about taking a break from
your exercise regime. A
2008 study from the U.S.
Department of Energy
has determined that
weight gained during an
exercise hiatus can be
unexpectedly tough to
shed when
exercise is
resumed at
a later
date.
inspiration
Prescription
for a
Simple Life
by Linda Breen Pierce
T
Juice Debate
Update
I
n recent years, some family physicians and pediatricians have been
urging American parents to limit the
volume of fruit juice that their children drink, due to the overall rising
rate of childhood obesity. But now, a
study published by the University of
Michigan has found no association
between childhood obesity and 100percent fruit juice that has no sugar
added. On the contrary, natural, pure
fruit juices, the researchers report,
are a good source of vitamins and
antioxidants and provide many health
benefits.
Orange juice, for instance, is
more than just an iconic breakfast
drink. It helps prevent kidney stones
better than any other citrus beverage.
Cranberry juice not only remedies
urinary tract infections, but can help
prevent them. And antioxidant-rich
blueberry juice supports brain health,
keeping the mind sharp. These latest
findings show that fruit juices, as long
as they are pure and natural, can be
part of a wholesome health-promoting diet that’s not just for kids.
Source: University of Michigan Health
System, 2007
hrough 40 years of observation and
personal experience I have discovered that simplifying one’s life can greatly improve the quality of life. Living
simply is not about doing without the material comforts in life. It is about having
enough—enough intimacy with others and with nature, enough sense of purpose
and fulfilling work, enough fun and joy.
Living simply is about living in community, as a whole, spiritually-aware human being, caring for oneself, the Earth and others. A more descriptive term might
be “mindful living”, “intentional living” or “soulful living”.
Voluntary simplicity is a mindset, a way of looking at life, a commitment to
live consciously and deliberately. It involves living more lightly, with fewer distractions—unburdening life of needless material things, activities or relationships; letting
go of anything that interferes with the integrity of life. The deeply satisfying rewards
that come include peace and fulfillment, reflected in service and love to others.
Simplicity requires a two-step process. First, we must invest the time and energy
to discover what stirs us as human beings, what makes our hearts sing. Then, we create the life that reflects the unique individual we are. Connecting with our inner self
and whatever higher spiritual presence we believe in, all else falls into place.
Note, too, that simplicity for the well-to-do is not an oxymoron. Everyone
has the opportunity to discover what is truly satisfying for them, to live mindfully,
at a relaxed pace, to engage in activities that nourish the soul and to realize their
purpose. It’s a lifelong process.
Adapted from Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in
a Complex World and Simplicity Lessons: A 12-Step Guide to Living Simply by
Linda Breen Pierce. Contact her at GallagherPress.com.
Lifestyle
Patterns
of People who
Live Simply
Limit material possessions to what is
needed and/or cherished.
Engage in meaningful work for 30 hours
a week or less, paid or not, with a short
commute.
Enjoy quality relationships with friends
and family.
Participate in joyful and
pleasurable leisure activities.
Have a conscious and comfortable
relationship with money.
Connect with their community, although not necessarily via
formal organizations.
• Practice sustainable consumption.
Incorporate healthy living
practices in the areas of exercise, sleep
and food.
Focus on their growth and
spiritual life.
• Regularly spend time in nature.
• Live in a beautiful environment.
• Live in harmony with their values.
Source: Linda Breen Pierce
May 2008
13
From the Director of Beach Baby’s Doula Service
Pat Burrell, Mother and Baby Specialist;
with Katherine Roberts, Doula in Training
We at Beach Baby’s Doula Services would like to thank Natural Awakenings for introducing us to
the community in last year’s May issue. Now, we would like to share with the Grand Strand some of the
wonderful experiences we have had over the past year.
As you may know, I returned to my hometown of Myrtle
Beach in September 2006, with over thirty years of experience
working with mothers and babies in several capacities, and a vision
to use this knowledge and expertise to positively impact the lives
of families here. I shared my hopes and dreams with six women,
and together we created Beach Baby’s Doula Services, Inc. We are
all very excited about the impact our shared vision has had on the
families we have served.
We have worked under the DONA motto: “Every woman
who wants a Doula should have one,” and have been able to help
every woman who has come to us for a labor doula, breastfeeding
advice, Wholistic childbirth classes and Doula training. We have
assisted births in three area hospitals: Waccamaw, Grand Strand
Regional, and Conway, and are grateful to be working in harmony
Riley, Elijah, & Akiya
with the hospital staff in each one. Our hospital births have been
beautiful. One obstetrician, who attended the birth of one of our clients and witnessed the relative ease
of her labor, commented that “if she ever became pregnant, she would hire a Doula.”
Our first birth was in August, and there has been steady stream ever since. Of those, only three
have received epidurals, and overall more than 75% of our births are natural and unmedicated. We
have also assisted in planning home births and have shared that experience with the press. I am seeing a
significant number of homebirth moms in my Wholistic Childbirth Classes as a result.
There is now an awareness of Doulas and the natural birth process in Myrtle Beach. We are so
grateful to have the opportunity to serve families in the area and to
continue to be inspired by the courage and determination of the women
whose births we have supported and encouraged. Thank you so much to
our community and our clients!
Dr. Elaine Levy of SeaOne Chiropractic recently had a Beach Baby’s
Doula at her natural birth:
“Pat’s presence at my birth, and the techniques I learned in the Wholistic
Childbirth Class, allowed the most intense parts of my labor to be merely
uncomfortable, rather than painful. Having Pat as my labor Doula helped
me to have the healthy and natural childbirth I desired for myself and my
son.”
Terry Mason, whose natural homebirth with Beach Baby’s Doulas present
was covered by the Sun News:
Michelle, Matej, & Baby Dylan
“Pat, Mitra, and the other Doulas and women in my Wholistic Childbirth Class were very helpful to me
in preparing for the birth. I was so confident that I was able to have a drug-free homebirth. Thanks so
much for your help. The key to having a successful labor and birth is to move through each contraction
as relaxed as possible. This comes from the comfort created within you at that moment, through the
breath. A Doula can help to achieve that goal…helping to focus your energies within.”
14
Grand Strand
globalbriefs
Money Counts
News and resources to inspire concerned
The Big Green Purse’s “One in
a Million” campaign is urging a
million American women to shift
$1,000 of the money they’d spend
this year anyway into the camp of
green products and services. It’s
not that hard. Women spend 85
cents of every dollar in the marketplace, notes BigGreenPurse.
com founder Diane MacEachern.
She makes green shopping even
easier, by doing much of the research for us and filling us in
on the best buys.
One consumer who pledged to make a difference made
the grade in just six months. Her secret? She bought two water-saving toilets, for a total of about $600, then made up the
difference in organic groceries, safe cleansers and organic
potting soil. Why not kick off a healthier spring with an ecowise Mother’s Day gift?
citizens to work together in building a
healthier, stronger society that works for all.
Inner Grizzly
Mothers & Others Roar Their Support
Born six years ago
on Mother’s Day,
Mothers Acting
Up continues its
campaign to reclaim the holiday
by speaking up on
behalf of billions
of the world’s
children beset by
poverty, war and lack of schooling, safe drinking water and
health services. An estimated 2,500 mothers are expected
to participate in events across the country this year. Gatherings and fundraising events will call attention to and support
community needs here and abroad. Awareness of the movement topped 4 million last year, through media exposure of
the event. This year, YouTube’s Find Your Inner Grizzly, 90second plea is a heart-stopper.
Worthy Service
Progress at the Post Office
A new three-way partnerships
among the U.S. Postal Service, lighting manufacturer
Osram Sylvania and Veolia
Environmental Services now
provides RecyclePaks for
easy drop-off of worn-out
compact fluorescent lamps
(CFLs) at 37,000 postal
facilities. Consumers can tuck
up to 20
small- and
medium-sized
bulbs in the protected pack, designed for
households and small businesses. Larger
recycling containers also are available.
CFLs use 75 percent less energy
than standard incandescent bulbs, emit
less heat and last up to 10 times longer.
However, they do contain trace amounts
of mercury that must be properly handled
to keep it out of landfills.
Pocketbook Power Brings a Better World
Sign up for Diane MacEachern’s free online newsletter at BigGreenPurse.com. Her new book is Big Green Purse: Use Your
Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World.
Seeing Red
188 Species Added to Red List
The World Conservation Union
has added 188 animals and plants
to the latest edition of its Red List,
a tally of the flora and fauna most
threatened with extinction, updated every four years. The additions bring the depressing total up
to 16,306 species, and researchers admit that’s a low estimate of
the world’s imperiled animals and
plants.
Ten Galapagos Island coral
species joined their endangered
brethren on the list for the first
To order a $15 consumer CFL recycling kit,
go to Sylvania.com and click on recycling.
May 2008
15
time; the African lowland gorilla moved from endangered
to critically endangered. While 70 percent of the assessed
plants are on the Red List, only one species was declared
officially extinct: the woolly-stalked begonia, which was last
seen in 1898.
The conservation group estimates that extinction rates
would be 100 to 1,000 times slower if humans weren’t
around. The one positive note was the Mauritius echo
parakeet, which moved from critically endangered to endangered, and was the only species to see its status improve.
children should be gender-neutral styles that can be shared
or handed down. Adults and teens can choose classic investments that defy time. Trendy garments may be donated to
thrift shops, consignment stores and second-hand boutiques
which double as places for finding merchandise at great
prices. Swap meets with friends are not only fun, but further
eliminate the need to dispose.
For details visit IUCNredlist.org.
Spring brings beautiful birds and butterflies to wildlifefriendly locations all
along their American
migration routes.
Each year, residents
may welcome these
courageous visitors
with a needed haven
of essentials: food,
water, cover and
places to raise their
young.
“We marvel at
the beauty of the
birds, squirrels, rabbits and butterflies
that come to the
feeders, plants and
birdbaths in our yard,” says one family who’s qualified their
yard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife
Federation. “It’s one of the best ways we know to relieve the
stress of a hurried, daily life.” Honeybees, other pollinators
and frogs add to the chorus of approval of native flowers and
large and small ponds.
Frugal Fashion
Smart Clothes-Shopping Tips
Clothing can consume
a big chunk of the family budget. Those new
togs also take a toll on
the planet in terms of
the water, pesticides
and energy used in
fabric manufacture and
transportation. Equally
alarming, outdated
pieces often wind up in landfills as trash, even though they’re
still wearable.
BigGreenPurse.com recommends several good options
for making clothes last longer. Items purchased for young
Happy Habitat
Wildlife-Ready Yards and Gardens
For natural habitat how-to guides and tips, visit NWF.org/
backyard.
Three Rs
Afghans Go to School
Thanks to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 6
million Afghan children, including 2 million girls, are now
enrolled in school in Afghanistan—the largest number in the
country’s history. UNICEF has supported the rebuilding of
more than 200 local schools, as well as centers now training
hundreds of thousands of female teachers.
The UN also is working to educate adults in Afghanistan, where only 52 percent of Afghan men and 22 percent
of Afghan women can read and write. The Joint Partnership on Adult Functional Literacy, a collaboration between
Afghan’s government and UN agencies, already has reached
160,000 adults, mostly women. Program tutors are mainly
women, as well. The initiative aims to boost adult literacy
levels by 50 percent in three years.
Source: BetterWorldCampaign.org
16
Grand Strand
Vegetarianism
Saving the Planet a Bite at a Time
by Jana Hayes
I
fa
green
living
makeover is on
your calendar in the
near future, you may be looking
at all the energy saving technologies
and materials on the market. Perhaps
you are considering an Energy Star refrigerator, which uses 20% less energy
than a standard model. Great! But as
you shop, consider how the contents
inside the refrigerator can have an
even greater impact on reducing your
carbon footprint and conserving natural
resources.
Consider this… Producing one
pound of beef causes emissions equivalent of 36.4 pounds of carbon dioxide,
as much as driving a small car 140
miles, and uses enough energy to light
a 100-watt bulb for nearly a month,
according to studies by Japanese
researcher Akifumi Ogino. Speaking at
a Paris press conference
earlier this year, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, head of
the Nobel Prize-winning
Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC)
asked the world to “Please
eat less meat – meat is a very carbon intensive commodity.”
The environmental impact of eating meat is not limited to greenhouse
gas emissions. John Robbins, author
of The Food Revolution: How Your
Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our
World, notes that to conserve water,
many of us have replaced our 3-gallonper-minute shower heads with 2-gallonper-minute low-flow models. A daily
7 minute shower under a low-flow
showerhead can result in saving almost
2,500 gallons of water per year. The
production of just one pound of beef
requires between 2,500 and 5,200 gallons of water, so by giving up just one
pound of beef a year, you could save at
least as much water as you would have
saved in a year’s worth of showers.
According to Cornell researchers
David and Marcia Pimentel, a meatbased diet requires more energy, land,
and water resources than one based on
plants. A 2006 United Nations report,
entitled Livestock’s Long Shadow,
concludes that the meat industry is
“one of the top two or three most
significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every
scale from local to global.” This report
concludes that raising livestock contributes, in addition to global warming,
to deforestation, acid rain, ocean dead
zones, land degradation, water pollution, and species extinction.
So while you’re out there researching solar collectors and Energy Star
windows, consider the words of Albert
Einstein, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances
of survival of life on earth as much as
the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” We
can make compassionate choices that
are delicious, improve our health, and
establish a sustainable lifestyle that will
preserve our planet for generations to
come.
Jana Hayes has a Masters degree in
Engineering Management with a concentration in Environmental and Energy
Management. She and her husband are
vegetarians and host weekly gatherings
focused on personal transformation
through meditation and ethical living.
See Thursday’s Ongoing Calendar.
May 2008
17
Belly Dance?
Fat Chance!
An Interview with Carolena
Nericcio, Creator of American
Tribal Style Belly Dance
photo : Carolena Nericcio
by Keith Waller
B
elly Dancing has a special appeal to women looking
for exercise and social time with friends. It’s an art, an
exercise, and a form of communication that makes its
practice fun, and it is a very non-judgmental and accepting
way for women of all sizes, types and ages to come together
with a common goal: To learn the vocabulary of dance and
the unspoken language of cues for its improvisation.
Carolena Nericcio created the popular dance style of
American Tribal Style Belly Dance (ATS) in 1987 in San Francisco, and formed Fat Chance Belly Dance troupe, the largest
group of the style. The troupe was named for the silly rhyming response given to onlookers who came in thinking that
belly dance was exotic entertainment just for their pleasure.
Today, ATS has a devoted worldwide following.
This past April, Carolena traveled from San Francisco to
the Grand Strand in order to teach a special advanced training session of ATS with our own Roxanne Roundtree, director
of HipNotic Rhythm dance troupe in Myrtle Beach and spoke
with Natural Awakenings.
NA:
How would you define American Tribal Style Belly
Dance, especially the term “tribal”?
18
Grand Strand
CN:
The name American Tribal Belly Style Dance was
assigned to us by the traditional belly dancers, because they
wanted to set us apart from them. I know it sounds confusing, suggesting something like American Indian dancing plus
belly dancing, but the word tribal actually means dancers
working together – dancing as a group.
NA: How does Fat Chance Belly Dance stand out as an
American Tribal Belly Dance group?
CN: We are the creators of the American Tribal Style
Belly Dance. I’m the originator, and developed the style over
the years I was teaching with the intent that it be improvisational. I watched how a lead dancer would angle her body
to send cues; not big cues that could be perceived by the
audience, but set cues. When you’re moving with another
person, your body will make slight gestures before you move
or turn, and the other person will pick up on that. I wanted to
broaden that in a way that dancers could send cues to dance
improvisationally, communicating with a vocabulary of steps.
NA: Can any woman belly dance?
skill, age or body type necessary?
the costumes evolve independently with other dance troupes
across the country.
CN: There’s no age limit, no size limit—the dance itself
CN: I designed the original costumes, based on what
Is there a particular
is very gentle and easy to learn. If you want to get into advanced technique, it can get a little more taxing on the body
and fitness level becomes important, but 75% of what you
can do with the dance is accessible to everybody.
I really like the idea that what the audience sees is a
beautiful thing happening on stage—an unspoken communication. I don’t want cookie cutter dancers, something
homogenous, so you don’t actually see the dancers but only
the dance. I like to have a range of bodies and sizes, working
in harmony in a way that what the audience sees is beautiful movement on the stage, and they realize, ‘oh, there are
individuals involved.’ One of the things about memorized
choreography is that, unless everyone is spot-on and looks
exactly the same, it doesn’t look right – and matching dancers is impossible, I find. With different types of dancers on
stage, you see that different bodies do things in different
ways. With improvisational dance, whoever is in the lead at
the time takes the dancers through the movement. Then the
leader changes, the dancers move through it and it changes
again—it’s constantly evolving.
NA:
How does the tribe/class develop? Is the cohesion
of the group critical to the success of the troupe?
CN: Actually, it doesn’t matter. Often, when group of
dancers are friends, they intuitively have a sense of how
things should go. But as they get more advanced, more
professional, more evolved, they start to work with everybody and begin to understand that the main goal is to get the
dance on the stage.
NA: What do women express as the joy of belly dancing? As the biggest reward?
CN: The biggest comment we hear is that women feel
more comfortable with their bodies, whether they thought
they were too thin or too fat, too awkward or such. They get
into the vibe of the group and feel more comfortable with
themselves. Many dancers speak about the camaraderie of
the tribe, too, and really enjoy the fact that they meet with
friends in a common interest – a kind of playground with
structure. Many love the costumes, even in dance practice
class where they don’t wear fancy costumes, but the full
skirts, small top, and a scarf around their hips. That kind of
pretty, flowing costume is kind of exotic and fun, and it isn’t
what’s happening in regular fashion. It’s forgiving and flattering, colorful and different. It lets you get out of work clothes
and do something fun and non-judgemental after a long day
of conforming. The teacher keeps everyone to the vocabulary
of steps and presentation, but other than that there is a lot of
freedom of expression.
I found universally flattering. That is, a pair of pantaloons:
billowy pants in a stiff taffeta; a full skirt with 8 to 10 yards
of fabric; a hip shawl with tassels and coins; and a little
chili top, like a little T shirt with the back cut out, but over
that goes a coin bra for more ornamentation and support.
We used to wear a full headdress, too, but these days there
are so many things you can do to expand color at the top
of the head, and there are so many kinds of bracelets, rings,
and necklaces. That’s the classic costume I advocate for my
troupe and for Roxanne’s group.
NA:
Is their a formal hierarchy? Is there a “chief?
CN: I would be the Ultimate Highest Tribal Chief (laughing). Seriously, every group is not affiliated with me. I began
certifying a network of ATS teachers to refer students to, and
every group has a troupe leader. They say they want to work
democratically, but every group has a natural leader and
natural followers. It just happens.
NA: Who will carry on the Fat Chance Belly Dance
troupe and ATS after you decide to pass the torch (or the
veils)?
CN: Actually, that is the plan, and why I’m in Myrtle
Beach doing teacher training. I’ve created what I meant to
create, and the certified teachers will carry on, take the idea
and go with it. There won’t be one person with a legacy, but
there will still be a headquarters in San Francisco and others
teaching around the world.
NA: You began a program promoting Veganism, right?
CN: Yes, I have such a forum with the organization. I can
use my influence to pass along the concept of kindness to all
living things. If people are interested, I lead them to it.
NA: What have you liked best about Myrtle Beach and
your time here?
CN: This is my first time here, to do this special ad-
vanced training for Roxanne. It’s lovely, and a very different
climate from San Francisco. I’m looking forward to doing
more workshops here in the future.
For more information on Roxanne Roundtree’s HipNotic
Belly Dance Troupe, see BellyDanceRox.com, or call (843)
438-4465. See ad page 39. For more information on Fat
Chance Belly Dance and American Tribal Belly Style Dance
style founder Carolena Nericcio, see FCBD.com.
NA: Do you design the costumes for everyone or do
May 2008
19
Blazing
the Solar Frontier
by Keith Waller
S
omeone must blaze a trail for the
rest of us to follow. Leadership
may not always come from those
in authority either, but from individuals
who take the initiative to do the right
thing, and to persevere against all odds.
Mary Howard of Murrells Inlet is one of
those pioneers.
Feisty and determined, Mary
decided some time ago that she would
personally be a part of the environmental solution to global warming, pollution and energy shortages. She did the
research, made the calls and refused to
give up when met with resistance. She
educated herself on the options, and at
the recommendation of Horry Electric
Cooperative, called Carolina Solar in
Surfside Beach to start the conversion of
her home to solar power.
Dan Evans, of Carolina Solar, was
with Mary when I arrived, checking the
operation of new equipment. The new
solar hot water system had just been
installed and was working at mid-temperature until a new valve could be delivered, a valve that allowed the system
to run at maximum capacity without
danger of scalding. Water in this system
is heated entirely by the warmth of
sunshine. And with the premium high
efficiency vacuum tube solar collector,
has the capacity to generate tremendous heat from a relatively small panel,
even on mostly cloudy days.
“It’s at 147 degrees right now, but
it can go up to 200 degrees.” Dan’s associate, Sean had backed the temperature off; the valve didn’t come in with
the tank and he’ll be back to install
it. “Without solar, it would be burning 9000 watts of electricity to make
hot water, like any typical hot water
heater.”
20
Grand Strand
The hot water tank in the garage
looks like any other, but the insulated
pipes are meticulously wrapped with
much more care than in most homes.
An unassuming grey metal
cabinet sits
nearby, and Dan
opens it proudly
to display his
high tech solar
gear. “These are
6 volt premium
Concorde golf
cart batteries,
305 amp hours
each, with
an Outback
inverter. There are other recommended
manufacturers too, but Outback is one
of the best.”
Mary Howard’s solar-electric system consists of 20 photovoltaic panels
on the roof, wired to the cabinet in the
garage where power is directed to the
inverter and battery bank, and eventually to the main electrical panel for the
house. When the Howards run electric
appliances and air conditioning, the
solar panels provide power first, and
as the sun sets, more of the power
gradually comes from the electric utility
through the meter that registers watts
and calculates dollars.
“When the Howards are on vacation and there isn’t power being used,
the system shuts down, and doesn’t return power to the grid for neighbors to
use. Horry Electric Cooperative doesn’t
allow net metering, so you can’t run the
meter backwards with solar in this part
of Murrells Inlet,” says Evans. In spite of
Federal Mandates, in place since 2005,
Horry Electric Cooperative has resisted
moving forward with environmental
advances for solar and wind power, and
has no ‘net-metering’ program to allow
residents to take full advantage of solar
energy.
“I wanted to do something for me
and for the environment. I wanted to do
something, that was my main kick,” explains Mary. “I was committed to doing
solar, even when the neighbors were
against it. They said ‘Mary, you won’t
recover your investment until long after
you’re gone,’ but they didn’t understand that it isn’t just about the money.”
Considering the impending increases
in the cost of generating electricity, due
to steadily increasing prices in coal,
carbon offsets, and pollution controls,
Mary Howard
may be seeing
a much greater
value for her
investment than
her doubting neighbors
realize. “I read
about that new
power plant
they want to
build. I just
don’t understand why they
can’t try to do some of it with solar and
wind power,” she says.
“The neighbors came over to
watch when it was being installed. One
couple didn’t want us to do it—they
didn’t want to see the solar panels
on our roof. The Home Owners Association (HOA) tried to stop us too. I
told them to suck eggs,” she says with
narrowed eyes. “My husband was so
impressed with my resolve and my determination that he backed me 100%.
He told me, ‘we’ll do what’s best for
us, and if necessary, we’ll see them in
court.’ I even talked to a supervisor at
the US Department of Energy for support and advice.”
I mentioned to Mary the similarity between now and when satellite TV
came on the market, and how HOAs
threatened lawsuits for anyone contemplating a dish antenna. “Oh we had
that battle, too,” she said. Mary Howard
clearly does not back down.
“You know, in the beginning my
husband wasn’t all for this solar energy
Pioneer Mary Howard
stuff. It is a lot of money, and we’re
retired, you know. But the other day he
said, ‘Why not run a duct to the garage
and air-condition it too? It’s free electricity and we’re making more than we
need.’ Can you believe that?”
“For me, a lot of this comes from
growing up in Arlington, watching it get
all built up. When you get older, you
wonder what you can do to lessen this,
to make it right. My Dad was always
big on saving energy and water. In my
house, you never left a room without
turning the light out, and electricity is
much more expensive up there. Here
in South Carolina, we can’t believe
how low the price of electric is,” she
explains. Of course, that may be one
of the reasons Mary’s neighbors fail to
understand her desire to reduce already
inexpensive coal-powered electricity
usage.
“I’ve only got a partial bill this
month since the system was installed,
maybe two weeks, but it’s already $70
lower - normally my electric bill is
around $190 a month this time of year.
The other day Carolina Solar came out
to test the system, and they shut down
the main power from the electric company. We were on batteries and solar,
and there wasn’t even a blink inside
the house. You would never know the
power went off.”
“Well, if there’s a big storm and the
power goes off,” Dan pipes in, “you’ll
have to invite the neighbors over for
air conditioning and movies on TV.” A
quick glare from Mary caused him to
revise that statement. “Well, maybe you
could invite them over and sell tickets.”
For more information on solar energy
call Dan Evans at Carolina Solar, (843)
238-5805, or see CarolinaCool.com.
See ad page 11.
May 2008
21
communityspotlight
The Birth
of Sacred
Mission
“Our goal is to bring many different
paths under one umbrella, like Rumi
said, ‘There are 100 ways to kneel and
kiss the ground,’” shares Diane.
are working at the grass roots level, to give them a wider audience starting here on the Strand and expanding globally.”
Founding board member Kathleen Coppola adds, “It is very
important to us to support the teachers as well as individual
seekers.”
The Spirit of Multimedia
by Anton Knoll
S
acred Mission LLC is the newest source of Light in
our community, bringing teachers, elders and spiritual
leaders in for lectures, seminars and workshops. Their
calling is to be a place for personal transformation of spirit,
using multi-media as a means to reach the global community. Visionary and concept originator, Diane Hummer
explains one piece of their multi-faceted mission: “There are
spiritual teachers who are mass marketed and well known,
like Deepak Chopra, Esther Hicks and Neale Donald Walsch
—call them gateway teachers. Sacred Mission is looking for
teachers at the next level, those enlightened individuals who
22
Grand Strand
Along with creating a venue for spiritual teachers,
Sacred Mission is launching an interactive website, a record
label called Sacred M, and a publishing house. Their website,
which is still in the design and production stage, promises to
be inspiring and cutting edge. “We see SacredMission.com
as the spiritual version of YouTube,” says Kathleen, “a way
to give people a chance to discover their purpose using the
internet.” The website will offer online classes, books and
music for sale, discussion groups and a comprehensive data
base, just for starters. “Our goal is to bring many different
paths under one umbrella, like Rumi said, ‘There are 100
ways to kneel and kiss the ground,’” shares Diane.
Label Sacred M has a mission as well. Traditionally,
record labels have held all the control, choosing recording
artists by their salability and putting millions of dollars into
upfront marketing, which the performer then has to pay back
before they see any profit. This process means that it can take
years before a recording artist can work themselves out from
under a label. Like many aspects of our culture, computers and the internet have drastically changed the recording
industry, so what once cost millions of dollars can now be
done for a fraction of that with a good computer, software
and a high speed connection. Sacred M wants to give artists the opportunity to work and make a living with their art
without being taken advantage of. The mission is to support
people, artists and writers in completing their own purpose
in an affordable way.
Who We Are
There are 5 sacred elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and
Spirit. There are 5 sacred directions: North, South, East, West
and Center; and in some numerology systems the number 5
represents manifestation as well. Sacred Mission is following the same principals by having 5 members on its board
of directors. The current 4 members are eagerly awaiting the
manifestation of the fifth.
Diane Stanfield-Hummer, an entrepreneur and business
person, was recruited to the Grand Strand from Atlanta in
2002 by Ripley’s Entertainment. Diane started on her path of
personal healing and spiritual growth in 1981. She is clairvoyant and an artist and has studied a variety of traditions
with many teachers over the last 27 years, including Peruvian
and Native American Shamanism. Sacred Mission is the
perfect opportunity for Diane to combine business expertise
with her spiritual and healing gifts, a calling that has tugged
at her heart for many years.
Flournoy Holmes is a modern Renaissance man, musician, painter, photographer, graphic designer and filmmaker.
Flournoy is best known for his album cover art. A Grammy
finalist and several times Grammy nominee, his cover for
Allman Brother’s Eat a Peach album was voted one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s “Top 100 Album Covers of all Time.”
Flournoy directed the documentary Dreadheads, which
won the Stony Award for best documentary in 2006. For the
last several years, Holmes has been involved in film, music
and using sound as a healing modality for spiritual growth.
Flournoy currently divides his time between editing his new
film, Female Buddha in Tibetan Mysticism, producing several
musical groups and recording his own music.
Kathleen Coppola, a native of Long island, New York,
moved to the Grand Strand about ten years ago with her
husband and family. Kathleen’s background is in marketing and management, where she has worked successfully in
several diverse industries from wine-making to advertising to
publishing. Shortly after arriving in the Strand, Kathleen left
publishing to pursue a career as a professional sales representative for a pharmaceutical company. Why pharmaceuticals? Kathleen says she was guided to the medical field as a
way to make a difference in the lives of others. Kathleen sees
her future unfolding with Sacred Mission, where her plans
include publishing her first book, continuing her energy healing studies, and teaching and lecturing on a global level.
Kae Hale completes Sacred Mission’s current team. Kae
also has a diverse background in business and the arts, starting with a degree in psychology and moving into real estate,
where she was recognized as a leader and named in “Who’s
Who of Real Estate.” Now semi-retired, Kae has the opportunity to follow her childhood dream of developing healing
modalities through sound and music, as she uses her talents
as a singer/songwriter. Her last CD, Requests, sold out during
a tour of the Carolinas, and her song Sparkle and Shine can
still be heard on local radio. Kae sees her partnership with
Sacred Mission as a chance to use business and music talents
for global benefit as well as a chance to pursue her childhood dream.
For more information on Sacred Mission LLC visit their website SacredMission.com or call 357-9874. Upcoming events
include Barbara Biziou’s Vision Workshop Weekend in May
and Randall Carlson’s Cycle of Earth Changes, Geo-mythology and Sacred Geometry in June. See ad page 2.
May 2008
23
Stay
Make your whole being
hum with vitality
by cultivating your ojas,
Ayurveda’s ancient secret
for happiness, longevity
and even fertility.
24
Grand Strand
y
c
i
u
J
W
by Jody Gehrman
e know it when we feel it—the effervescent joy
that makes us want to kiss strangers, sing an aria
or dance in the crosswalk at rush hour. Sometimes
these surges of energy are the direct result of external events,
such as a big promotion, a great workout or a fabulous first
date. More often, happiness floods in unexpectedly and gets
chalked up to that mysterious force known as a good mood.
But what if this bubbly, pure sensation is not completely
random, and we could learn how to tap into it and nurture it?
India’s ancient health system of Ayurveda maintains that we
can. The Ayurvedic name for the force that flows through us
when all is well is ojas (OH-jas).
“Ojas is your energy, your vitality, your immunity, your
fertility, your longevity and your joie de vivre,” says medical
herbalist and Ayurvedic practitioner Anne McIntyre, author
of more than a dozen books on natural health. By cultivating
ojas, experts say, anyone can experience deep, genuine joy
more often and attain a new level of vibrant, “juicy” health.
Known as “the superfine essence” and the body’s “master
coordinator”, ojas is said to be found both in the heart and
circulating throughout the body’s tissues. “I don’t think we’ll
ojas
Naturally adjusting our diet to seasonal changes helps cultivate
ever be able to confirm
someone’s ojas level with
a blood test,” remarks Dr.
David Simon, medical director of the Chopra Center for
Wellbeing, in San Diego. “But
ojas is important, because it
reminds all the cells in the body
that they have a unified purpose.”
Here’s the problem: While we are
born with an ample supply of ojas, it
can dwindle due to lifestyle choices.
“Any activity that’s stressed or hurried
depletes ojas,” says Nancy Lonsdorf,
a medical doctor and author of The
Ageless Woman: Natural Health and
Beauty After Forty with Maharishi Ayurveda.
Yet, many people accept their
ongoing loss of vitality as a natural part
of aging, as if ojas gets siphoned out as
a result of life itself, as if life were an
hourglass, with well-being, the sands
of ojas, slipping away inside. Consider
that the hourglass can be turned over,
to give us back that which makes life
worth living. It requires slowing our
pace, while making more conscious
choices in every sector of our lives.
The rewards make following our better
judgment both easy and enjoyable. Following this plan is sure to get your ojas
flowing.
Stoke that Digestive Fire
Feeding your ojas can start in
the kitchen, say experts. Cultivating
an all-important force known as agni,
translated as “digestive fire”, is one of
the central tenets of Ayurvedic nutrition. Agni helps the body digest food
and absorb nutrients, thus infusing
the system with ojas. If agni is weak,
food can turn into ojas’s nemesis, ama,
toxins that eventually cause illness. The
following tips will help your digestive
system maximize the nutritional power
in every morsel.
Drink Ginger Tea “In the morning,
your agni is like a fire that’s died down
Forgo the ice cubes In the summer, especially, icy-cold water can
seem refreshing, but for maximum agni
efficiency, choose room-temperature
water instead, says McIntyre. If you
think of agni as a furnace in the belly,
you’ll see why dumping glasses full of
icy water on it is counterproductive.
Pick a Bouquet of Tastes In
contrast with the meat-and-potatoes
mentality so dominant in America
today, Ayurvedic cooks consider a
wide range of flavors a necessity. “Food
should be delicious and varied, as
well as energizing,” writes Ayurvedic
cooking expert Kavita Mehta, owner of
India Foods Company, an online store.
Having a balance of salty, sour, sweet,
spicy, astringent and bitter tastes helps
to cultivate agni.
Most of us are already on intimate
terms with the first four flavor groups.
To add astringent foods to your diet,
include more beans, lentils, cauliflower
or cabbage. Reach your bitter quota
with greens like arugula or kale. If you
know which doshas, or energies, dominate in your individual constitution (see
sidebar), you can tweak these tastes to
suit your makeup.
Have a Midday Feast As the sun
heats up at midday the stomach is
producing plenty of heat, making it the
best time for digestion. “Your agni is working more efficiently then,” notes McIntyre. That’s
why Ayurvedic practitioners recommend eating the day’s main meal at
noon, having a smaller breakfast and a
lighter dinner.
Shift with the Seasons In the
Ayurvedic paradigm, each season is
influenced by a dosha. Summer is a
pitta time, ruled by fire, so during the
warmest months we need cooling fruits
and salads. When winter, or vata season, arrives, you’ll benefit from heavier,
warmer meals, such as beans and
whole grains. Often, we adjust naturally
to seasonal changes, and following that
overnight to just a few embers,” advises McIntyre, adding that it’s unwise
to overwhelm the system with heavy,
hard-to-digest foods first thing in the
morning. Instead, she says, start the day
with a steaming cup of ginger tea. “It
helps to stoke the internal fire, so that
it’s better prepared to ‘cook’ the food
you eat.” Drinking ginger tea throughout the day can continue to clear ama
and aid digestion.
Mind Your Ojas
Ojas Accumulators
Ojas Detractors
Honesty
Meditation
Massage
Being in nature
Gentle exercise
Sound sleep
Room-temperature water
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Organic milk, ghee, almonds, honey
Forgiveness and releasing anger
Connecting with a higher cause
Dishonesty
Smoking
Caffeine
Alcohol
Processed food
Leftover food
Anxiety and worry
Too much work
Too much TV
Too much sex
Over-exercising
Lack of sleep
May 2008
25
instinct will help cultivate ojas. You’ll
simultaneously safeguard energy levels
and more likely avoid illness.
Choose the Freshest Ingredients
“Your meal begins in the market,” says
Mehta. “Eat in season, choosing tender
and crisp vegetables, supple fruits, good
spices, nuts, oils and grains. Ayurveda
pays special attention to the vital energy
in foods, including the sun’s energy
that’s locked up in greens and grains.”
Leftovers are verboten in Ayurveda;
eating a freshly cooked, colorful meal
will charge ojas far more efficiently than
reheating yesterday’s dish.
Eat Ojas-Promoting Foods
Certain foods that some health-minded
types avoid can prove beneficial when
eaten in moderation, say Ayurvedic
counselors. “Four specific foods are
associated with ojas: organic milk,
organic almonds, organic honey and
organic ghee (clarified butter),” says
Simon. Before incorporating these into your
diet, McIntyre recommends simplifying meals for a few weeks. “Eat light,
26
Grand Strand
vegetarian foods,” she advises. Breakfast
can include oatmeal and fruit. For lunch
and dinner, eat basmati rice, beans and
legumes, steamed vegetables and mild
spices. “These help prepare the body for
the sweeter, heavier foods.”
Watch What You Drink Alcohol,
especially distilled spirits such as gin
and vodka, depletes ojas. “That’s not to
say that you can’t have a glass of wine
now and then,” observes Simon, “but it
is important not to overindulge.” Other
predictable no-no’s, besides smoking,
include eating excessive amounts of
fried or heavily processed foods.
Strive for Balance
In a culture marked by such extremes as ours, lifestyles often stray off
track, and poor health can follow. “Ev-
erything in Ayurveda is about balance,”
counsels Lonsdorf. Whether you’re at
work or working out, it’s essential to
have a healthy, non-obsessive mindset.
Stay in Motion Getting regular exercise is essential for augmenting ojas.
Simon recommends yoga, because it
“serves and nourishes us at every level
of our being.” But almost any form of
exercise that gets the blood flowing and
makes you feel calm and centered will
benefit ojas: a walk in the garden, a
quick swim or a brisk jog. The key is in
approaching the activity in a non-compulsive fashion, and not overdoing it.
“Over-exercising puts the body through
subtle biochemical changes that erode
health over time,” says Lonsdorf.
Step Away from the Computer
This is easier said than done, but if
a job requires long hours in front of
the screen, it’s critical to take breaks.
“Computers can disturb your electromagnetic field, and living inside your
head so much is hard on ojas,” warns
Lonsdorf. Take a deep breath, log off
and go for a quick walk. Use this time
wisely, by noticing the world around
you, rather than obsessing over details
and deadlines.
Don’t Skimp on Sleep “Ojas holds
together consciousness and matter,”
explains Lonsdorf. “When we’re exhausted, that connection grows thin.”
If you must get less than eight hours
of sleep, Ayurvedic experts maintain
that it’s best to go to bed early and get
up early. Sleeping from 10 p.m. until 4
a.m. is better than sleeping from 2 a.m.
until 8 a.m.
Nurture Yourself
Acting from your heart and
nourishing yourself boost that inner
wellspring of joy. Women, in particular,
often need to consciously refuel their
inner resources, say Ayurvedic experts.
“Women tend to give until there’s nothing left,” says Simon. “That’s why it’s
essential to make time for things that
nurture you.”
Get a Relaxing Massage You no
longer need to justify splurging on that
decadent spa treatment. “Gentle, loving
touch does wonders,” counsels Lonsdorf. Remind yourself that you’re simply
investing in your ojas, replenishing the
sap that keeps you vital.
Take a Long, Luxurious Bath
Taking time to unwind has major benefits. Don’t underestimate the power of
simple, sumptuous pleasures. They are
essential. “Ojas is our spark of life—it
contains everything we truly want,”
says McIntyre.
Speak the Sweet Truth Vedic
literature says that telling the truth
generates ojas. You don’t need to inform
your friend that her hair’s a disaster, or
go on and on about your husband’s bad
breath. What we’re looking for here
is “sweet truth”, says Lonsdorf—tactful, kind and loving honesty. Everyone
needs to cultivate tenderness. Being genuine with people will free up
internal space that might otherwise be
cluttered with guilt and anxiety.
Let Go of Grudges Whether it’s
the guy who cut you off in traffic this
morning or the mother who failed you
as a kid, let it go; understand that resentment and rage burn ojas and cloud
the mind. “Giving energy to anger destroys your health and happiness,” says
Lonsdorf. Practice forgiveness whenever
possible; if caught in the heat of the
moment, take some deep breaths until
the anger cools, then speak.
Connect with Nature Think of
the times when you’ve felt most alive.
Those memories might include an
ocean, forest, or mountain as their
backdrop. “The body needs to plug
into nature for rejuvenation,” confirms
Mehta. You don’t need to sell your city
apartment and head for the hills, but
look for simple ways to stay in touch
with the natural world. Hike on the
weekends, plan a family camping trip
or spend time in the garden.
Follow Your Passion It’s vital to
transcend the personal sphere, whether
through meditation, politics, religion,
yoga or art. “Some people get there
through charity or devoting themselves
to learning,” notes Lonsdorf. “Others
practice prayer and meditation. Whatever
connects you
with something greater
than yourself
is good for
your ojas.”
Know Your Dosha
According to Ayurvedic philosophy, we
each combine three doshas, or energy
archetypes, which determine our physical
and emotional health. Making lifestyle
choices that help balance our dominant
doshas (many people bridge two) will help
boost ojas. Key principles of each dosha
are summarized here. For a thorough
analysis, consult a trained local Ayurvedic
practitioner.
VATTA
Associated with the air
element, vata types are generally thin,
active and talkative and get cold easily. When in balance, they’re creative,
joyful and open-minded.
Symptoms of imbalance include
constipation, anxiety, insomnia and
lower back pain.
Aggravating influences
are cold or raw food, cold weather and
traveling. Try warm weather and warm
food, sticking to routines and ingesting warming spices to restore balance.
PITTA
Ruled by the fire principle,
pitta types tend to overheat. They’re
often orderly and driven, with medium
frames, strong digestion, bright eyes
and rosy skin.
Symptoms of imbalance include
impatience, anger, inflammation and
acid reflux or heartburn.
Aggravating influences
encompass hot weather, spicy and
sour foods, excessive salt and oils.
Maintain balance via a combination of
cooling foods and drinks and mild or
cool weather.
KAPHA
Associated with water
and earth, kaphas often have a large,
sturdy build and smooth skin. Cautious and calm by nature, kaphas like
routine and tend to be loyal.
Symptoms of imbalance
are greed, fatigue, weight gain, water retention, depression and sinus problems.
Aggravating influences
range from heavy and sweet foods
to wet weather and being sedentary.
Balancing influences include exercise,
dry climate, light/bitter foods and
spontaneity.
May 2008
27
fitbody
The Busy Woman’s
54-Minute Weekly Workout Solution
by Philip Bruley
M
any women have a strong desire to create a
lean, fit body and to increase their energy,
but they find that between working fulltime or managing a household and raising children
– sometimes all three at once – they have little time
left for a workout or gym visit. Fortunately, there is a
way to improve metabolism and create lean muscle
tone in just 54 minutes a week, through the one-two
punch of resistance training and interval cardio,
guided by the principles of the Tabata Protocol.
It has become common knowledge that
interval training burns far more body fat than
does an aerobic workout alone, but what
is the best interval ratio? Several years
ago, Dr. Izumi Tabata, of the National
Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo,
discovered that the best interval training
ratio for improving both anaerobic and
aerobic capacity is 20 seconds of cardio
exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest,
repeated for 8 cycles – a total of 4 minutes.
Since this discovery, athletes around the world have
used the Tabata Protocol to improve performance,
finding that a side effect of improved function is that
the body becomes a lean and efficient metabolic
28
Grand Strand
machine. Let’s use this science to our
advantage!
The first punch is to conduct 2
Tabata Protocol interval sessions three
times each week. To do this, select 2
cardio exercises, such as jumping jacks,
sprints or jumping rope. Conduct 8 sessions of a 20 second workout, followed
by 10 seconds of rest, with your first
exercise. Rest one minute and repeat
the cycle with your second exercise, for
a total workout of 9 minutes.
The second punch is resistance
training. Most people see resistance as
an attempt to add muscle in order to increase metabolism, but the truth is that
most women already have enough muscle mass. For example, if a 5’2” woman
weighs 180 lbs and has 30% body fat,
she already has 126 lbs of lean body
mass. Metabolism is really about the
ratio of lean body mass to body fat, so
why not just lose the fat as you firm up
that existing muscle?
What is the best repetition range
for burning fat during resistance training? There really isn’t one – muscles
can’t count! Muscle fibers respond to
more work in less time, and there are
a myriad of ways to accomplish this,
besides lifting more weight. Instead of
counting reps, let’s force the muscles to
do more work in less time by applying
the Tabata Protocol to resistance training as well.
Here’s how to do it. Choose two
bodyweight or compound-movement
dumbbell exercises, such as push-ups,
presses, lunges, squats or any variation
of these. The key is exercise selection;
to burn the most fat in the least amount
of time, skip the isolation exercises
and engage the whole body. Again,
complete 8 rounds of 20 seconds of
exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest
for your first exercise. Rest one minute
and repeat the sequence for the second
exercise.
You may choose to train this way
six days every week by doing interval
training one day, followed by resistance
training the next. Or you may train just
three days per week, doing resistance
training and interval training back-toback or in two separate daily sessions.
No matter which method you choose,
you will find training with the Tabata
Protocol is fun, challenging and effective. This program works. Commit to 54
minutes each week and you will see
results in just thirty days.
Philip Bruley, owner of Beach Bodz
Fitness in Murrells Inlet has over 20
years of fitness experience and holds
numerous fitness, nutrition and coaching certifications. For more info, BeachBodz.com or call (843) 283-0155. See
listing page 44.
May 2008
29
consciouseating
Seed Your Health
Got 99 cents?
That’s enough to buy at least a month’s supply
of flaxseed. Another few bucks
will buy a month’s supply
of shelled hempseed. Both
are among the planet’s most powerful foods.
by Elaine Magee
Small but Mighty Flax
The attributes of flaxseed read like a nutritionist’s dream.
It’s a potent food source of plant-based omega-3 essential
fatty acids (EFA), which appear to provide protection against
numerous ailments, including atherosclerosis, inflammatory
and autoimmune disorders, and some cancers. Flax also
contains lignans, plant-based phytoestrogens that, according
to reports in Urology magazine, likely help protect against
hormone-sensitive cancers.
Study results published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and Nutrition Reviews indicate that
flax’s omega-3 may reduce cardiovascular disease risk by
lowering the chance of blood clots, stroke and cardiac arrhythmias, and by reducing total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. Other data noted in Obstetrics &
Gynecology point to flax’s ability to relieve mild menopausal
symptoms.
Researchers writing for the Journal of Laboratory and
Clinical Medicine further identify flax as a source of the
powerful antioxidant secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG),
which may help retard the development of diabetes. And
30
Grand Strand
because it has nearly 3 grams of fiber per ground tablespoon,
adding flax to one’s diet helps to regulate bowels and prevent
constipation.
Eating one to two tablespoons of ground flaxseed per
day can boost health, observes Lilian Thompson, Ph.D.,
professor emeritus of nutritional sciences at the University of
Toronto. But Thompson cautions women against eating more
than that if they’re breastfeeding or trying to conceive, and
advises pregnant women to avoid it. Breast cancer patients
who are taking tamoxifen also should use caution. “Animal
and test tube studies show that flaxseed does not interfere
with tamoxifen,” she says, “but this has yet to be demonstrated in human studies.”
Helpful Hemp
Although kin to marijuana, hemp varieties grown in
Canada and Europe for food and fiber contain insignificant
trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana’s
psychoactive substance. In 2004, after years of legal wrangling, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration finally
cleared hemp for use in American food production.
What makes this seed worth eating? For starters, it contains all of the
essential amino acids in a balanced
ratio, making it a high-quality protein
source. A 1-ounce serving of shelled
seeds provides 6 to 50 percent of the
daily value (DV) of several nutrients,
including iron, magnesium and B
vitamins. Hemp contains omega-6
and omega-3 essential fatty acids in a
beneficial ratio of about 3 to 1. More,
it can boast of two other special EFAs:
gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which a
study in Internal Medicine News suggests is able to relieve menstrual breast
pain; and stearidonic acid (SDA), a
highly effective omega-3, rarely found
in plant oils.
“The joint presence of GLA and
SDA makes hemp attractive,” says
Gero Leson, Ph.D., who has served as
scientific adviser to the Canadian Hemp
Trade Alliance. “Some [food oils] have
one or the other, but only hemp oil
offers both of these super-omega fatty
acids in relevant quantities.”
Hempseed’s versatility makes it an
easy addition to foods. “You can use it
in almost anything where you would
use other nuts,” except when roasting
or frying, Leson says. Hemp oil is delicate and oxidizes rapidly when heated.
“You can’t fry with it,” he notes. “It’s the
same with flax oil; they’re both sensitive to heat above 300 degrees. So, you
use the oils for warm or cold dishes;
in spreads, dressings and soups.” Us-
ing about a tablespoon of hemp oil or
an ounce of hempseed daily provides
a significant and beneficial dose of
omega-3, minerals and vitamins.
Buying & Storing Tips
Look for whole flax in the bulk
section of natural foods stores. Regular
flax looks like dark brown, tiny seeds;
golden flax is lighter in color. Seeds
store well in a dark, dry cabinet for up
to one year, but must be well-ground
before eating. Pre-ground, bagged flax
meal is an easy alternative. Refrigerate or freeze ground flax in an airtight
container and use within two months.
Flax oil makes a convenient and tasty
omega-3 source alternative, although it
lacks fiber and contains fewer phytoestrogen lignans than seeds. Other easy
options are flax-added foods, such as
cereals, breads, crackers and energy
bars.
Hemp is sold as oil, shelled seed,
ground flour, protein powder and nut
butter. It’s also added to some tortilla
chips, waffles and protein bars. There’s
no need to grind hempseed; simply use
it as is or toast it to enhance its nutty
flavor. Refrigerate hemp products after
they’re opened, and use within eight
weeks.
Happy eating.
Recipe Resources:
The Flax Cookbook by Elaine Magee
The Galaxy Global Eatery Hemp Cookbook by Denis Cicero, et al.
Look for whole flax in the
bulk section of natural
foods stores. Regular flax
looks like dark brown,
tiny seeds;
golden flax
is lighter
in color.
Making the decision to have a child
is momentous.
It is to decide forever to have your
heart go walking around outside
your body.
–Elizabeth Stone
May 2008
31
naturalpet
Easy Breathing Aids Dog Training
by Paul Owens
Paying attention to the
breath is one of the
best ways to increase
concentration, and the
single most important
tool in developing and
maintaining focus and
control when interacting
with a dog in any manner.
E
verything we do—work, family
activities, sports, playing a musical
instrument—is directly affected by
our ability to concentrate and focus on
the task at hand. Concentration and focus are equally vital when working with
a dog, not only for safety, but because
dogs thrive on attention. By focusing
on the task at hand during a training
session, we enable the animal to learn
more quickly and with much less stress.
All this can be achieved more quickly
when we learn to breathe properly.
Few individuals have considered
the idea that the simple act of observing
and changing their own breathing patterns could affect their relationship with
their dog, but it does. Paying attention
to the breath is one of the best ways to
increase concentration, and the single
most important tool in developing and
maintaining focus and control when
interacting with a dog in any manner.
Whenever I teach a nonviolent dog
training class, my first advice to participants is to breathe and relax. I say, “You
can’t expect your dog to be in control if
you are unfocused and out of control.”
How we feel affects how we
32
Grand Strand
breathe. Fortunately, the reverse is also
true. Our breath affects how we feel
and our ability to perform. Changing
our breathing patterns, from shallow
and short, to slow and deep, easy
breathing, not only relaxes us, it has
a tremendous effect on the dog we’re
working with.
An easy breath must be relaxed
and unstrained, with the inhalation
equal in force and duration to the
exhalation. For example, try breathing
in for three seconds, then breathing out
for three seconds. Avoid holding your
breath when you breathe in and out;
instead, make the transitions gentle and
continuous. Breathe through the nose,
with the mouth closed.
Easy breathing is particularly good
for the body because it oxygenates
the blood and energizes every cell. I
recommend doing three or four easy
breaths whenever possible: while driving, watching TV, upon awakening and
before falling asleep. The more often
we practice easy breaths, the better the
results.
With continued practice, inhalations and exhalations naturally and
automatically become extended, which
deepens relaxation and concentration.
I promise my students that within a few
weeks, they’ll be able to comfortably
breathe in and out for 10 to 20 seconds
or more. However, the length of the
breath is not of primary importance
when first starting to practice—focusing
on smooth and relaxed breaths is the
key.
This is done by consciously listening to the breath as it moves in and
out of the lungs. As we become more
familiar with the sound of our breath
we can consciously relax into it more
and more. With continued practice, we
are able to relax our breath at will. Both
you and your dog will benefit.
Paul Owens is the author of The
Dog Whisperer: A Compassionate
Nonviolent Approach to Dog Training
and The Puppy Whisperer. His dog
training DVDs are The Dog Whisperer:
Beginning and Intermediate Dog
Training and The Dog Whisperer
Volume 2, Solving Common Behavior
Problems. For details visit
DogWhispererDVD.com for details.
fitbody
Gardening
as Exercise
by Carolyn Welty
beautiful yard flowing with
flowers or a hearty vegetable
garden can double as a comprehensive gym. Those who love to
garden actually appreciate the tiredness
of certain muscle groups at the end of
a day’s work. They see the benefits of
their efforts with each satisfying gaze at
their landscape. An added bonus to this
strenuous workout is that it requires no
membership fee or transportation cost.
Exercising begins with a quick step
out the door and a simple stretching
routine.
Consider this: Gardening turns
any yard or garden into the equivalent
of a running track. Walking behind
and pushing a lawn mower is similar
to treadmill activity. Raking mimics
a rowing machine. Turning compost
even resembles the lifting of weights.
Other useful exercise machines include
post-hole diggers, shovels, trowels and
wheelbarrows.
“If you garden on a regular basis,
you’re probably getting a healthy dose
of exercise,” writes Dan Hickey, a former editor of National Gardening. “Gardening uses all of the major muscle
groups—the muscles that do most of
the calorie burning.” For instance, the
typical calories burned in 30 minutes
of digging, spading or tilling is slightly
more than 200.
In order to maximize calorie
consumption and fitness benefits from
gardening, Jeff Restuccio, author of
A
Raking mimics a rowing machine. Turning compost even
resembles the lifting of weights. Other useful exercise
machines include post-hole diggers, shovels, trowels and
wheelbarrows.
Fitness the Dynamic Gardening Way,
recommends employing “…simple
techniques, such as bending your knees
while raking, or placing a crate that
requires you to step up and down as
you move from one flower bed to the
next.” This Tennessee-based author and
martial arts expert also advises using
exaggerated movements to achieve
maximum range of motion.
The complete range of benefits
from gardening , according to Dr. William Haskell, professor of medicine at
Stanford University, extends to improving overall health., including lowering
blood pressure and slowing osteoporosis, which he says is, “all good news
for gardeners.”
More support for the physical
benefits from gardening comes from
research at Virginia Tech, headed by Diane Relf, an environmental horticulture
specialist. Her studies show that yard
work is much more than a valuable
hobby or a way to have fresh vegetables
for salads. “Gardening is moderate, and
sometimes strenuous, exercise, that
incorporates many important elements
of accepted regimes, such as stretching,
repetition, movement and resistance
principles, [all] while expending calories.” Citing more good news, she adds,
“Unlike many exercise options, you can
become involved with what you are
doing and still take time to smell the
roses.”
Keeping roses and other green,
growing plants in good health proves
to be a consistently effective way to
divert the mind from stressful issues and
ease into a state of mental relaxation.
Rewards include a healthier life and
lovelier appearance for the gardener, as
well as the garden.
Primary Source: VirginaTech.edu
May 2008
33
wisewords
A Conversation with
Margaret Wheatley
President emeritus of
The Berkana Institute,
a global charitable foundation
serving life-affirming leaders
by Linda Sechrist
Q.
What is the Women’s Leadership
Revival Tour?
A.
Today, the impact of women’s
imaginative, caring and generous
leadership is visible all over the world,
sparking significant change. Our
periodic visits to U.S. cities encourage more women to step forward and
reconnect with the power of their own
leadership.
Why is women’s leadership
Q.
so vital now?
A.
Societies the world over are suffering as a result of not noticing the
things that women notice. As a race,
we are not noticing the long term, not
thinking about the future. Instead, we
are spending our future daily, heedless
of consequences like pollution. Universally, women have a propensity for
34
Grand Strand
a long-term focus, because they care
about their children. Women tend to
focus more on relationships, the fabric
of community and giving back to their
communities. We also avoid aggression
in resolving conflicts.
As women develop economic,
social and political influence, profound
shifts occur: children’s health improves,
literacy increases, families stabilize
and communities learn self-reliance.
Wherever women step forward to lead,
the whole system benefits.
Our tour events are just one vehicle for gathering women together in
deep reflection and joyous discovery of
where we can most meaningfully offer
our leadership. I agree with Kofi Annan,
former secretary general of the United
Nations, who said, “The future of the
world depends on women.”
ership is that it revolves around enduring faith in people—belief that others
are as talented and creative as we are.
You speak of a new kind of
Q.
leader. Who is s/he?
How do we engage the heart in
Q.
leadership?
A.
Notice that you are in relationships
with other human beings who have
their own struggles; their own lives and
potential. Noticing this, and realizing
that others are as good as you are, naturally opens the heart.
We need to give up the prevalent
“heroic leader” stance and understand
that truly effective leaders work as
hosts, who welcome the creative talents
and contributions of others. This new/
old type of leader affirms life, expands
possibilities for progress, makes resources available to people so that they
can do the needed work and depends
on their contributions.
The Berkana Institute, which I cofounded in 1982, supports pioneering,
life-affirming leaders around the world,
who strengthen their communities by
working with the wisdom and wealth
already present in people, traditions
and the environment. We define a
leader as anyone who wants to help
and is willing to step forward to create
change in their world.
We know that the leaders we need
are already here, and we invite them to
explore their own courage to commit
and support one another through “The
Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter”. This essential leadership practice
engages participants in creating innovative and comprehensive solutions. The
fundamental difference between this
practice and other approaches to lead-
What do you long to see for
Q.
humanity?
A.
I long to see people remembering what it means to be fully human;
what it feels like to be in life-affirming
relationships; and to see them experiencing the joy of being together in
their communities, in their work places
and in the international scene. I am a
champion for the human spirit. Our
new Berkana slogan is: “Whatever the
problem, community is the answer.”
Life-affirming relationships can get us
beyond the terrors of fundamentalism,
killing and dehumanization, now happening in so many places.
A.
How can we shift the paradigm
Q.
of leadership?
A.
Start simply by noticing the issues
that you care about. Gather with friends
to converse about what’s important to
you. Think small and simple about what
you want to do. Remember Wangari
Maathai, the professor-turned-activist, who won a Nobel Peace Prize
for launching the global Billion Trees
Campaign. She started by gathering
with a few friends and planting seven
trees. Like her, you’ll figure out where
to go next.
For information on Margaret Wheatley
or to spark a local Women’s Leadership Revival Tour event, visit MargaretWheatley.com. For information on The
Berkana Institute and The Art of Hosting
conference in Tampa, Florida, in May,
visit Berkana.org.
Thai Seasons
Traditional Thai Cuisine
Offers Fresh Vegetarian Options
by Keith Waller
A
lways on the lookout for healthy
dining options that accommodate
vegetarians, vegans and those looking
for special food choices, Natural Awakenings
was alerted to a new restaurant recently opened
in North Myrtle Beach.
The old Hawg Wild
Saloon biker bar and
restaurant, previously at
1004 Highway 17 South
in North Myrtle Beach,
has been exorcised. In its
place stands Thai Seasons, with healthy fresh
options and a genuinely
pleasant, serene and
welcoming atmosphere,
proving perhaps that the
Universe has a very keen
karmic sense of humor.
Sak and wife Ti came to the US from
Thailand in 1999. After finishing a Masters
degree in Kansas, Sak has achieved a dream
he and Ti shared, to open
a restaurant here in North
Myrtle Beach. “I grew up
in Bangkok, watching my
mother cook each day,”
says Sak, “and I learned
the recipes.” A gold medal
kick-boxer during his high
school years, Sak was
conscious of healthy eating, and the typical diet
he found in America was
a surprise. Returning to
his dietary roots, authentic Thai cuisine was the
answer to what so many
Americans are looking for. “Thai food is fresh,
low calorie and healthful,” Sak explains.
Each dish is individually prepared and
fresh, which allows choices according to
personal preferences, including the type of
lean meats and shrimp, or no meat at all, or
to accommodate food sensitivities or other
dietary requests. Many dishes can be
prepared fresh, mild and delicate, or for
those that prefer, sauces and hot spices
are provided for full fireworks or a subtle low-flame. “Everyone thinks all Thai
food is spicy hot,” says Sak. “That is not
true. Thai cooking is a balance of contrasts, using fresh herbs, oils and spices.
It’s a balance of sweet, sour, salty, spicy
and bitter.”
The vegetables are steamed and
crisp, and the mild Swimming Angels
entrée includes shrimp and chicken
– steamed, not fried – with broccoli,
tomatoes and cilantro. As a low-carb,
low-fat alternative to fried Veggie Spring
Rolls, the Thai Fresh Rolls are filled
with crisp raw vegetables, basil and
rice noodles in steamed rice paper,
and served with sweet and tangy
sauce—shrimp optional. Rice options
include steamed Jasmine or natural
brown. The extensive menu also accommodates those less interested in
diet and more interested in exciting
flavors as well, Crispy Chicken with
Ginger among the favorites. A tour of
the kitchen allowed us to see our dinners being specially prepared, and Sak
let us check the labels of imported Thai
sauces, which clearly stated “no MSG
included,” meaning that fresh food,
herbs and spices create the flavors,
instead of chemical additives. Since
peanuts, cashews and other nuts are
common in many Thai dishes, prepared
in the kitchen alongside nut-free foods,
anyone with a severe nut allergy may
have concerns. Those well versed in the
health benefits of specific herbs will appreciate the use of fresh herbs in many
of the dishes.
Sak and Ti greet most patrons,
stopping by each table to meet and chat
with diners and make sure their meals
are perfect, attention and care not typical in a restaurant where dinner entrees
are generally between $8 and $10, and
lunch entrees from $6 to $9. Each of
the Thai restaurants in the Grand Strand
has its own unique style and flavor, and
Thai Seasons is no exception. Yum!
Thai Seasons is located at 1004 Highway 17 South in North Myrtle Beach.
See ThaiSeasonsMyrtleBeach.com or
call (843) 663-9300.
May 2008
35
greenliving
Women
Ecopreneurs
Create a
Better World
by Lisa Kivirist
Green Startups Bypass Corporate Glass Ceiling
T
oday’s red-hot green marketplace
is witnessing an unprecedented
phenomenon: women-owned
businesses are increasing at twice the
national rate. It’s natural for them to
blend independent enterprises with
their passions for organic food, healthy
lifestyles and helping people live lighter
on the land. They’re among the rising
wave of “ecopreneurs”—entrepreneurs
who use their businesses to leave this
world a better place. And they’re serving as inspiring role models for how
to create a healthy, thriving livelihood,
by following our hearts and living our
values.
36
Grand Strand
These female ecopreneurs don’t
judge success by typical business standards. Rather than accumulating assets
and corporate drones, they tend to keep
operations lean, local and sustainable.
America’s race for endless growth and
profits yields to devotion to an unbeatable quality of life. They move forward
intentionally, playing by their own
rules and priorities, often working from
home, surrounded by their family.
Workshop facilitator Marguerite
Ramlow runs Artha Sustainable Living
Center from her farm in Wisconsin,
where she shares her own and others’
expertise in organic gardening, herbal
medicines, holistic body care, yoga
and meditation, and renewable energy.
“People are increasingly curious about
green issues and want to experience
things hands-on and learn new skills,”
observes Ramlow. “It opens opportunities for new business startups. That’s
what I created my business around.”
While the number of American
farms continues to drop, the number
of farms purchased and run by women
under 55 is on the upswing, reflecting
their yearning to connect with the land
and nourish the generations. “Women
farmers today are reinventing the face
of organic agriculture,” comments
Denise O’Brien, executive director of
the Women in Food and Agriculture
Network. “They’re focused on raising
healthy food for their community and
often sell their products through farmers’ markets or community-supported
agriculture initiatives.”
Young women, too, are ditching
traditional career paths for unexpected
alternatives. Twenty-something Zöe
Bradbury recently moved back to farm
her family’s Oregon land after working
for several years in non-profit agriculture advocacy. “Even though I believed
in the work I did when I was sitting
in an office,” she says, “my heart was
always back home on the land, covered in mud.” Smiling now, she adds,
“Knowing that people in my community are eating fresh asparagus and
raspberries that I grew at Groundswell
Farm yields deeper rewards for me than
a regular paycheck, working for someone else.”
While the number of
American farms continues
to drop, the number of
farms purchased and run
by women under 55 is on
the upswing, reflecting
their yearning to connect
with the land and nourish
the generations.
You are an
“ecopreneur”
if you:
•Value life and finding meaning
through your work.
•Believe in a return on
environment (ROE), using your
business to enhance or restore
natural resources.
•Voluntarily go beyond
compliance with laws and
regulations, minimum wages and
the free market, to conduct a
naturally ethical business.
•Think beyond profit and consider
nature, community and future
generations as important
stakeholders.
•Embrace the human-scale, microsize, small-market approach,
rather than society’s “Bigger is
better,” and “Growth is always
good,” mantras.
Adapted from ECOpreneuring:
Putting Purpose and the Planet
before Profits.
Calling the shots is important. “By
running my own business, I’m empowered to make choices and decisions
I feel good about, knowing that I’m
doing my part to preserve our planet,”
remarks Tawnee Dufur, innkeeper at
Katy Trail Bed and Breakfast, in Missouri. She routinely uses natural cleaning products and chooses energy-efficient appliances. “We’re reminded that
we made the right decision every time
energy prices go up,” she says.
Dufur, like thousands of women
ecopreneurs, likes setting her own
schedule, to work around the needs of
her children. “By working from home
with my husband, I stay available to
experience my two kids growing up,”
she says. “They’re also able to help and
feel a part of our family business.” It’s
certainly a healthier environment than
that afforded by TV and video games.
Marguerite Ramlow’s advice for
starting out is to “Follow your heart,
approach your business seriously, and
keep true to your core values of living
in harmony with the Earth.”
Imagine, no more Monday-morning blues or punching a time clock. As
these women ecopreneurs have realized, when we find meaning in what
we do and know that it makes a difference for people and the planet, work
becomes our love made visible.
Lisa Kivirist is co-author of numerous
books, including Rural Renaissance
and ECOpreneuring: Putting Purpose
and the Planet before Profits, due out
in May, 2008 (at ECOpreneuring.biz,
with startup resources). She is a Food
and Society Policy Fellow and, with
her family, runs Inn Serendipity B&B
from their organic farm in southwestern
Wisconsin.
May 2008
37
calendarofevents
NOTE: All Calendar events must be received by May 12th (for June issue) and adhere to our guidelines. Check for calendar guidelines, updates and cancellations on
line at GrandStrandHealthyLiving.com. Email GSCalendar@naturalawakeningsmag.
com to submit entries.
Tuesday May 6
Celebrate Health & Hope w/Cassena Spa, on
Crazy Tuesday. Treat the Mom or the woman in
your life with a Gift Certificate for Spa Treatments
& Massage, with a bonus gift for the giver. Pawleys
Island one stop health plaza w/To Your Health Market, Chive Blossom Café, Lacey Chiro, Waccamaw
Pilates & Cassena Spa, 314-4611.
April 29-May 1
SATURDAY, MAY 3
Green Building Expo w/Carolina Solar. See the
debut of the Millennia, the solar powered whole
house air conditioning system at the Carolina Solar
booth, MB Convention Center. For info, Dan Evans,
238-5805, CarolinaCool.com.
Ayurvedic Yoga Detox w/Mitra Homayounian–
9am-Noon. Workshop designed to flush out deep
seated impurities to bring radiance, peace & balance.
Includes herbal tea, Ayurvedic oil & yoga practice
in a heated room. $45. Registration req: 251-9642.
Sacred Space Yoga, 417 79th Ave N, Ste E, MB,
SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Wednesday, May 7
Conway Art Walk–10am-5pm. Conway Historic
District artists & galleries showcase fine art & craft
for sale. Historic Dwntwn Conway, 248-6260, ConwayMainStreet.com.
Drumming Journey w/Ella Hill–10:30am-noon.
Bring more joy into your life through intuitive drumming, sound healing & visual journaling. Combine
rhythm, sound & color to go deeper than words.
No experience necessary. $15 Register by Apr 30.
Healing Arts Studio, 103 Flowering Bridge Path,
Caswell Beach. For info, (910) 297-6274.
THURSDAY, MAY 1
Health Talks w/Dr. Melody Iles, Ph.D, Naturopath
& Rosa Marrone, Detoxification Spec.–6-7pm.
Improper Digestion Leads to Health Disorders. Suggested Donation: $5. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside
Ind Pk Dr, Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.
org.
Oneness Class w/Ron Alexander–7-8:30pm. A
Learning to Love Everyone Group (including your
enemies). Love Offering. Unity Church, 1270
Surfside Ind Pk Dr, Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
FRIDAY, MAY 2
Reiki I w/Romina–9am-1pm. Comprehensive Level
I training & certification of Usui Reiki allows you
to strengthen & develop your healing skills & help
others as you go. $150. Class in MB. Register at
TMI, 449-0663 or 655-8426.
38
Grand Strand
Key West Music & Wine Fest at La Belle Amie
Vineyard–noon-5pm. $10 (under 18, over 80 free)
includes vineyard access, parking, music, tour,
sampling & gift shop access. NMB at Hwy 90 & St
Joseph Rd, 399-9463, LaBelleAmie.com
Wednesday Warblers–8am. Spring migration is
underway. View tanagers, warblers, orioles & more.
Rent binocs $1. For ages 11 & up. $5 w/park admission. MB State Park Nature Center, 4401 S Kings
Hwy, MB, 238-0874, SouthCarolinaParks.com.
SUNDAY, MAY 4
Brown Bag Lunch & Book Group w/ Margaret
Hiller–12:30-1:30pm. Eckhart Tolle’s The New
Earth. Love Offering. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside
Ind Pk Dr, Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.
org.
Intro to Astrology Workshop w/Sally Morse–1:303pm. Natal charts will be available. Suggested
Donation: $10. Info: Sally, 347-7390. Unity Church,
1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr, Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
Unity Healing & Prayer Service w/Olivia Rose–
7pm. In the Unity Peace Chapel join Olivia Rose
with sound healing, singing voice & crystal bowls.
Love Offering. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk
Dr, Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
FRIDAY, MAY 9
United Organics Buying Club Order Deadline.
Join the Co-op today & pick up your discounted
organic purchases May 17, 9am-1pm at the Yoga
Room/Herb Shop at 196C Stonebridge Dr, MB.
Info Marie 267-0315, order by email archibaldmp@
aol.com.
Take Heart Concert w/Gary Asadourian–7:30pm.
Join Gary & his heart sourced, intuitive music. A
fundraiser to benefit Unity Christ Church, Love
Offering. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr,
Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
MAY 9-10
Go For It! Leap Beyond Limitation w/Rev. David
Hiller. Personal empowerment workshop & Saturday ropes course at Shoreline in Conway. Fundraiser
for Unity Christ Church. $65 Info: 333-8260.
Reflections of Nature Art Challenge w/Reception–Fri–5-7pm. Open to all artists & mediums,
all work original, finished & ready to hang. 16x20
size restriction, one work per artist. Entry deadline
May 7. $20 entry fee. Best of Show is 20% of fees.
Drawing the Line Gallery at 14329 Ocean Hwy17S, Pawleys, for info call Pen Dragon Fine Art
Supply, 237-5735.
MAY 9-11
A Contemplative Retreat–Fri 7pm to Sun 1pm.
Retreat into the quiet of nature & your own soul.
Spiritual direction & healing massage available.
Guided & evening meditation. $200 includes lodging & meals. Springbank Retreat for Eco-Spirituality
& the Arts, 1345 Springbank Rd, Kingstree, (800)
671-0361, SpringbankRetreat.org.
Saturday, May 10
Mother’s Day Gift Cert. Discount Day $20 off at
Amazing Face & Body for any massage or facial
for Mom. 421 79th Ave N, MB, 467-2639, AmazingFaceAndBody.com.
J Adams Studio Oil Workshop. Everything furnished including prepared canvas with your choice
of subjects. Will have a completed painting at the
end of the day. No experience required. Must preregister. J Adams Studio & Gallery, 1017 3rd Ave,
Conway, 248-5216.
American Music & Wine Fest at La Belle Amie
Vineyard–Noon-5pm. $10 (under 18, over 80 free)
includes vineyard access, parking, music, tour,
sampling & gift shop access. NMB at Hwy 90 & St
Joseph Rd, 399-9463, LaBelleAmie.com.
Monday, May 12
Spiritual Cinema at Unity–6:30-8:30pm. August
Rush, a story of awareness & communication in
music & sounds around us. Movie & discussion.
Unity Sanctuary big screen. Love Offering. Unity
Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr, Surfside, 2388516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
SATURDAY, MAY 17
FoxTrot Festival Downtown Marion–9am-5pm,
parade at 10am. Food, crafts, music & entertainment.
May 2008
39
See Co.Marion.sc.us/foxtrot.html or call Susan
Carter, 340-1238, [email protected].
A Monkey’s Uncle w/Mike Carter–10am-4pm.
Darwin was wrong. Explore alternate theories that
have a logic & elegance that is absent in the common interpretation of evolution. $50. Register &
directions call Mike, (864) 836-2324, mikesmail@
mac.com.
Self-Defense Seminar for Women w/BeachBodz
Fitness–1-4pm. Real world practical Self-Awareness & Self-Defense strategies to prevent you
from becoming a victim. $40, Beach Bodz Fitness,
10760 Hwy 707, Murrells Inlet. Philip, 283-0155,
BeachBodz.com/defense.html.
May 17-18
May 23-25
Deep Tissue Lower Body Massage CEU Workshop w/Lisa Melendez & SCMEI– 9am-6pm. For
prof. massage therapists, learn how to give an affective deep tissue massage with medical massage
techniques. $275 before 5/3, $295 after. Class at
SCMEI, 1905 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia. Info
& registration, Jen (866) 777-1377, SCMassage.
com. Barbara Bizou’s Vision Quest Workshop. Using
art, meditation, practical exercises, sound & ritual,
you can reconnect with your creative power &
unique gifts. Begins Fri 7:30-9:30pm, Sat 11am7pm, Sun 10am-6pm. $275. Myrtle Beach. Info
Diane at Sacred Mission 357-9874, JoyofRitual.
com.
Massage & Facial Discount Day $10 off any massage or facial, Amazing Face & Body, 421 79th Ave
N, MB, 467-2639, AmazingFaceAndBody.com.
J Adams Studio Oil Workshop. Everything furnished including prepared canvas with your choice
of subjects. Will have a completed painting at the
end of the day. No experience required. Must preregister.J Adams Studio & Gallery, 1017 3rd Ave,
Conway, 248-5216.
Spiritual Afternoon Movie w/Marge Kyriakos–24pm. Group viewing of spiritual, insightful &
entertaining movies. Free. The Blue Lady (located
inside The Frame House), 504 Main St, NMB,
450-7226.
May 16-17
Green Living Festival, Greater Charleston–Fri
12-7, Sat 10-6. Environment & Wellness Expo.
$7/day or $10 both days. Shrine Convention Ctr,
176 Patriots Pt St, Mt Pleasant, 821-7404, NALowcountry.com.
May 16-18
Entering the Monastery of the Cosmos w/Rev.
Jim Conlon–Fri 7pm-Sun 1pm. A time to ponder
the call of the cosmos, divine mystery & the quest
for the true self. $275 includes lodging & meals.
Springbank Retreat for Eco-Spirituality & the Arts,
1345 Springbank Rd, Kingstree, (800) 671-0361,
SpringbankRetreat.org.
40
Grand Strand
Saturday, May 24
Sunday, May 18
Purpose & Predestiny Workshop w/Larry
Larson–1:30-4:30pm. Conscious Creation class,
Suggested donation $35. Info 347-5611, Unity
Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr, Surfside, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
Monday, May 19
New Moon & Full Moon Guided Meditations
w/Rev. Kelly Faith Payne–7:30pm. Info 215-2222.
Love Offering. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk
Dr, Surfside, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
A Crabby Experience–10-11:30am. Test your luck
from the pier & try to catch crabs & critters. Traps
for rent, bait for sale or bring your own. This is a
trap & release program. Free w/park admission. MB
State Park Fishing Pier, 4401 S Kings Hwy, MB,
238-0874, SouthCarolinaParks.com.
Monday, May 26
Soul Cards–Collage w/Dr. Kit Blaker–1-4pm.
Create your own cards for intuitive readings. Love
Offering. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr,
Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
May 30-31
A Blessing Beyond Belief w/ Rev. Diadra Price–Fri
7-9pm, Sat 10am-4pm. Join us for Diadra’s life
changing story & learn about the Deeksha. Satur-
day’s intensive workshop will be a deeper sharing
of the Deeksha–Oneness Blessing & a chance to
experience this Grace. Attend one or both days.
Love Offering. UCC, 1270 Surfside Industrial Pk
Dr, Surfside, Susan at 651-6325, Wisdom-of-theAges.com.
Tuesday, June 3
New Moon & Full Moon Guided Meditations
w/Rev. Kelly Faith Payne–7:30pm. Info 215-2222.
Love Offering. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk
Dr, Surfside, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
Wednesday, June 4
Unity Healing & Prayer Service w/Olivia Rose–
7pm. Join Olivia Rose with sound healing, singing
voice & crystal bowls, under Olivia’s sacred oaks at
742 Mt. Gilead Rd, Murrells Inlet. Potluck dessert &
finger food. Love Offering. For info, 357-1367.
Thursday, June 5
Health Talks w/Dr. Melody Iles, Ph.D, Naturopath
& Rosa Marrone, Detoxification Spec.–6-7pm.
“How Do I Heal Myself?” Suggested Donation: $5.
Unity Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr, Surfside,
238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
FRIDAY, JUNE 6
Friday Healer’s Circle–5:30-7:30pm. The Circle
is Back! Open to all healing practitioners. Socialize
& network among friends. Bring hors d’oeuvres to
share. Join us at Olivia’s under the Oaks. 742 Mt
Gilead Rd, Murrells Inlet, 497-0390.
June 6-9
Convert your Car to a Plug-in Hybrid w/AmpMobile. Learn to build your own gas to electric
conversion & modification with the experts. Class
limited to 10 (overflow class scheduled to 6/27-30)
Will convert a Mazda pick-up for class. $350.00
($50 dep. w/registr.) Lake Wylie, (866) 831-1082,
AmpMobiles.com.
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
Conway Art Walk–10am-5pm. Conway Historic
District artists & galleries showcase fine art & craft
for sale. Historic Dwntwn Conway, 248-6260, ConwayMainStreet.com.
Sunday, June 8
Sacred Sounds of Tibetan Gongs w/Richard Hite–
1:30-3:30pm. Experience the profound effects of the
gong’s vibration, that stimulate healing & relaxation,
& hear the story of their use in hospitals. Hite is also
the Sunday morning speaker at 11am service. Love
Offering. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr,
Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
JUNE 14-15
Stillness Moves™ Intro & Massage CEU’s–9am4pm. Enter profound relaxation. Move through areas
& in ways that postures, exercise routines or your
habits don’t touch. NCBTMB CE’s. $295 before
5/16, $350 after. Twin Rivers YMCA, New Bern,
NC, (928) 274-0386, StillnessMoves.com.
May 2008
41
ongoingevents
tration required. Various locations. Beach Baby’s
Doula Services, 272-8673, BeachBabys.org.
Produce Day at New Life Natural Foods. Fresh &
organic produce, meats, cheeses, milk, honey & eggs
delivered every Sunday. New Life Natural Foods on
38th Ave N & 17 Bypass, MB, 448-0011.
Omneity Outreach Sunday Morning Metaphysics–9:30am. Jacob’s Java, 810 3rd Ave S, Surfside,
446-6099, OmneityOutreachMinistries.com.
Sunday Morning Circle–9:30am. Exchange ideas,
wisdom & possibilities about the evolution of human consciousness. Metaphysics I–the study of life
beyond the physical. Unity Church, 1270 Surfside
Ind Pk Dr, Surfside, 238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.
org.
All Souls Metaphysical Chapel Service–11am.
“Come Grow with Us.” Healing & Messages from
Spirit. Spiritual counseling & healing available.
CCU Wall Bldg, Rm 119, Conway, 347-6261, [email protected].
Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist Study Group–
11am. Meditation, book study sessions & Sadhana
practice. Info 655-8056, MyrtleBeachKKSG@
aol.com.
Omneity Outreach Ministries Service w/Rev
Ramona Morgan Hall–11am. “Not Your Ordinary
Sunday Morning,” at Jacob’s Java, 810 3rd Ave S,
Surfside, 446-6099, OmneityOutreachMinistries.
com.
Unity Church Service w/Rev. Margaret Hiller–
11am. Prayer, meditation, song, messages & family.
Wherever you are on your path, you are welcome
here. Bookstore & Youth Programs. Unity Church,
1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr, Surfside, 238-8516,
UnityMyrtleBeach.org. Spiritual Counselling,
333-8249.
Wholistic Childbirth Education Class w/Pat Burrell, RN–2-4:30pm. Yes, you can have a pain free
Natural Childbirth. Scholarships available. Regis-
Visions of the New Global Spiritual Paradigm
w/Isa Lions Shader–4-6pm. Share concerns about
growing feelings of the imminence of the nature of
the approaching cosmic shift, drawn from prophetic
traditions & Meher Baba’s silence breaking & manifestation. Cost: Love Offering. Myrtle Beach, call
for directions 272-3333.
Coastal Kayaking–10am-noon. 2hr guided kayaking tour of the salt marsh. Sign up by 4pm Sunday
to reserve a spot. Ages 9 & up, under 16 must be
accompanied by an adult. $30/per person. Huntington State Pk, Ocean Hwy, Murrells Inlet, 235-8755,
SouthCarolinaParks.com.
Christian Tai Chi w/Master Bill–9am. Explores
energy & healing power available through the Holy
Spirit’s presence. Focus on relaxation & breathing
correctly to obtain root (our connection to the earth).
Memorization is de-emphasized. All levels & ages;
ideal for 40+ & seniors. 923 N King’s Hwy, MB,
361-0165, ChristianTkdo.com.
Vinyasa Yoga w/ Jacob Narayan–9:30-11am. This
class is fun, challenging, & inspiring. Drop-ins
welcome. Check website for changes/cancellations.
Sacred Space Yoga, 417 79th Ave N, Ste E, MB, 251YOGA (9642), SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Hatha Yoga w/Penny–7-8:15pm. Gentle stretching & restorative Yoga class, including breathing
techniques, warm-ups, postures, meditation &
relaxation. Love Offering. Unity Church, UnityMyrtleBeach.org, 357-2673 or 902-1416, [email protected].
Introduction to Re-Birthing w/Pat Burrell, RN–
7pm. Life changing, conscious breathing. Cost: Free.
Space limited, pre-register. Beach Baby’s Doula
Services, 272-8673, BeachBabys.org.
Goddess Circle w/Kathleen Coppola, a co-founder
of Sacred Mission, explore attributes & gifts embodied cross-culturally in Goddess teachings. Through
meditation, prayer & sharing the group explores
how to apply & incorporate the ancient wisdom
teachings. Call for info. Sacred Mission, Surfside,
357-9874, SacreMission.com.
Wellness Crazy Tuesday in Pawleys–10-6pm.
20% discount every 1st Tuesday of the month at To
Your Health Natural Foods. FREE seated massage
at Cassena Spa. 9428 Ocean Hwy 17, Pawleys Isl.
Info: Cassena, 314-4611 or TYH, 237-8111.
Christian Tai Chi w/Master Bill–9am. Explores
energy & healing power available through the Holy
Spirit’s presence. Focus on relaxation & breathing
correctly to obtain root (our connection to the earth).
Memorization is de-emphasized. All levels & ages;
ideal for 40+ & seniors. Ocean Dr Presbyterian
Church, NMB, 361-0165, ChristianTkdo.com.
Tuesday’s Sprites & Fairies Secular Homeschool-
42
Grand Strand
ers–11:15am-until. Alternative & similar thinking
homeschooling parents. Weekly Tuesday play dates.
Bring your healthy snacks & an open mind. Nature
based field trips & crafts planned for the Spring &
Summer. E-mail [email protected] or bethrmb@
verizon.net for play date locations.
Tales from the Sea–2:30pm. Touch & learn about
live sea urchins, sea stars, snails, crabs & more. Free
w/park admission. MB State Park Nature Center,
4401 S Kings Hwy, MB, 238-0874, SouthCarolinaParks.com.
Healthy Living Workshop w/Dr. Falk–5:30-7pm.
Whole Body Wellness with topics including nutrition, exercise, posture/ergonomics, attitude, sleep,
nervous system & spine care. Cost: Free. Falk Family Chiropractic, 1501 9th Ave, Conway. Reserve
at 248-0104.
Anusara-inspired Vinyasa w/Jessica Stout–6:308:15pm. Intermediate-level Vinyasa-style class is
fun, inspiring, & high-energy. Prior yoga practice
suggested. Drop-ins welcome. Check website for
changes/cancellations. Sacred Space Yoga, 417
79th Ave N, Ste E, MB, 251-YOGA (9642), SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Weekly Kriya Yoga Meditation Group w/Paula
Kenion–7:15-8:15pm. Kriya Yoga meditation
techniques for personal & spiritual growth are
emphasized. All levels welcome for concentrated
meditation practice. Affiliated w/ Center for Spiritual Awareness. Cost: Love Offering. Waccamaw
Chiropractic & Wellness Center, 658 Wachesaw Rd,
Murrells Inlet, Info: Paula 650-4538 or pkenion@
sc.rr.com.
Seniors Day at New Life Natural Foods. Shoppers over 60 receive 10% discount Wednesday at
all New Life Natural Foods locations: 38th Ave N
& 17 Bypass, 448-0011; Carolina Forest on Renee
Dr, 236-1950; NMB at Gator Hole, 556 Hwy 17
N, 272-4436.
Customer Appreciation Day at JR’s Naturals.
10% discount all day. 317 Hwy 90 E, Little River,
across from the Sports Zone, 249-1814.
Yoga Basics w/Jacob Narayan–9-10:15am. Appropriate for Beginners, Seniors, Pregnancy, or anyone
looking to stretch, strengthen & de-stress. Drop-ins
welcome. Check website for changes/cancellations.
Sacred Space Yoga, 417 79th Ave N, Ste E, MB, 251YOGA (9642), SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Quick Massage on your Lunch Break at Goodwellness Therapeutic Massage–11am-1pm. 10 min
chair massages for $10. Return to work refreshed
& renewed! 4378 Oleander Drive, Suite 3, MB.
Reserve time 448-9800. GoodWellness.com.
Metaphysical Bible Interpretation Class w/Rev
Ramona Hall–Noon. Jacobs Java, 810 3rd Ave S,
Surfside, 446-6099, OmneityOutreachMinistries.
com.
Farm Co-op Delivery by Charlie Caldwell–4-7pm.
Delivery of fresh, natural & quality farm products &
natural soaps to The Yoga Room/Herb Shop, 196C
Stonebridge Dr, MB. Info & place order w/Charlie
992-9447 or OvisHillFarm.com.
Gentle Yoga w/ Anita Thebeau–6-7:15pm. Good for
Beginners, Seniors, Pregnancy, or anyone looking to
stretch, strengthen, de-stress, & enjoy life. Drop-ins
welcome. Check website for changes/cancellations.
Sacred Space Yoga, 417 79th Ave N, Ste E, MB, 251YOGA (9642), SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Christian Tai Chi w/Master Bill–6:30 pm. Explores
energy & healing power available through the Holy
Spirit’s presence. Focus on relaxation & breathing
correctly to obtain root (our connection to the earth).
Memorization is de-emphasized. All levels & ages;
ideal for 40+ & seniors. 923 N King’s Hwy, MB,
361-0165, ChristianTkdo.com.
Moments of Metaphysics w/Rev. Cheryl Jepson–7pm. Discussion & Meditation. Please leave
message & we will contact you with directions.
236-9051 or [email protected].
Unity Wednesday Series w/Rev. Margaret Hiller–78:30pm. Discussion series “Communion with God”
through Prayer, Art, Music & Dance. Love Offering.
Unity Church, 1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr, Surfside,
238-8516, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
Men’s Group w/ Isa Shader–7:30-10pm. Spiritually oriented men’s group to explore men’s issues
& general life concerns in a trusted, confidential
atmosphere. Facilitated by Isa Shader. Love offering.
Info & directions 272-3333.
Christian Tai Chi w/Master Bill–9am. Explores
energy & healing power available through the Holy
Spirit’s presence. Focus on relaxation & breathing
correctly to obtain root (our connection to the earth).
Memorization is de-emphasized. All levels & ages;
ideal for 40+ & seniors. Ocean Dr Presbyterian
Church, NMB, 361-0165, ChristianTkdo.com.
Anusara-inspired Vinyasa w/Jessica Stout–6:308:15pm. Intermediate-level Vinyasa-style class is
fun, inspiring, & high-energy. Prior yoga practice
suggested. Drop-ins welcome. Check website for
changes/cancellations. Sacred Space Yoga, 417
79th Ave N, Ste E, MB, 251-YOGA (9642), SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Grand Strand Toastmasters–7pm. 1st & 3rd
Thursday of the month. Magnolia’s, 2605 N Ocean
Blvd, MB, 839-3993.
Meditation–7-8:30pm. Join us in weekly gatherings focused on personal transformation through
meditation & ethical living & see why meditation
is the unifying principle in all religions. Sponsored
by Science of Spirituality, SOS.org. Info: Jana, 4926151, [email protected].
Wholistic Childbirth Education Class w/Pat
Burrell, RN–7-9pm. Yes, you can have a pain free
Natural Childbirth. Scholarships available. Registration required. Various locations. Beach Baby’s
Doula Services, 272-8673, BeachBabys.org.
Reiki at Unity Church–7-9pm. Experience a Reiki
healing session. Love Offering. By Janet Eveleigh,
Alva Fullington, & Peggy Port. Janet at 237-9091
or Peggy at 358-6576. 1270 Surfside Ind Pk Dr,
Surfside, UnityMyrtleBeach.org.
Weekly Meditation Group w/Paula Kenion–7:158:15pm. Introductory meditation techniques for
stress reduction & well being. All levels welcome.
Cost: Love Offering. Horry-Georgetown Technical
College Conference Center, 950 Meyers Ave, MB,
Info: Paula 650-4538 or [email protected].
Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist Study Group–
7:30pm. Info: 655-8056 or MyrtleBeachKKSG@
aol.com.
Saints & Masters w/Isa Lions Shader–8-10pm.
Lecture & group discussion to compare & contrast
the Saints & Masters, including, Abdul Baha’i, Swami Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi, Hazrat Inayat
Khan, Avatar Meher Baba, & more, emphasizing
those that visited America. Cost: Love Offering.
Myrtle Beach, call for directions 272-3333.
Sacred Mission Intuitive Readings w/Diane Hummer, a spiritual intuitive & the founder of Sacred
Mission will conduct private readings. $55 by
appointment. Sacred Mission, Surfside, 357-9874,
SacredMission.com.
Prenatal Yoga w/Mitra Homayounian, Doula–8am.
Yoga, the most recommended exercise for pregnancy with Beach Baby’s Doula Services at Sacred
Space Yoga Studio. 417 79th Ave N, Ste E, MB,
251-YOGA (9642), BeachBabys.org or SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Christian Tai Chi w/Master Bill–9am. Explores
energy & healing power available through the Holy
Spirit’s presence. Focus on relaxation & breathing
correctly to obtain root (our connection to the earth).
Memorization is de-emphasized. All levels & ages;
ideal for 40+ & seniors. 923 N King’s Hwy, MB,
361-0165, ChristianTkdo.com.
American Tribal Style Belly Dancing, Level 1 w/
Roxanne–6pm. Slow movements & fast steps to get
you dancing your first class. Classes are progressive,
but drop in any time. $10 for drop-in, 4 classes for
$35. The Yoga Room, 196C Stonebridge Dr, MB,
Roxanne: 438-4465, [email protected].
Chakra Yoga w/ Mitra–6:30pm. All levels welcome. An energizing workout w/focus on the
Chakras (the Indian system of Kundalini Energy).
Includes meditation. Drop in’s welcome. 417 79th
Ave N, Ste E, MB, 399-2040, SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Spiritually Attuned Singles—8-11pm. Gather with
spiritually attuned singles w/a variety of themed
discussions, interaction, fun & fellowship, maybe
meet your soul mate. All welcome. Love offering.
Myrtle Beach location. Info, Isa, 272-3333, [email protected].
Sacred Mission Intuitive Circle w/Diane Hummer.
This circle will explore ways to identify your intuitive gifts, manage sensitivities & how to most effectively, & with discernment, use your talents. Circle
is currently forming, call for info. Sacred Mission,
Surfside, 357-9874, SacredMission.com.
Customer Appreciation Day at JR’s Naturals.
10% discount every Wednesday & Saturday. 317
Hwy 90 E, Little River, across from the Sports
Zone. 249-1814.
Grand Strand Bicycle Ride w/Tim–7:30-9:30am.
Grand Strand Bicycles leads a 30 mile fast road bike
ride (@19-25mph) & a 28 mile intermediate road
bike ride (@ 16-20 mph), meeting at the shop after
for Jittery Joe’s Coffee. 11824 Highway 17 Bypass,
Murrells Inlet. Tim or Mary at 652-3700.
Anusara-inspired Vinyasa w/Jessica Stout–1011:45am. Intermediate-level Vinyasa-style class is
fun, inspiring, & high-energy. Prior yoga practice
suggested. Drop-ins welcome. Check website for
changes/cancellations. Sacred Space Yoga, 417
79th Ave N, Ste E, MB, 251-YOGA (9642), SacredSpaceYogaCenter.com.
Ovis Hill Farmers Market–10am-1pm. Local farm
products, grass feed beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, dairy
& seasonal organic vegetables. At parking lot, 2519
W Palmetto St, Florence. Info: Charlie 992-9447,
OvisHillFarm.com.
Intentional Spiritual Community Forming–36pm. Explore formation of an eco-community
residential farm, in conjunction w/Meher Baba’s
Circle of Friends, following Meher Baba’s or other
compatible spiritual approaches. Meet in Myrtle
Beach. Bring dish or love offering. Info & directions: Isa, 272-3333 or [email protected].
classifieds
Help Wanted
Passionate about Massage Therapy? Have what
it takes to teach? Become an instructor at SCMEI in
Myrtle Beach and make a difference. Call today for
info and interview, April Bridges 293-2225.
Advertising Sales. Do you know lots of people in
fitness, health and wellness? Help them grow their
business by advertising in Natural Awakenings and
earn commissions every month. Work your own
hours, part time. [email protected].
Writer/Editor needed for articles and assignments
on local health, wellness, environment issues, business for Natural Awakenings. College students and
grads considered. PT Flexible hours. Paid by assignment. [email protected]
Sales and Distribution Partner Needed, Florence
Area. Part time and commission work, can trade
for advertising. [email protected].
Opportunity
Great Oportunity for partnership in new Healing
Arts Center. Existing art gallery in Conway, the
new art mecca, is evolving into a new Healing Arts
Center and is seeking interested, qualified individuals for partnership and fresh ideas. Great location
and space, perfect for seminars, workshops, artists,
massage therapists, spiritual counselors, retail sales
and other holistic/artistic modalities. Low overhead.
Also seeking artists for partnership in art gallery.
Call 843-241-3879 for more information.
Products
WHY BUY? - RENT! $1,250 Ionic Detox Foot
Bath $69/Mo, FREE Weight Loss or Foot Detox
Patches w/ Rental. 239-821-0775 www.BeWellU.
com 24Hr info 239-434-1622
SERVICES
Intimate Wedding/Commitment Ceremonies
performed by a nondenominational officiant in my
Surfside Sacred Garden or your venue. Up to 10
people for garden ceremony and reception. 24/7 w.
notice, will travel. 828-329-8910
May 2008
43
communityresourceguide
Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in
our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community
Resource Guide, email [email protected] to request our
media kit.
ACUPUNCTURE
Alternative Health Clinic
Dr. Suzanne Swearengen, AP
1705 Hwy 501, Conway
347-5445
4810 N Kings Hwy, MB
692-9243
AlternativeHealthClinicMB.com
Dr. Swearengen is a board certified,
licensed Acupuncture Physician,
with a Masters in Oriental
Medicine from East West College
of Natural Medicine, and with
additional skills in CranioSacral
Therapy, Herbal Medicine and
Homeopathic Medicine. Her specialties include
sleep issues, digestive disorders, pain relief and
stress management, and she continues to build her
skills in alternative treatments to improve health and
well-being. See ad page 23.
alternative health
ALTERNATIVE HEALTH Center
Dr. Carolyn R. Haigler, PhD, MH, Diplr
511 28th Ave N, MB, 946-6100
Our goal is to teach clients to
apply natural lifestyle approaches
to facilitate natural healing.
Providing consultation, education
& therapy in nutrition, lifestyle,
& health. Colon hydrotherapy,
massage, herbal, mineral &
vitamin consults, iridology assessments. Board
Certified and member American Association of
Drugless Practitioners. Master of Herbology,
Certified Nutritional Consultant, Diplomate
Iridology. Member, American Academy of AntiAging Medicine. See ad page 40.
BODYWORK
Alternative Therapy
Patrice Landrum, BS, LMT
291 Hwy. 90 East, Suite F
Little River, SC
222-8658
TheAlternativeTherapy.com
Patrice graduated from the New Life School of
Massage in 2000. Her true specialties are in assisting
the healing of those in stressful situations and who
are suffering from debilitating illnesses. Patrice
incorporates massage, reflexology, and Reiki in her
sessions. Nationally certified. SC#2754.
44
Grand Strand
The Center
for Massage Therapy
Catherine Lowery, LMT
119-B Waccamaw Medical Dr., Conway
C 222-6749, P 347-2382
Catherine, specializing in Swedish,
Deep Tissue, Facial Massage,
and Healing Stone Massage,
may also apply Neuromuscular
and Orthopedic techniques in a
“Wellness First” approach with her
guests. Senior discounts awarded.
Member American Bodywork and Massage
Professionals. SC #3125. See ad Page 41.
Goodwellness Therapeutic
Massage
Cyndie Johnson, LMT
4738 Oleander Dr, MB
448-9800
GoodWellness.com
Cyndie specializes in Massage
Therapy for Pain Relief. Her
sessions combine Orthopedic
and Swedish massage along with
Active Isolated Stretching and
breathing. Each Massage is unique
based on her client’s individual
needs. Cyndie graduated from Florida College of
Natural Health in Orlando and has been a Massage
Therapist for 5 years. Nationally Certified and SC
Licensed #5489. See ad page 38.
OCEAN BLUE MIND BODY SPIRIT
Keith Waller, LMT, CPT
Myrtle Beach, SC
685-2478
OceanBlueMBS.com
A graduate of the Potomac Massage Training
Institute, Keith has 6 years’ experience. He
specializes in Deep Tissue, Sports, Swedish,
Personal Training and Post Rehab. NSCA &
NCBTMB certified. SC#4895.
BOOT CAMP FITNESS
Beach Bodz Fitness
Hwy 707 in the Murrells Inlet area
(843) 283-0155
BeachBodz.com
Beach Bodz Fitness provides Body
Transformation Boot Camps,
Private Studio Personal Training,
Self-Defense Seminars and allnatural supplements. Visit our
website for more information.
CHIROPRACTIC
Alternative Health Clinic
Dr. John O. Cochran
1705 Hwy 501, Conway
347-5445
AlternativeHealthClinicMB.com
Dr. Cochran is a graduate of the
Citadel, and received a Doctorate
in chiropractic in 1990 from
Sherman College of Straight
Chiropractic. Licensed in NH, PA
and SC, Dr Cochran adds nutritional
counseling, CranioSacral Therapy,
rehabilitation and chiropractic bio-physics to his
traditional chiropractic skills. See ad page 23.
STRAND SPINE INSTITUTE
Dr. Neil S. Fico, DC
979-DISC (3472)
strandspineinstitute.com
We take pride in bringing you rapid,
lasting pain relief in a genuinely
caring, healing environment. Dr.
Neil Fico and his team have earned
a solid reputation among patients
and referring physicians for their
proven success in non-operative
care of spine-related pain including back/neck pain,
headaches, muscle or joint pain, sports injuries and
more. FREE Consultation. See ad page 7.
COUNSELING, Licensed
SELF-ACTUALIZATION THERAPY
Carolyn M. Ball, MA, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Myrtle Beach, SC
843-272-4114
CarolynMBall.com
You can heal depression, anxiety,
relationships, self-esteem, the
effects of physical and sexual
abuse, and discover your purpose
in life. Carolyn Ball has over 20
years of experience, including
cognitive behavioral, EMDR,
hypnosis, parts work, and more. Her spiritual
background includes Meher Baba, Yoga, Meditation,
and Native American ceremony.
Can’t find who
you’re looking
for?
Call us.
(843) 497-0390
COUNSELING
Sovereignty of the Soul
Counseling
Ocean Blue Mind Body Spirit
Anton Knoll
Myrtle Beach
843-455-8746
Isa Lions Shader
(843) 272-3333
[email protected]
Isa, a gifted intuitive and therapist,
offers a unique and integrative
approach based upon Gestalt,
Jungian, and Psycho-synthesis,
emphasizing spiritual awareness
empowering you to find intuitive
guidance, release the healing force
to achieve balance and life fulfilment. He is also a
medical intuitive.
A lifetime seeker of truth with 40 years
devotion to Avatar Meher Baba, Isa has extensive
studies in comparative mysticism including Native
American. He has studied various psychological
disciplines including post graduate study with Laura
Perls, Sand Play therapy, Psychodrama, Gestalt
Therapy, and Sufi. See ad page 41.
ENERGY HEALING
Reiki Healing Practitioner
Marge Kyriakos, Reiki Master
280-5940, 450-7226 cell
[email protected]
TheBlueLady.net
Benefits from the Source of Reiki
are as limitless as is our universe.
This healing only ever asks you
for your belief and acceptance. My
heart is filled with gratitude, love
and joy to be able to connect you
with this truly amazing gift which
is rightfully yours. Phone me for more information
on Reiki Attunements and you too can share and
assist others in receiving this healing gift. See ad
page 29.
Spirit Strings Energy Healing
JoAnna Rouse Adams
241-3879
[email protected]
JoAnna’s studies include Reiki
(Master), Hypnotherapy, Silva
Ultra Grad, Reconnective Healing,
Dream Studies, and more. She
has 13 years experience in energy
healing and was the energy
therapist for Conway Hospital
Wellness Center. The introduction of Spirit Strings
Healing began after the passing of her son in 2005.
She now harnesses this new, more powerful energy
to assist in relieving pain and stress and promoting
wellness on all levels including physically, mentally
and spiritually. JoAnna also teaches Reiki with a
‘boost’. See ad page 39.
teaching.
Anton has been practicing Energy
Facilitating for more than 15
years. He has experiance in
several modalities: Christ Light
Healing, Usui & Shambala Reiki,
Reconnective Healing®, &
Cosmic Lattice Healing™ and
HAIR CARE
Hair Club Salon
1699 Highway 544, Conway
347-2222
Ask for Kathy or Karen
Affordable hair care for the entire family, for all of
your hair care needs and concerns.
Specializing in helping you keep your hair and skin
healthy, with proper natural skin care, hair care and
nutrition for your hair. #1 Tip: The best ingredients
you can find are right in your own kitchen. We carry
a product line that is sulfate free.
INTEGRATIVE BODYWORK
Rev. Lindsley Field, C.T.P.
Healing & Wellness: Body, Mind, Spirit
Murrells Inlet
651-1086
[email protected]
Creating peace & healing from
the inside out, with Therapeutic
body and energy work, featuring
Trager® and aromatherapy, to
provide relief from pain, tension,
stress; improve flexibility and
ease with everything massage
does, and then some. Sessions individually
tailored, integrating intuitively what is appropriate
for optimal and lasting results. Workshops/small
classes: vision boards, Reiki and Raindrop Therapy.
See ad page 28.
INTUITIVE COUNSELING
THE MUMFORD INSTITUTE
Romina Hoda
Mind+Body+ Spirit Facilitator
449-0663, 655-8426
MumfordInstitute.com
Experience an Intuitive Reading
Session with Romina. Your
session will offer clear, loving,
honest personal information and
detailed insight about your life,
direction, options
and more. Romina is an
experienced professional clairvoyant, energy healer
and esoteric educator with a passion for sharing
knowledge for balanced living. See ad page 39.
May 2008
45
communityresourceguide
NATURAL CHILDBIRTH
Organizational
Facilitator
BEACH BABY’S
DOULA SERVICES, INC
Transform Your Space
Pat Burrell RN, Doula, WCB, LC
Mitra Homayounian, Ayurvedic &
Yoga Instructor
272-8673
BeachBabys.org
Rebecca Norwood
293-9173
Beach Baby’s provides services
to assist families throughout
pregnancy as well as assistance
with caring for baby after birth.
They provide Doula services
and baby nurses in Horry,
Georgetown and Marion counties.
Their services also include Yoga for Pregnancy,
Rebirthing, Wholistic Childbirth Education, and
Massage. See ad page 2.
PASSAGES Gentle Birth Care
Rebecca helps revitalize your home
or work space by de-cluttering,
repairing, painting, resolving
storage issues, simple decorating,
creating sacred space and more.
With years of experience using
patience and humor, her practical
yet unique approach can facilitate profound life
changes resulting in freedom, movement and
balance.
PET CARE
PETSERCISE
George & Meg Collins
Horry & Georgetown Counties
240-0712
Insured & Bonded
Alexandra Wagner, SC Lic Midwife # 31
Comprehensive Prenatal, Birth & Post
Partum Care.
(843) 992-9870
[email protected]
Attending births in all settings
since 1996, Alexandra opened
her practice in 2004 to make the
Midwives Model of Care and
homebirth available to healthy
mothers of the Pee Dee and coastal
areas. Natural home birth with
a trained attendant offers a safe, practical and
personal solution to protecting the intimacy of this
live-changing event, with respect for family beliefs
and traditions.
NATURAL HEALTH
Natural Health Counseling
Dr. M. Iles, PhD & R. Marrone
Conway Health Plaza
927 Forth Ave, Conway
446-0293
Natural-Health.cc
Dr. M. Iles has 15 yrs. experience in the Natural
Health field and was educated through the University
of Arizona, Clayton College of Natural Health and
the American Academy of Nutrition. Her degrees
include a PhD in Holistic Nutrition/Natural Health,
a ND (Naturopathic Doctor) and a certification
in Clinical Nutrition. Dr. Iles is a member of the
American Assoc. of Drugless Practitioners and the
American Holistic Health Assoc. See ad page 41.
Grand Strand
SPIRITUAL INTUITIVE
Rev. Ramona Hall
446-6099
[email protected]
OmnietyOutreachMinistries.com
Through her gifts of Psychic
Communication and Intuitive
Understanding along with her
Spiritual insights, Rev. Hall
brings healing and acceptance
to everyone she touches. Rev.
Hall is an internationally known
Psychic Medium & Tarot Reader and is available
for consultations in person and by telephone.
Whole Food Nutrition
Daphne Trent
Wellness Consultant
843-237-7282
HealthyLivingWithJP.net
We started PETSERCISE out of
our love for dogs. A tired dog
is a happy dog. We offer pet
sitting/dog walking/pet taxi, and
added services are jeep & boat
rides, beach walks, swimming,
dog park (house sitting available
also). Your peace of mind and your pet’s happiness
are our business.
Fresh fruits and vegetables every
single day... whole food nutrition
is the new paradigm. Fruits and
vegetables contain powerful
antioxidants that fight oxidative
stress in the body. Give your body
daily servings of vine-ripened
fruits and vegetables in capsule form. Make your
health a priority with this medically-researched
whole food product.
PSYCH-K CONSULTING
YOGA
David Hiller, M.Ed.
Jacob Narayan, C.Y.T.
David Hiller is a certified Psych-K
consultant, empowerment coach
and workshop leader.
Change your negative and self
defeating beliefs, and change
your life. Retrain the mind and
live the life you have always
wanted to live, using a revolutionary technique
that is sweeping the country with remarkable
improvements on moods, relationships, jobs, self
esteem, health and finances.
Ask your MD about Yoga Therapy.
Develop, from the comfort of
your home, a powerful personal
practice that always honors the
union of breath and movement.
Also come and experience Zrii in
Jacob’s group classes; endorsed by
The Chopra Center, this powerful Ayurvedic product
is heralded for promoting cellular regeneration,
immune function, and increased vitality.
(843) 333-8260
[email protected]
Tell them you
saw it here in
Natural Awakenings,
The Grand Strand Edition.
46
SPIRITUAL COUNSELING
Grand Strand Area
(843) 298-3921 (must dial area code)
JacobNarayan.com
LIVE OAK YOGA STUDIO
at Hidden Village
Karyl Tych, M.Ed., MS.Ed., R.Y.T.
9904A N Kings Hwy, MB
340-YOGA (9642)
LiveOakYogaStudio.com
Live Oak Yoga Studio is a serene
space where small classes are
taught in the Iyengar tradition at
all levels. Karyl Tych has extensive
Iyengar Teacher Training and is
Yoga Alliance Registered. You can
feel confident that you will receive
clear, individutalized instruction in a supportive
environment.
turn your passion
into a business...
own a Natural Awakenings
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As a Natural Awakenings publisher, you can
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living while working from your home and
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Your magazine will help thousands
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practitioners and providers of natural,
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No publishing experience is
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