Message from Macrosun's Gil Williams
 Hi Boyd, It's very kind of both you and of Shay to take time to offer this to us. We at MacroSun are a small Fair Trade business and have worked with artisan families in South Asia for nearly 20 years--we're global in terms of our many close intercultural and personal connections overseas, but we’re also a grassroots local “ma and pa” business in St. Louis, part of the community here. We've kept the business growing and thriving through a number of challenging times (and this time is one of those times, of course) through building relationships and “partnerships” with artisans overseas, our customers and employee family, and like-minded folks like you and Shay. I really enjoyed chatting with Shay the other day – her grace and vibrancy really shone through, even on the phone! I hope she enjoys the hand carved Namasté and Peace signs from Bali (a small family woodcarver "co-op"). For what it's worth, we do a fair amount of Fair Trade wholesale and online, we'd love to explore ways to work with you if that would ever be of interest... I'm honored and touched that Shay took the time to write such a lovely article about our business in the current Vibrant Living Newsletter! I'll have to pass it on to our friends in Rajasthan (India) that are pictured with me in the photo... My sincere thanks to you, and please relay my personal thanks to Shay... Namasté, Gil Williams MacroSun International Phone 314.421.6400 Fax 314.421.6401 Toll-free 888.962.6278 www.macrosun.com Labels: economy, environment, macrosun
Subtle Energy Solutions on Facebook
 Subtle Energy Solutions President, Shay Arave and CIO, Boyd Martin, can be seen on Facebook, as well as the Subtle Energy Solutions GROUP. Please join us! Labels: facebook, subtle energy
 I was very impressed with a company I found while looking for a wooden "Namaste" sign. They're called MacroSun, and they specialize in devotional-themed items, such as signs, jewelry, clothing, meditation accoutrements, home decor, and such. I spoke to the president of the company, Gil Williams, and he is very much into sustainable business practices. He said the mission of Macrosun is, "to promote peace, knowledge, and respect both for our cultural differences and for the common humanity we share." The company specializes in fair-trade distribution of products made primarily in South Asia, giving them an economic boost, and helping to export the cultural values of the region to the world. To this end, MacroSun also sponsors traditional South Asian dance, music, and performance art, and support major cultural events, such as the Tibetan Opera and the North American tour of the Buddhist Ritual Dance of the Kathmandu Valley. Gil is also very committed the Mitrata-Nepal Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping underprivileged children in Nepal. MacroSun is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and has been there since 1991, growing steadily in product offerings and community support. Please check them out! In vibrant health,   Shay AravePresident Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: economy, environment, macrosun, self-empowerment
Full Moon 21 *Taurus
Full Moon 21*Taurus by Tara Sutphen The Full Moon is 21*Taurus culminating at 15:18 pst, November 13, 2008. I love to sorce with this powerful time of the moon, basking in it's glow. When it culminates in daylight I usually light some candles and sorce at the time. And if you happen to be at work, take a few minutes to sorce. *Sorcing is prayers, you are praying for real things in your manifest reality. Be it great health, love in your life, real friends, money, security, success, wisdom, prosperity in all things. The moon in Taurus opposite Scorpio this month. You are to work on being "seen". Taking your best foot forward, securing your finances, improving your appearance, improving your health, improving your manners, improving your articulation, prepare and become organized, creating a plan for yourself. This moon is about "you" and how you secure your place on this planet. Write out your plan in a journal. There are only small steps toward a goal, no leaps. The earth is full of bounty and blessings and they are yours by birthright.
  We have an extensive library of PDFs and Word Docs about the Transformation Enzyme products, if you haven't checked it out yet. We've updated it as of today, so you're invited to check it out. Transformation Enzyme Company is one of the most reputable and dependable manufacturers of the highest quality digestive enzyme formulas on the market. They put a big emphasis on education and transparency, which we appreciate as vendors. Please stop by! Labels: digestive enzymes, nutrition, transformation enzymes
 Every month we get reports from our customers about experiencies they have had with the Subtle Energy formulas, and the Transformation Enzyme formulas. They are all inspiring! If you haven't checked them out lately, I invite you to do so, today. And, if you have had similar experiences, or something completely different, please feel free to send us an email, or comment on this blog, or visit us at Facebook or Plaxo. Hope to hear from you soon!  Boyd Martin Customer Service www.subtleenergysolutions.comTOLL FREE: 888-301-6773
 Labels: facebook, plaxo, subtle energy, testimonials
 We now have our E-Formulas posted on Facebook, please stop by and become a fan! You can find me, too, just click on my name. Boyd MartinCIO - Subtle Energy Solutions subtleenergysolutions.comLabels: facebook, health news, subtle energy
 The ancient observance of Halloween has its origins in a celebration of the end of harvest time, and the death of plants and animals sacrificed for human food stores. It was thought that the possible "evil spirits" that could ruin these stored foods for the winter could be scared off, or placated by humans through scarey costumes, artifacts and storytelling. The costume idea has always set me to wondering about its deeper meaning. I've thought that in a way, the anonymity a costume affords is liberating to a certain type of exhibitionist personality. But lately, I'm thinking that some of the scariness of a Halloween costume could relate to how things may not be what they seem. It's a great metaphor in these political and economic times. Ultimately, as Franklin Roosevelt declared, the worst kind of fear, is the fear of fear itself. If you can set aside the fear of being scared, it then makes it possible to observe what exactly it is you are afraid of. The naming of a specific fear allows us to learn something about ourselves, and allow us to access our "gut feelings" about the issue that fear had been covering up. That fear of one's life being out of control, or controlled by scarey people, has been amped up to unprecedented levels during this election cycle. Adding all the negative economic revelations to the mix has only made it worse. The masks have come off only to reveal a more terrifying result. Still, what about all that is actually fearful specifically to me? The answer to that question allows for a course of action, and in taking action--whether it be spiritually, emotionally, or physically--dispels those fears and puts us back in control. Until next time... In vibrant health, Shay AravePresident Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: economy, healthy habits
 The economic "Pearl Harbor," as described by financier Warren Buffett, has become, for me, a grand opportunity to examine how I run my life. And, I think once anyone can take a step back for a moment or two, can also see the value in this calamity--the silver lining, if you will. If may seem a hackneyed phrase, but it has been given new life: "The only thing to fear is fear itself." It is fear itself that destroys confidence. It is fear itself that destroys trust, and it has been fear itself that has wreaked havoc on the global financial markets. I kept repeating to myself, as I watched the cascading tsunami of dire news, "peaks and valleys, peaks and valleys." There has never been an end at the bottom of a wave. Indeed, what caused the economic meltdown was a perfect storm of greed, denial and panic--a Big Wave, if you will. Therefore, there will be the corresponding peak to this low ebb, and with all the rocks, trash, and hazard now exposed because of the low ebb, something fundamental can be done to clean it all up. As a result, my hope soars, the furrow has left my brow, and I continue to live in gratitude for all the opportunities for growth we as humanity have created. It's actually a beautiful thing. Until next time... In vibrant health, Shay AravePresident Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: mental health, psychology, self-empowerment
 As we watch the world financial system crumble before our very eyes, it's difficult to remain detached and upbeat. Emotional moments can range from flashes of panic to a general malaise of dread. But, we propose to stand by the hackneyed phrase, "It's all good." For one thing, at least some of the Truth about The System is coming out, and creates a great teachable moment for us all (check out this tutorial on money). Ultimately, the monetary crisis is a spiritual crisis. By framing it in this way, a door opens to personal development. Here are seven helpful ways to look at creating peace in your life: - Self --Explore how at peace you are with and within yourself.
- Challenges/Opportunities -- How you can use creativity and skill to turn conflicts into harmonious understanding.
- Higher Power -- Your highest intention and ideals with respect to the development of peace -- within yourself and in your world.
- Developments -- The way your efforts to achieve harmony seem to be headed.
- Lesson -- The personal investment or sacrifice required to achieve inner and outer peace.
- Allies -- People who can support your commitment to peace at this time.
- Advice -- How you relate to your path of cultivating inner and outer peace.
By remaining mindful of the big picture, and remembering that my life is for learning, a measure of peace is possible. And, it really is all up from from here! Until next time... In vibrant health, Shay AravePresident Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: creating peace, psychology, spirituality
 My visit and three-month stay at Optimum Health Institute in San Diego, was like giving myself a bouquet of colorful flowers--an experience rich in varying colors, shapes and sizes. And, it was all perfect--exactly what I needed to do at this point in my life. My work assignments could not have been more perfect: being the early morning exercise leader, having a work detail in the organic garden daily, and being assistant facilitator in the conscious breathing class. Among the many things I received from my work detail was an incredible physical cleanse, a loss of 30 pounds, and a renewed and increased physical energy. The work assignment in the organic garden was daily bliss outdoors in the sunshine, blue sky, and warm early mornings in sunny San Diego. My charge was weeding, planting, dead-heading, and transporting of wheatgrass mats daily into the huge composting plot. I gratefully gathered bits and details about improving my gardening skills. I received a great appreciation for my sensitivity and love of all things growing, and my desire to continue exploring more sustainable green gardening. In the next number of these Vibrant Living Newsletter issues, I'll be sharing with you a great deal more about my experiences at OHI, and the profound cleansing and healing this magical place offers. The friendships I made while working at OHI were the great parts of my experience. This holistic center attracts the most interesting people. People who are seekers, open-minded, and have a capacity to take a look at themselves in a much deeper way than your average bear. Doing the missionary program allowed me to see myself much more clearly, and from that perspective allowed me to see what the real changes are that I need to make. You're given enough tools to take home with you to begin the process. While at OHI, I got an understanding that how you do anything is how you do everything. This not only helped my personal reflections about myself, but also having the reflection of the community there was so beneficial for personal discovery. As a result, I had a huge shift in my energetic and physical appearance. We will be on the road now more and in the future, gathering experiences and knowledge, such as raw food cuisines, organic gardening, and sustainable green lifestyles--subjects that interest our readers, and that make up a good portion of our lifestyle. Until next time... In vibrant health, Shay AravePresident Subtle Energy Solutions
Thought for the Day "There are numberless energy rays in the Universe... All rays and spirits come from the subtle nature of the Universe... The interwoven energy net influences the lives of individual human beings, whole societies and entire races. A virtuous individual who responds to the high, pure, harmonious subtle energy rays and integrates them with the positive elements of his own inner being may strengthen his life, enhance his health and power, and lengthen his years." --Dr. Yury KronnLabels: Optimum Health Institute, organic lifestyle, raw fooding
From Eve Ensler, author of the Vagina Monlogues
Drill Drill DrillI am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks. I have a particular thing for Polar Bears. Maybe it's their snowy whiteness or their bigness or the fact that they live in the arctic or that I have never seen one in person or touched one. Maybe it is the fact that they live so comfortably on ice. Whatever it is, I need the polar bears. I don't like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence against them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the Sarah Palin choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people who made this choice count on the goodness and solidarity of Feminists. But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical to Feminism which for me is part of one story -- connected to saving the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options, opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war. I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately, this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept, the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity. Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor. In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The melting of the arctic, the storms that are destroying our cities, the pollution and rise of cancers, are all part of God's plan. She is fighting to take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The earth, in Palin's view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves and the bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As she said herself of the Iraqi war, "It was a task from God." Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should have a right to determine whether they have their rapist's baby or not. She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. I imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many babies that makes. Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. from what I gather she has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense with people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an environment of ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who could and might very well be the next president of the United States. She would govern one of the most diverse populations on the earth. Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot hundreds of wolves from the air. Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when war is declared in God's name, when the rights of women are denied in his name, that is the end of separation of church and state and the undoing of everything America has ever tried to be. I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the future not just of the U.S., but of the planet. It will determine whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever uninhabitable for humans. It will determine whether we move towards dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether we go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It will determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or whether we build more and more methods of killing. It will determine whether America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of fear, fundamentalism and aggression. If the Polar Bears don't move you to go and do everything in your power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the hall after Palin spoke at the RNC, "Drill Drill Drill." I think of teeth when I think o f drills. I think of rape. I think of destruction. I think of domination. I think of military exercises that force mindless repetition, emptying the brain of analysis, doubt, ambiguity or dissent. I think of pain. Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing we call life? -- www.shaysways.com
Obama and The Palin Effect From: Deepak Chopra Posted: Friday, September 5th, 2008 Sometimes politics has the uncanny effect of mirroring the national psyche even when nobody intended to do that. This is perfectly illustrated by the rousing effect that Gov. Sarah Palin had on the Republican convention in Minneapolis this week. On the surface, she outdoes former Vice President Dan Quayle as an unlikely choice, given her negligent parochial expertise in the complex affairs of governing. Her state of Alaska has less than 700,000 residents, which reduces the job of governor to the scale of running one-tenth of New York City. By comparison, Rudy Giuliani is a towering international figure. Palin's pluck has been admired, and her forthrightness, but her real appeal goes deeper. She is the reverse of Barack Obama, in essence his shadow, deriding his idealism and exhorting people to obey their worst impulses. In psychological terms the shadow is that part of the psyche that hides out of sight, countering our aspirations, virtue, and vision with qualities we are ashamed to face: anger, fear, revenge, violence, selfishness, and suspicion of "the other." For millions of Americans, Obama triggers those feelings, but they don't want to express them. He is calling for us to reach for our higher selves, and frankly, that stirs up hidden reactions of an unsavory kind. (Just to be perfectly clear, I am not making a verbal play out of the fact that Sen. Obama is black. The shadow is a metaphor widely in use before his arrival on the scene.) I recognize that psychological analysis of politics is usually not welcome by the public, but I believe such a perspective can be helpful here to understand Palin's message. In her acceptance speech Gov. Palin sent a rousing call to those who want to celebrate their resistance to change and a higher vision. Look at what she stands for: --Small town values -- a denial of America's global role, a return to petty, small-minded parochialism. --Ignorance of world affairs -- a repudiation of the need to repair America's image abroad. --Family values -- a code for walling out anybody who makes a claim for social justice. Such strangers, being outside the family, don't need to be heeded. --Rigid stands on guns and abortion -- a scornful repudiation that these issues can be negotiated with those who disagree. --Patriotism -- the usual fallback in a failed war. --"Reform" -- an italicized term, since in addition to cleaning out corruption and excessive spending, one also throws out anyone who doesn't fit your ideology. Palin reinforces the overall message of the reactionary right, which has been in play since 1980, that social justice is liberal-radical, that minorities and immigrants, being different from "us" pure American types, can be ignored, that progressivism takes too much effort and globalism is a foreign threat. The radical right marches under the banners of "I'm all right, Jack," and "Why change? Everything's OK as it is." The irony, of course, is that Gov. Palin is a woman and a reactionary at the same time. She can add mom to apple pie on her resume, while blithely reversing forty years of feminist progress. The irony is superficial; there are millions of women who stand on the side of conservatism, however obviously they are voting against their own good. The Republicans have won multiple national elections by raising shadow issues based on fear, rejection, hostility to change, and narrow-mindedness. Obama's call for higher ideals in politics can't be seen in a vacuum. The shadow is real; it was bound to respond. Not just conservatives possess a shadow -- we all do. So what comes next is a contest between the two forces of progress and inertia. Will the shadow win again, or has its furtive appeal become exhausted? No one can predict. The best thing about Gov. Palin is that she brought this conflict to light, which makes the upcoming debate honest. It would be a shame to elect another Reagan, whose smiling persona was a stalking horse for the reactionary forces that have brought us to the demoralized state we are in. We deserve to see what we are getting, without disguise.
Raj discovered our E-3 Pain Relief Lotion, and just ordered it. Here's what he had to say: "The E-3 Lotion is wonderful product and we will use it regularily and let you know how it works. My mom is 85 years old and complains legs ache.That is why I ordered it and we received the very next day. Thankyou! I also used it for my back pain and it affected it good. I am sure it will work good for my mom too. Thanks for the wonderful delivery." --Raj Rajput Thank YOU, Raj! Labels: e3 lotion, pain relief
 So far this summer, we've had some very gratifying feedback from new users of our popular E-3 Pain Relief Lotion, as well as some of our "regulars." Darcy, from here in Oregon, gives E-3 as a gift to family members for their birthdays and other occasions, and has seen conditions from leg aches to diaper rash relieved in those she loves. Rosalee, a new client was blown away when E-3 managed her longstanding shoulder pain when nothing else ever worked over the years. Read about more E-3 successes on the website, and feel free to send in yours. That's why we love this job! Every once in a while a news story hits me just right (or wrong), and makes me mad. One story we've included in our Vibrant Living Tips section below. Although I've read extensively on the health dangers of processed sugars, and countless health pundits have preached about it, the "food industry" blindly continues to distract and re-package the stuff in a wider and wider array of products. The thing that ticks me off is the promotion of a processed sugar carrier as a "health food," and some of the worst offenders use this strategy. Because sugar is naturally enjoyable taste-wise, food profiteers exploit the effect despite mountains of medical data showing all kinds of harm. I guess it's the "profits over public welfare" issue that got me going on this. Luckily, that mountain of medical data does make it out into the general consuming public, and at least in my case, it changed my consuming habits away from processed sugars. I suppose it was because of that mountain of data against sugar that caused the sugar peddlers to go into stealth mode. But government subsidies for the manufacture of processed sugar certainly are partly to blame. If there was a subsidy for making natural alternative sweeteners such as Stevia or fruits, there could be a significant social impact. The difference, I reckon, is subsidizing existing crop infrastructure versus creating a new one, and that just gets down to plain old laziness--money for nuthin'... Nonetheless, hope springs eternal for such trends as community gardens, urban farming, and the embracing of the organic lifestyle. It's all a matter of perspective. Until next time... In vibrant health,  Boyd MartinCustomer Service Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: diet, nutrition, vibrant living newsletter
 We just received a letter from one of Shay's old friends from a nearby town. Shay had seen her recently, and off-the-cuff, handed her two bottles of E-3 Pain Relief Lotion, in response to her friend's story about her should injury. The friend is not on the internet, but took time to write a letter: "The E-3 cream has really helped my shoulder. It rarely aches now, and there is vast improvement in mobility. I cannot thank you enough for sending the two bottles. I'm using the second one now!" -- Rosalee D. Thank YOU Rosalee! Labels: e3 lotion, pain relief
 Shay continues her odyssey at the Optimum Health Institute in San Diego. She has become an indispensible member of the operations team down there, tending the onsite gardens, teaching breathing classes and leading exercise sessions. She reported that she has the potentially unpopular task of waking everyone for their morning constitutionals...a task she enjoys for the opportunity to get everyone started in good mood. Meanwhile, I continue my music tour oddyssey across Middle America and Canada. The band had the opportunity to perform at the Tremblant Bluesfest at the Tremblant Resort 60 miles north of Montreal, as well as the gigantic Ottawa, Ontario, Musicfest. Great crowds, such wonderful cultural diversity all united under the universal banner of music. During our forays across the Midwest, we've been awed by the fantastic displays of thunderstorms--rare phenomena in Western Oregon. During a visit with my sister in Kansas City, we drove down highways with lightening flashing all around us, she acted like it was just another minor weather system. I was literally thunderstruck. Special thanks goes out to, Kayci, our capable office expeditor, who has been tending to the shipping and other office tasks while we have been away. Things should return to "normal" next week when I return from touring. As summer peaks, enjoy the beaming sun, envigorating heat, and Mother Nature's light shows! Until next time... In vibrant health,
Boyd Martin
Customer Service
Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: Optimum Health Institute, organic lifestyle
 As summer comes into full bloom, Shay reports she has been taking on assignments managing the Optimum Health Institute's garden, and having a great time harvesting cucumbers, zuchini--and cycling the wheatgrass. She'll be returning home with lots of organic gardening skills, and plans to write about her insights for this newsletter, so stay tuned for that. I've been out touring nationally with a band (I'm the drummer), and economic issues are obvious everywhere we go. Since our last tour last year, gasoline prices have nearly doubled, and is a significant issue in our V-8 Ford extended van. With a combination of a barrage of bad economic news, soaring fuel prices, and food prices spiking, it's easy to fall into the trap of financial worry. As with all worry, it can create a magnet for the precise object of the worry. And therein lies the path to acheiving some peace about the subject. In this issue, we're including a very useful article from the HeartMath Institute about reducing financial stress (see below). It's easy to lose perspective when money stressors engage all of your attention, and can become self-fulfilling prophesies. Instead of allocating your attention to the worry itself, you can re-direct attention in constructive ways to disrupt the cycle of worry. Part of living a vibrant life is a deep faith and confidence in the power of gratitude, and a certainty that giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. The more you use that coin, the more opportunities present to further give and receive. The truth is that we are living in a sea of abundant resources and opportunities. The skill comes in learning how to allow greater and greater flow of this abundance into our lives. Until next time... In vibrant health,
Boyd Martin
Customer Service
Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: psychology, vibrant living, vibrant living newsletter
 I found myself laughing out loud last night during one of my brief glances at the TV. I was watching Wayne Dyer's "The Power of Intention" PBS broadcast, and during the break, I surfed to a local station. There was a commercial for Eco-motion Motors of Portland--a car dealership that sells only electric and hybrid cars. I laughed and clapped my hands in support, and in gleeful celebration of the free market. It's the ebb and flow of all things that stimulates human imagination, and in socio-economic contexts this translates as "necessity is the mother of invention." This is demonstrated so clearly by the current oil supply shenanigans. Within the next year, look for a vast array of cheaper and more efficient alternatives for fuels, transportation, city planning, and social networking--just because the price of oil went up. I love it. I just read about the electric inflatable car (see news item below), and heard a discussion on NPR about the huge upsurge of interest in community produce gardens. In the paper yesterday was a story about how new ways of creating sustainable villages are being considered, where all the amenities of urban living are within short walking distances, and how telecommuting will be the rule instead of the exception. Ultimately, just as cheap oil connected the world's cultures in the past, expensive oil will re-connect those cultures to themselves. And in both instances, it is demonstrated that connection is the most important thing. Until next time... In vibrant health,  Boyd MartinCustomer Service Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: economy, environment, healthy habits, vibrant living
Dear Subtle Energy Solutions,  I got my order just fine. I have been sharing it at work as well as giving it for gifts to my family. My sister told me her legs ache so bad at night she could not sleep. I gave her the old bottle I had and in two nights they were doing so much better. I also put some on a few co-workers that were having pain and they wanted to know where I got the magic cream and how to get some. The best part is I learned something new about what this product will do. I got a heat rash, I am a heavy woman and did not want to use the diaper rash cream, so I tried E-3 and, wow, my rash was gone in hours. I want to thank you for such a wonderful product. Darcy from Canyonville, OregonLabels: e3 lotion, pain relief
 Shay continues her odyssey at the Optimum Health Institute in San Diego. She is reporting significant weight loss and higher energy. In her missionary training, she is running the morning exercise/yoga classes, and has been taking breathing classes. She had been doing a stint in the garden, but over the past week it's been chilly and wet down there, so they've suspended a lot of the garden operations pending better weather (same thing here in Western Oregon!). Shay is also getting regular colonics, reflexology treatments, and doing meditation. She talked to me today about doing a 3-week course myself in January. "I think it would be really good for you to disconnect from the computer and the phone for a while." Of course, that's like saying, "just remove your head for three weeks." Actually, I'm quite sure it would be very good to change things up in that way--not to mention the other OHI programs and regimens. I've continued with my daily Bikram Yoga practice, and am appreciating more and more some of the supplements I'm taking, such as Stem Enhance, PureZyme, MasterZyme, and mineral supplements. I read a great article on Magnesium last night, and have posted it on the site for your use (see below). Magnesium is used for more processes in the human body than any other mineral, and magnesium deficiencies have been cited as causative factors for many types of cancer, depression, endocrine imbalances, and organ failure. So, make sure to get your magnesium! Until next time... In vibrant health,
Boyd Martin
Customer Service
Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: health news, natural healing, vibrant living
The start of week 3, I am feeling pretty good. I am never hungry, but I do have food cravings, interesting to be able to make that distinction. I am craving salty, I have read this could be a sign of adrenal stress or it just could be I am craving salty. I just took my blood pressure, 104/72, will take it weekly while I am here. Lets take a look at MSG or excitotoxins, food flavorings, natural food flavors or whatever the label may read, rarely will you ever see MSG listed as it is a buzz word in the world of garbage food and cancer causing agents. MSG derivates are as follows: Hydrolyzed vegetable protein Autolyzed yeast Yeast extract Textured proteinu Sodium caseinate Natural flavorings Spices And by now you know if you read my Vibrant Living newsletter I am an advocate of reading labels, if you can not pronounce what is on the label, put it back. Ok, so what do all these derivatives of MSG do to our healthy bodies? Destroys brain cells Accelerates aging…egads we don’t want that!! Addictive…of course, keeps you wanting and buying more! Stimulates nervous system causing; neurodegenerative disease, neurological disorders, heart attack, strokes, tumors, vision loss, migraines, seizures. So along with craving salt, it is possible I am de-toxing from excitotoxins, I eat a pretty clean diet, but it is possible. The Optimum Health Institute prepares what is called a de-tox diet, different from raw food in that, by design it encourages the bowel and colon to cleanse. Lots of dark leafy greens, yummy sprouts, soaked lentils, fresh raw veggies of all kinds and the most delicious fermented sauerkraut. The menu is diverse, colorful, all variety of texture and beautifully presented 3 times a day. At the end of the second week I had lost 10 pounds, I can not see the loss on me, however that is what the scales says, so I’ll take it. I am off to attend a toning class, so this is it for today. Warmer weather is heading to San Diego, I am wondering how I will do on the cleanse as it heats up. Planning on keeping you all posted, have a fabulous day.
Optimum Health Institute 3 month program
I am one and a half weeks into my 3 month visit at The Optimum Health Institute and all goes pretty well. Making the decision to come for an extending work/study program was no small decision, but sometimes you get to a place in your life where life seems to be passing you by. One day fades into another and before you know the year has passed by without you in it. In a nutshell, this was 2007, maybe even 2006, not quite sure, however I know I was there, so yes, 2006 as well. The campus is really quite lovely, well cared for, a tropical canvas suited for the San Diego area. Being from the Pacific Northwest where Evergreens, Ferns and Hostas are indigenous of the region, it is magical to walk down the street seeing orange and lemon trees growing in a front yard or a large palm tree shading a front porch. I am in a much needed change of scenery, a lot more blue sky and an opportunity to take on more healing and responsibility in my life, hurray, lets get on with it.
 I finally "took the plunge," and flew down to Optimum Health Institute in San Diego in anticipation of a 3-month stay. It was a big commitment, but I feel an extremely important one for me. My last visit to OHI in 2005 seems now to have been more of an orientation than anything else. I was exposed to a particular brand of healing modalities that would, in some circles, seem extreme. But, as I have come to realize, are important as options for anyone wishing to change their state of health and their general outlook on life. I believe that without a spiritual approach to physical health, there can be no lasting healing. I believe this because in reality what the physical body is responding to is one's mental and spiritual experience. If egoic fears and depression dominate your thinking and if spiritual hopelessness invades your being, the body is going to suffer. This is a self-evident fact that needs no scientific validation. It's a very personal thing, but a very vital thing to acknowledge about life. I am joyous about my quest now, and will be studying hard and working to get the most out of my stay at OHI. I'll be doing some writing, and will keep you posted on my progress. If the spirit moves you, come join me! Until next time... In vibrant health,  Jan (Shay) AravePresident Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: healthy habits, natural healing, Optimum Health Institute
Vibrant Living Tip of the Week
Get Smarter: 12 Hacks That Will Amp Up Your Brainpower...Face it: Your IQ is basically hardwired. Still, there are lots of ways to get smarter--to max out your so-called functional intelligence. Think of it as a software upgrade. Wired Magazine's guide to better brainpower shows you how to boost your memory, sharpen your concentration skills, and even pop the right combination of drugs and supplements. It's a lighthearted romp through the latest known tips, tricks and tools for improving memory and cognitive abilities. Topics are...  1: Max Your Mind's Performance by Distracting Yourself.
2: Caffeinate With Care: Small Shots Do a Brain Better Than Big Blasts.
3: Feed Your Mind With Impressive Information.
4: Think Positive, and You Will Get Smarter.
5: Give Your Intellect a Boost — Just Say Yes to Doing the Right Drugs!
6: How to Juice Your IQ Score.
7: Thalamus, Cortex, Amygdala ... Pick Apart the Brain.
8: Don't Panic. It Makes You Stupid.
9: Embracing Chaos Could Bring Order to Your Memory.
10: Take on Any Map by Getting Visual.
11: Up Your Intelligence by Choosing Your Exercise Wisely.
12: Comprehension Climbs When You Slooooow Doooown. Have fun and good luck! >>>> MORELabels: brain power, health tips, healthy habits, memory, vibrant living
Body-Mind-Spirit News
- Gene Mapping the individual - cheaply
The cost of sequencing an individual genome is thus falling exponentially - just as the cost of hard disk space or transistors on a chip did when computing took off. Plotting the numbers on a graph suggests that by 2012 it will take a few hours and cost less than $100. A few years after that it will cost perhaps $10... - Want to Remember Everything You'll Ever Learn?
SuperMemo is based on the insight that there is an ideal moment to practice what you've learned. Practice too soon and you waste your time. Practice too late and you've forgotten the material and have to relearn it... - New study shows how exercise changes structure and function of heart
For the first time researchers are beginning to understand exactly how various forms of exercise impact the heart. Researchers have found that 90 days of vigorous athletic training produces significant changes in cardiac structure and function and that the type of change varies with the type of exercise performed... - Vitamin D deficiencies affect the brain
Researchers point out that evidence for vitamin D’s involvement in brain function includes the wide distribution of vitamin D receptors throughout the brain. They also discuss vitamin D’s ability to affect proteins in the brain known to be directly involved in learning and memory, motor control, and possibly even maternal and social behavior... - PETA wants to pay a million dollars for fake meat
The organization said it would announce plans on Monday for a $1 million prize to the “first person to come up with a method to produce commercially viable quantities of in vitro meat at competitive prices by 2012..." - Your belly fat could be making you hungrier
The extra fat we carry around our middle could be making us hungrier, so we eat more, which in turn leads to even more belly fat. Researchers found abdominal fat tissue can produce a hormone that stimulates fat cell production... - Heavily marketed kids' cereals are least healthy
Breakfast cereals for children are less healthy than cereals meant for adults, and those marketed the most aggressively to kids have the worst nutritional quality, according to a new analysis of 161 brands... - Taking Probiotics Could Prevent Allergies
Researchers found that levels of key proteins associated with tissue inflammation were 50% higher on average in the blood of probiotic-treated infants than in the blood of placebo-treated infants. Inflammation is thought to stimulate the immune system, and so reduce allergic reaction... [ALSO, see Plantadophilus]
Labels: health news, vibrant living newsletter, vitamins
Color is good...
Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical. My blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high, I'd gained some weight, and I didn't feel so hot. My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems. He said just think in colors... Fill your plate with bright colors... greens, yellows, reds, etc. I went right home and ate an entire bowl of... And sure enough, I felt better immediately. I never knew eating right could be so easy. Labels: diet
 As it has finally warmed up here in Western Oregon, all the flowers seemed to literally POP out. All that beauty had been just waiting inside of brown, dull stems, and short green stubs the whole winter, and suddently, WHA-LA! Exquisite beauty. It is such a metaphor for our own being, and how it is so easy to see our lives in the context of winter. We know the beautiful blooms of being are within us, yet so often the blooming part escapes us. It's usually some "reason" we can't just "do it," that is held in place by some incorrect belief. This leads me to mention Dr. Keith Ablow. I loved his TV show that was on for one season in the early afternoon, and although the show is no longer being broadcast, he has moved his enlightened form of psychotherapy to the Web at livingthetruth.com. One area of the website was particularly meaningful to me, about what he calls "shields." He says, "Shield strategies are counterproductive behaviors we engage in to distract ourselves from complicated chapters of our life stories. When you use one or more shield strategies you are needlessly running away from truths about your life experiences that, once accepted, will free you to create the life you deserve." Some examples he gives of shields are, overeating, overspending, obsessing over a romantic relationship, constantly arguing with loved ones, obsessing over dieting, and several more. In order for these behaviors to continue there has to be some sort of justifying mechanism or denial in place. To break the shield, the first step is, of course, realizing that it is there. Then, simply resist it. This gives you insight into the extent of the shield and valuable information on how to lower it, and then manage it. Great stuff! Until next time... In vibrant health, Jan (Shay) AravePresident Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: Keith Ablow, Oregon
 The flowers and trees are springing to life here in Western Oregon, although over the past three days there have actually been snow showers across the region (!). In fact, it's the latest snowfall in recorded history. As the local TV weatherman said last night, Nature is coping with global warming and over-compensated in the Pacific Northwest... Great skiing! Nonetheless, the hardy daffodils and tulips seem invigorated by the cool temps--lasting way longer than they did last year when it was unseasonably warm in March. Now is the time to review those new year's resolutions with the energies of spring, and perhaps gain a bit of energy and resolve to "get 'er done!" Swimming suit season is upon us, and those pesky weight loss decisions may be starting to weigh a bit heavily (ha!) on the shoulders... or hips... or butt.. BUT, the sun is shining, the air is fresh with the heady scents of new blooms, and it's hard to NOT go outside, take that walk around the block, and breathe in the newness! In the Vibrant Living Tips this week, I've included "8 Tips for Thinking Thin," to help the mindset. Even if your resolutions have nothing to do with weight loss, these tips with modifications are useful for any motivational deficiencies. Don't keep those goals to yourself. Speak out loud about them, journal them, and partner up with a buddy to get them done. Any progress at all gets the morale pumping, and you'll feel like a winner. Also, read Charly Emery's new article about taking the grind out of work. Consider getting our Life Energy Pack, for an overall boost to your energy, and check out our Intelligent Elixer Gem Elixirs--particularly read about Aquamarine and Topaz--great helpers for motivation and goal attainment. Until next time... In vibrant health, Jan (Shay) AravePresident Subtle Energy Solutions Labels: energy medicine, life coaching, vibrant living, weight loss
Vibrant Living Tip of the Week
8 Tips for Thinking Thin... Motivation to lose weight often hits an all-time high when the first buds of spring pop out, signaling that bathing suit season is not far behind. And while there's no getting around the need to exercise and eat healthier, long-term weight loss starts in your head. Experts say that having the right attitude can help you think yourself thin. 1. Picture Yourself Thin. Visualize your future self, six months to a year down the road, and think of how good you'll look and feel without the extra pounds. 2. Have Realistic Expectations. When doctors ask their patients how much they want to weigh, the number is often one that is realistically attainable. Identify a realistic weight range, not a single number. 3. Set Small Goals. These mini-goals should be things that will improve your lifestyle without wreaking havoc in your life. 4. Get Support. Studies show people who are connected with others, whether it's in person or online, do better than dieters who try to go it alone. 5. Create a Detailed Action Plan. Planning ahead is 80% of the battle. If you're equipped with a detailed plan, results will follow. 6. Reward Yourself. Recognize your hard work and celebrate the steps you are taking to be healthier. 7. Ditch Old Habits. Try to identify where you are engaging in behaviors that lead to weight gain and turn them around with little steps that you can easily handle without feeling deprived. 8. Keep Track. Simply knowing that you're tracking your food intake could help you resist that piece of cake! >>>>> MORELabels: diet, weight loss, wellness
Manifest with Motion: Taking the Grind out of Work
 Our resident Life Coach and Synergy Specialist, Charly Emery looks at how we often see our goals in the harsh light of how much work there is to do. Maybe our lens is skewed because of wrong thinking about what "work" actually is. That wrong thinking can make your goals seem much harder to attain than they need to be. Charly says, "There is a work element within everything we do; adjusting your perspective to optimize your relationship to work can be invaluable in helping you manifest what you desire in all areas of your life. With phrases like, 'Climbing the ladder to success,' and, 'Anything worthwhile requires hard work,' it's no wonder we assume creating any kind of positive change and success in our lives could be difficult and cumbersome." >>>> MORELabels: charly emery, life coaching, psychology, spirituality
Body-Mind-Spirit News
- Older Americans wealthier, living longer
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Older Americans have more money and are expected to live far longer than prior generations, U.S. government researchers said on Thursday.... - Learn to be kind
New research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison finds that we can acquire a greater capacity for compassion through meditation training, in much the same way as athletes or musicians train to improve their skill... - Social networking on the genome
If you've ever wanted to know just exactly how much DNA you share with your ridiculously tall brother or doppelganger best friend, you'll soon be able to find out. 23andMe, a personal genomics startup in Mountain View, CA, is about to unveil a new social-networking service that allows customers to compare their DNA.... - 'Diet' foods may not fool the brain
People who substitute "diet" sodas for the sugary kind might be deluding themselves. Laboratory mice, at least, show an innate preference for sugary foods – even when the rodents can't taste the treats... - US Army toyed with telepathic ray gun
A recently declassified US Army report on the biological effects of non-lethal weapons reveals outlandish plans for "ray gun" devices, which would cause artificial fevers or beam voices into people's heads... - Big Belly and Alzheimer's
It's not just about your weight. While previous research has found evidence that obesity in middle age raises the chances of developing dementia later, the new work found a separate risk from storing a lot of fat in the abdomen. Even people who weren't overweight were susceptible... - Vitamin D deficiencies in sunny climes
More than a quarter of Arizona adults tested had dangerously low blood levels of the vitamin... - SOY: Fermented or non-fermented?
Dr. Mercola cuts through
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