By Alexina Mehta

I was 23 years old, en route to meet a friend and I had one of those realizations that changed my life forever. I stopped at a red light, and I saw a mother and her two toddlers crossing the street. And then the thought…every person I will ever meet will die one day. Yikes! It hit me like a ton of bricks. I sunk into my stomach, pulled over and started to breathe. Wait a second…how come they did not teach us about this fact of life when I was in school? How come no one ever talks about it? What does this mean exactly?

Well, like any typical Gemini, my inquisitive mind started to wonder…to make sense of this thing called “life”… and this other thing called “death.”

I believe this realization I had was so profound that it began to guide my life. So many questions then arose…what is true? Who can I trust? What does this all really mean for where my life is going and why I am here?

The Law of Attraction took over. My friend Nick told me about a shamanic journeying course that was being offered and I signed up right away. I went to the course not totally knowing was journeying was, but I had a feeling I knew how to do it.

I was right. We got to the class and over 2 days we practiced journeying. I now have come to learn that journeying is a tool to receive information about things. One can journey to the past, present and future. One can journey for themselves or for another.

While at the course, I seemed to have a kind of confidence about what we were doing that I had not felt before. It was as if I had landed into myself. I was where I was supposed to be. And that was just the beginning. The course was uplifting and inspirational for me, and set me on a powerful path where I was beginning to experience clairvoyance, clairsentience and clairaudience. I had studied Yoga in my early 20’s and I recalled learning about the third eye. It was just a concept when I learned about it, but now I really began to understand what “seeing” meant.

There was a lot more I could see, some things I did not want to see. And then I sought out assistance to understand how to turn the dial up and down when needed. I realize now that this is called learning to work with your intuition.

My friend Nick sent me a message later that week. There was a school where we could go learn about shamanism more. Sign me up. I booked the flight and off we went to Massachusetts on our spring break.

To make a long story short, after the first couple days, my mind was blown open with greater perception, healing, peace, and happiness. I was humbled beyond comprehension and grateful that I found my place in the cosmos. I found a powerful tribe and that tribe just grew, more and more every year as I did.

And what about death? I learned that the body is a vehicle for transformation of consciousness and that I existed on many other levels in addition to the body. I also learned that any fear that there ever was comes from the ego and that I was much more then that. When I connected to the infinite part of myself, all the beautiful virtues existed there. I was taught to cultivate and develop the infinite self and continue to be humbled as the rest falls away. The result: more compassion. His Holiness the Dalai Lama often spoke of compassion. I could always relate on a deep level when I heard him or read one of his books. I vowed one day I would meet him. Sure enough I did…about a year ago!

Studying the medicine wheel and Andean shamanic ceremonies like the fire ceremony and despacho ceremony was powerful for me. I began to have a deep respect for ceremony of any kind as it was time to honour and pay attention to that which operated behind the scenes. I saw over and over again that the most profound healing was possible in ceremony.
I was fascinated with developing my awareness so that I would receive guidance and information in being able to be a better person and ultimately a better healer. How could I be of service and use my life for good?

When I travelled to Peru for the first time I received more confirmation I was on the right track. As soon as I got there, a sense of familiarity and knowingness came over me. Keep going. There is much more for you here.

And so the journey still continues and I visit Peru regularly. To be continued…I look forward to sharing journeying with you on August 29th for our Empower Yourself with Journeying event.

I’d love to read your comments so don’t be shy and do share! Much love and blessings xox

www.celebratingthegoddess.com
www.dralexinamehta.com

By Michele Labelle

When a new idea comes to you like a whisper inside your heart, listen. It is your intuition inviting you to slow down, call a friend, or just sit and breathe. In this article you will learn some simple techniques to return to this quiet place in your heart where your intuition guides you.

Our lives are designed to have a variety of people to awaken and help heal those places we need to awaken the most. In our mother’s womb, the first sound we heard as an embryo was a soothing, steady heartbeat, the constant rhythm of a calm life-force within. That place of security and being completely taken care of. When we are calm and relaxed, our heartbeat is slow and steady and our mind is calm. When we are agitated, we may have a hard time concentrating. When we fall in love our hearts are filled to the brim; after a break up we are heartbroken. Our mental well-being describes how we are feeling from one day to the next and this can change depending on what is going on in our lives.

When I was three years old, I subconsciously chose to take care of my mom as she cried over my father’s coffin. In my life I also chose to take care of two ex-husbands. Not surprisingly I chose a career to save people’s lives and worked in the Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital for over 16 years. Now, at 53, I feel like I am at an impasse in my life, frozen by emotions and no longer able to pretend that everything is ok. One day, I found myself uncontrollably sobbing on the side of the road in my car, finally letting go of my pain and expressing my emotions in a whole new way.

I was recently lead through a process that had me deeply feel the emotions and anger from the loss of my father at the age of three. In that moment I felt more deeply than ever the pain held in my body, the heaviness in my heart like a big demolition ball, deep sharp pain in my lower back that has been there for years, and another ball of energy that was stuck in my throat; for years I’ve been unable to effectively communicate my emotions and feelings.

Always trying to mask the sadness and pain with a smile and trying to make everyone around me feel good since the age of three. Emotionally and mentally bankrupt.
I was lead through a simple and effective series of questions which helped me to feel the feelings of anguish, loss, and anger from my past. During the process I felt my father’s karmic reason for his passing, and then, an unexplainable space of complete freedom opened up and I surrendered to it. No more blame, no more needing to take care, no more anger – just peace and an unlimited source of light and freedom.

This is one of the techniques that I use as a Harmony Integration Coach to help people clear their blocks and open their hearts to living in a new way. There are so many wonderful tools in life to open our hearts and after being on a personal development journey for over twenty years this is one that has been very powerful for me. It has set me free to live my life from a whole new foundation, that of unconditional Love for myself and others.

After leaving the hospital work I retrained to be a yoga teacher/facilitator and for past ten year my focus has been gentle yoga, and always coming back to the heart .

Our heart is the main clock of the body so to speak. Minutes, days, weeks, years are all going by so fast. We are told to listen to our hearts in life, but how can we do that, when life if going by so fast?

Right now, take a moment; sit up tall, place both feet on the floor, and take a big breath in and out. Now breathe in Love and exhale Love. This was a meditation I taught to teens who were incarcerated in the Burnaby Youth Secure Centre as part of the Yoga Program with Yoga Outreach. As they would breathe in and out love, I observed a shift in the room. A calm steady presence that allowed the teens to become aware of something that felt good inside. By the end of the session they were present to a space that was not there when they walked into the room. The feeling of love filled the room and this was a gift to everyone. I feel this every single time I do this meditation.

The hidden truths held in our subconscious are the keys to our freedom. After years of searching, I’ve finally unblocked the door of anguish, and now feel open to Love in a whole new way.

Michele is a Yoga Teacher, facilitator, and Harmony Integration Coach who creates magical retreats around the world. Find out more at www.azuryoga.net or contact her for a private consultation.

By Danielle Perron, CNP

Next to water, tea is the most consumed beverage worldwide.

With its ‘oh-so-smooth’ taste, aromatic appeal, and exquisite range of colour, tea has something to offer all palates. Ranging from white, green, oolong, black, and puerh’s (fermented tea, a digestive aid, and blood cleanser) all tea originates from the lovely Camellia sinensis plant. The distinguishing factor that determines the class of tea produced is the manufacturing step. The eight step process of tea production includes plucking the buds/leaves, sorting, cleaning, manufacture, drying, sorting, and packing.

The energy and attention to the first pluck is truly something of beauty, often performed by women and young adults because the smallest of hands and most delicate of fingers are required for such a detailed undertaking.

Aside from its cultural diversity, there are multiple health benefits to this tasty bevvy. The most common benefit of tea is its antioxidant value. In keeping with our focus this month to brew heart consciousness, lets focus on green tea for heart chakra resonance.

Green tea contains naturally occurring antioxidants that help to prevent free radical damage. The group of antioxidant compounds are known as flavonoids, comprising of two subgroups- flavonols and flavanols. Within the tea flavanol group are catechins, which are recognized for containing the highest level of antioxidants and because green tea undergoes very minimal processing, much of these nutrients remain following the final steps of processing. To elaborate further, within the subgroup of catechins are six antioxidant compounds- catechin (C), gallocatechin (GC), epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The latter is the most bioactive of all the catechins and most abundant with green tea.

In addition to supporting heart health, green tea contains zero calories, increases metabolism, contributes to optimal oral health, strengthens immunity, increases hydration, reduces body fat, boosts memory and enhances mood. Additionally green has been found to be anti-viral and anti-inflammatory. Green tea also contains vitamins E and D, and amino acids (L-theanine), which can delay the aging process while enhancing concentration and focus.

While tea contains naturally occurring caffeine, the absorption and effect on the body -specifically the nervous system – is much less immediate than in other beverages as the caffeine in tea is slowly absorbed into our blood stream. For caffeine free options I suggest a lovely rooibos, which is derived from an entirely different botanical, aspalathus linearis. Rooibos is a naturally caffeine free and antioxidant rich plant, bold in colour and taste.

In addition to physiological heart health, tea also supports our emotional heart. Tea represents connectedness, community and relationship. When I think of tea, I’m reminded of the coziest of cozy times shared with some of the dearest beings close to my heart. Together we’ve shared some empowering realizations, thought-provoking conversations and the warmest exchanges, all over a cup of love.

Varieties of green tea are vast and available to all, first timers and connoisseurs alike! Flavours that may satisfy the palate range from vegetal to earthy, buttery to sweet, floral to roasted or spicy to uplifting.

To learn more about the health benefits of tea and general heart health, please connect me at: danielleperron27@gmail.com.

To sample some of the finest quality teas in Vancouver’s only 100% organic tea shop, please visit TEAJA in Yaletown any day of the week, Monday to Friday 9am-7pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am-6pm.

1072 Mainland St.
604-558-3252
www.teaja.com