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OCTOBER 2004
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CONTENT
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Your
Hands Can Heal
The EDGE Interview with Master Stephen Co
by
Tim Miejan
Stephen Co wasn't
familiar with the Sanskrit word "Prana," or the Chinese term "Chi"
or the Old Testament usage of "Ruah," all referring to the invisible bio-energy
or vital energy that keeps the body alive and maintains a state of good health. He
was an electrical engineer by trade and was hardly a student of subtle energy. That
all changed in 1998 when his wife had a serious fall and broke her hip.
"I always tell people I didn't get into Pranic Healing by choice, it was out
of desperation," Co said in a phone interview with The EDGE. |
Together,
we can prosper and sustain the earth
From
the editor
| by Tim Miejan
This month, I will
share some thoughts on a variety of topics, ranging from global to personal, and
back again. I begin with some notes about the new format of The EDGE, which begins
next month.
Expect a smooth transition
from The EDGE newspaper to Edge Life magazine, as the foundation upon which this
publication is based will not change. It’s about being human and the challenge
we all have with that process. It’s not easy for spiritual beings to inhabit
these three-dimensional space suits we call bodies, for unfortunately, once we are
in body, we all too often forget that we are anything else. |
ELECTION
2004
The
Stars for the November Elections & Long-Range Trends
Part 2: John Kerry
by
Curtis Burns
In part one of this
series, we looked at what the astrological powerhouse George W. Bush was for the
election. This month we focus on John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate.
Does he have the stuff to win? What kind of president would he be? How does Kerry
connect up with the collective U.S. psyche according the chart?
Part
1: George W. Bush |
DARK NIGHT OF
THE SOUL
OUR
FEATURED TOPIC in OCTOBER
FEATURING:
Close
to Death, Closer to Spirit
A short testament of a cancer survivor by Craig Howell
A
Season of War, Greed, and Lies: The Collective Dark Night of the Soul
by
Karen Engelsen
SPECIAL
FOR OUR ONLINE EDITION:
Moving
into Darkness
by
Lynn Woodland
The
Dark Night of the Soul is the Gift of Illumination in Higher Consciousness by Darryl Pokea
Experiencing
the Dark Night Within
by
Dr. Neroli Duffy
The
Dark Night Of The Soul: Our Ultimate Spiritual Challenge?
by
Cathy Combs
INSIGHT | Columns
& Guidance
Waking
Up to Reality: Byron Katie and the Art of Freedom
by
Carol L. Skolnick
Byron Katie had
an extraordinary "spiritual awakening" in the midst of an ordinary small-town
American life. With the publication of Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change
Your Life, she shows us that enlightenment is within everyone's reach, one question
at a time.
An
Interview with Dan DeMuth: The Golf Whisperer -- Part 7
by
Wes Hamilton
I am having an awesome
experience this year learning about "Better Business through Better Golf."
Dan DeMuth has been coaching us on the ART OF CONNECTEDNESS! The secret is that everything
is connected! Our next golf shot is connected to the previous golf shot, our joy
is connected to who is "moving our coin." Our energy is connected to our
environment, etc.
The
Golf Whisperer -- Part 1
The
Golf Whisperer -- Part 2
The
Golf Whisperer -- Part 3
The
Golf Whisperer -- Part 4
The
Golf Whisperer -- Part 5
The
Golf Whisperer -- Part 6
Hair
Loss & Relaxation
Dear Louise |
by Louise Hay
This may sound like
a simple question and not worth answering, but this problem affects me every day.
I'm a guy, and I'm losing my hair. I'm wondering if your books and ideas of positive
thinking can help in any way. Thanks for your time. -- D.M., Boulder, Colorado
Dreams
and the balance of energies
Smoke
Signals |
by Debbie Smoker
I had a very disturbing
dream the other night. Many of my dreams are fleeting, but this one keeps returning
to my thoughts. Whenever I have a really potent dream, I write it down first person.
I am hoping you can shed some light on what this one may mean. |
EXPRESSION
|
Spirituality
in the Arts
Keystone:
Five Keys to Harmony — The Secrets of Spiritual
Co-workership
by Mary Carroll
Moore
Five singers gather
around a kitchen table in the upstairs room of Cliff Hanger Records, New York. The
tea kettle has just whistled. Larry Siegel, producer and group member, goes to the
stove and pours hot water into five mugs. Hands cup the warmth. Before each person
on this chilly January Saturday is a stack of song lyrics and an impossible challenge:
to work as a group to arrange, record and produce 12 songs in 12 months.
Before
Sunset: A Review
The
Movie Mystic
| by Stephen Simon
I strongly --
STRONGLY! -- recommend that you run, not walk, to see Before Sunset, which is my
co-favorite film of the year so far (along with Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind).
If it's not still in theaters when you read this, you will then have a treat waiting
for you at your local video store when it is released on home video.
On
the Shelves: Reviews
Mom's
View: Children's Books, by
Paula Behr
Poetry:
Contrasts
by
Kathi Perham Williams |
HEALING | Integrative
Healing
How
Long Healing Takes
From
the Heart
| by Alan Cohen
Have you been struggling
with a physical, emotional, financial or relationship difficulty for a long time?
Do you wonder if this will go on forever? Have you told yourself or had a professional
tell you that this kind of situation is serious and will take a long time to undo
-- if ever? Do you, wonder, hope and pray that there might be some way out sooner
rather than later?
Natural
Care for Varicose Veins
by
Rita Louise
Our circulatory
system is made up of a complex web of arteries and veins. Our arteries carry oxygen-rich
blood to the cells of our bodies, while the veins are designed to pump oxygen-poor
blood back to the heart. This is accomplished through a series of one-way valves
that do not allow blood to flow backwards into the vein.
On
Dr. Eric Pearl: For he is the light, and they shine through him
by
Michele Kufner
About eight years
ago, I started to feel as if I had a chronic case of the flu. I had headaches, stomach
pains, and my joints and body ached all the time. Some days the pain was more intense
than others, but the feeling of being ill was constant. I had no appetite. Eating
-- just swallowing -- caused me great pain. My weight dropped to 87 pounds. |
THE MOMENT |
News from the
edge
Labyrinth
Gathering Coming to Minnesota
October
News from Twin Cities
October
News from Wisconsin
Conscious
Relationship kicks off
Body, Mind & Spirit Conference
MENOMONIE, Wisc. -- The eighth annual Body, Mind & Spirit Conference: Healing
the Whole Person will present noted pioneers in human consciousness Judith Ansara
Gass and her husband Robert Gass on October 22-24 at Memorial Student Center at the
University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie.
The conference -- co-sponsored by the University, its College
of Human Development, Stout Solutions-Continuing Education and
The EDGE -- will include a keynote talk by Robert Gass on "Soul
Work: Spirit in Action," a keynote talk by Judith Ansara
Gass on "Walking Your Talk: Spirituality
in Daily Life," a Saturday evening performance by Judith
and Robert entitled "Transformance: A Celebration of Heart
and Spirit," as well as more than 40 other workshops, bodywork
demonstrations and exhibits throughout the weekend.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 22, with a special pre-conference workshop,
a daylong presentation on "The Art of Conscious Relationship" by Judith
Ansara Gass and Robert Gass. The workshop is an experiential process to help you
create the possibility of more intimacy, partnership and joy in all of your relationships.
"Conscious relationship is built on the foundation of understanding, intention
and practice," Judith Ansara Gass told The EDGE. "Commitment is critical
-- without commitment we will withdraw, or lash out when the going gets rough. In
conscious relationship, we continue to turn towards the other and open ourselves
to what there is to learn."
She said that during decades of working with individuals and couples, she has found
that it is very rare that any of us have grown up in families in which we thought
our parents had a great relationship, a relationship we wished to emulate.
"Our parent's relationship (or the absence of it) sets the tone for 'how intimacy'
is done," she said. "Many of us have experienced the hardships not only
of divorce, of substance abuse and both emotional and physical violence -- but even
more pervasive are relationships in which there is little intimacy or passion, skillful
communication and simply the joy of sharing life.
"Although the skills and practices of conscious relationship are the foundation
of our lives, impacting everything from dating, to marriage, to friendship, work
and family relationships, we are simply not taught how to do this. Most of us stumble
along being hurt and disappointed because we simply don't know how to do it better.
But the good news is -- that like any skill -- with education and practice we can
learn to do it better. We can learn to create relationships which are satisfying
and mutually beneficial."
She said that in conscious relationship, each partner takes responsibility for his
or her own contribution.
"I call this getting off the blame game," Judith said. "It is usually
easier to see what the other person is doing wrong -- we think, "If only he
or she would be different." But the only real power we have is over our own
attitudes and behaviors. When we take responsibility for how we show up in relationship,
we liberate energy and possibility rather than getting sunk in frustration, hurt
and anger.
"In our work, we teach practices for developing the awareness and skills for
being successful in relationship. We all yearn for this -- that's why we keep on
trying, even after years of frustration, and even pain. Every human yearns to be
loved and to love. We want to feel known and accepted. We want to believe that there
can be greater harmony, satisfaction and peace within us and with each other."
During the conference, Judith Ansara Gass and Robert Gass also will present:
-- Keynote: "Soul Work: Spirit in Action," by Robert Gass, 9 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 23: Our work is more than our job. Every day is an opportunity for
soul to express itself through our words and our deeds, to impact the world in which
we live and touch those with whom we share this life. In Soul Work, we study the
craft of transforming our dreams and visions into livelihood, service, projects,
art, relationships -- the works of our life. We explore how to choose what to do,
and how to do it with excellence, artistry and grace. Using a variety of experiential
techniques drawn from business, humanistic psychology, the arts and a range of spiritual
disciplines, we will learn to become more aware and intentional in how we use our
energy, joining inner and outer, our being and our doing, our spirit and our work.
-- "Art of Being Peace" workshop, by Judith Ansara Gass, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 23: The human body thrives on a deep state of relaxation, which has
been shown to deepen our access to creativity, higher intelligence, pleasure and
productivity -- and even athletic performance. Yet, our fast-paced, electronic lives,
and the seemingly endless pressure and demands on our time, often leave us depleted
and un-resourceful, unable to fully enjoy the life for which we work so hard. Stress
and stress-related illness is one of the greatest health risks of our times. Each
of us is challenged in our own way to find ways of being peace. How do we learn to
calm emotional reactivity? How do we learn to quiet the mind? How do we reclaim our
natural state of relaxed and open-hearted connection with life and with those around
us? How do we re-source our energy? How do we open our bodies to the inherent joy
of being, the privilege of being human? In this fully participatory workshop, you
will be guided in powerful experiences and practices for body, mind and spirit which
can easily be cultivated and practiced at home. This work provides a doorway into
living an activated and receptive spiritual life as we commit ourselves to learning
the art of being peace.
-- "Transformance: A Celebration of Heart and Spirit," by Judith Ansara
Gass and Robert Gass, 8-10 p.m., October 23: This participatory event weaves
chanting and sing-a-longs, meditation, ritual, high play and wild, ecstatic dancing.
Judith and Robert, well-known teachers, creators of the Opening the Heart workshops
and the celebrated musical group, On Wings of Song, are masters at creating sacred
space. Come prepared to sing your heart open, dance your prayers, and let your spirit
soar.
-- Keynote: "Walking Your Talk: Spirituality
in Daily Life" by Judith Ansara Gass, 10 a.m. Sunday,
Oct. 24: "For some of us, our pictures of spirituality
are about withdrawing from life, states of deep meditation,
working to disengage from our human nature and sometimes a disregard
of the physical body. In this workshop, we will explore a spirituality
that includes a passionate engagement with life, a capacity
to be with what is and to experience our bodies as vehicles
for spirit, and our everyday lives as opportunities for living
a spiritual life. Each moment offers us the opportunity for
practice. Concepts like compassion, inner peace and love only
find real meaning in the living expression of them in our daily
lives. In this session, we will explore how to make life in
the body, our relationships and our work in the world the central
expressions of our spiritual path. You will learn specific practices
to help you navigate this ashram of life and to relate to all
those with whom you interact as your revered teachers. You will
reconnect with your physical body in ways that offer new pathways
for healing, and new opportunities for joyful expression. Judith
will help you cut through the complexities of spiritual philosophies,
and offer powerful teachings for walking your talk -- finding
and living the spiritual in everyday life.
-- "The Heart of Chanting," by Robert Gass, 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct.
24: The ancient practice of chanting brings us into heartful communion when we join
our voices in sound. It is a devotional practice that can bring us closer to the
presence of the Divine, and a meditative practice for cultivating inner peace and
self-knowledge. Chanting brings harmony into our busy lives, and has been demonstrated
to evoke the "relaxations response," lower blood pressure, and heighten
mental clarity and creative expression. Chanting is also incredibly fun! Designed
for beginners and experienced chanters alike, the experiential workshop includes:
lots of chanting from Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Sufi, Jewish, Wiccan and Afro-Cuban
traditions, freeing your voice, exploring and understanding the physical, emotional
and spiritual powers of chant, and practices that unite chant, meditation and "the
sound of silence."
Judith Ansara Gass, M.S.W., has been a nationally known teacher
of healing, psychology and spirituality
for more than 25 years. Weaving contemplative and shamanic practices
and the depth work of her decades of practice as a psychotherapist,
with the skills of personal and organizational effectiveness,
Judith has trained doctors, nurses, social workers, activists
and business leaders at universities, conferences and educational
centers around the world. She serves as a coach, mentor, trainer
and organizational consultant. Judith is co-founder of the Peacemaker
Institute in Boulder, Colo., where she offers in-depth training
in spiritually-based social action and leadership. Judith is
also a teacher of yoga and meditation and a trans-denominational
minister and ceremonialist.
Robert Gass, Ed.D., has been a pioneer in the field of human consciousness for more
than 25 years. A Harvard-trained psychologist, organizational consultant and workshop
leader, more than 100,000 people have attended his seminars at universities, educational
centers, and conferences around the world, including the State of the World Forum,
Brown University, the Omega Institute, and the U.N. Peace University in Costa Rica.
Also a highly-regarded composer, performer and recording artist, Robert has released
more than 20 albums of music to uplift the human spirit, including the bestselling
Om Namaha Shivaya. His musical career spans classical, rock and chant, and he is
the founder of Spring Hill Music, the foremost producer of transformational and chanting
music in the country.
For more information or registration, contact Stout Solutions, Continuing Education
at (715) 232-2693, e-mail conference-solutions@uwstout.edu or visit www.1ness.org/bms/
Copyright © 2004 Tim Miejan |
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