Happy Holiday Greetings!  I hope your Thanksgiving gatherings were filled with friends and family dining together.  I am happy to announce that I will be back at Blue Sky’s Grafton campus for four days in December.

On Saturday morning, December 10^th, I have two new seminars for you and, again, they are free (if you wish).  Please join me for The Science of Happiness and stay for How to Be Your Own Psychotherapist.

As a thank-you for your kind support and interest in holistic care, both seminars are by donation only.  If you are financially strapped these days, please come for free.
Details in just a moment…

I will be available to meet with you and your family for private consultations at Blue Sky’s School of Massage in Grafton:
• Friday, December 9^th, 2 pm – 6:30 pm
• Saturday, December 10^th, 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm – remember, I have two great seminars for you on Saturday morning (see below)
• Sunday, December 11^th, 2 pm – 6:30 pm
• Monday, December 12^th, 3 pm – 6:30 pm
Please email me to schedule an appointment.

The Science of Happiness — 9:00 – 10:30 am on Saturday, December 10th
A happy person is clear, tranquil and humble; and whose family shows that they can live together with diversity – diverse views, thoughts, and inclinations – all under the same roof.
This seminar will help you learn:
•  The Art and Science of Inner Kindness –how to be kind to yourself in all situations and circumstances.
• How to greet Honor & Insult, Loss & Gain equally.  This is the antidote to self-condemnation; a skill to share with your family and colleagues.
• To understand that the greatest of all friends is within you.
Fee: By Donation Only, Suggested Love Offering is $25 per person, $35 per family.
Date and Time: Saturday, December 10^th, 9:00 – 10:30 am at Blue Sky in Grafton

How to Be Your Own Psychotherapist — 11:00 am – 12:00 noon on Saturday, December 10th
It seems that this world is not for the weak and meek.  It is the energetic, vibrant , strong, healthy, powerful people who feel entitled to achieve.  And according to all accounts, they do just that.  They achieve their goals.
We call them the fortunate few.  We all want to join them.  So, what causes us to sabotage our own best efforts?  What stops us from joining the ‘fortunate few?’
The Sages say that self-condemnation (identifying yourself with your mistakes) is the root cause of our problems.  Once you condemn yourself, you lose your self-respect and this leads to self-hatred.  Later, you will project your self-hatred onto others and then you will start to isolate yourself from others.  Isolation comes from falsely thinking that others know our weaknesses and condemn us. How to Be Your Own Psychotherapist is a fun filled hour of stories and strategies of how to work with your mind and relationships.  I will introduce you to ancient, time tested methods on how to counsel and train your mind to be your friend.
•  Learn how to use a working schematic of the mind, breath, body & senses
•  Understand the source and trigger of impulses and urges
•  To achieve mastery over our mind’s inconsistencies, we must transform our attitude towards our mind.  We will discuss three powerful ways to transform your attitude today.
Fee: By Donation Only, Suggested Love Offering is $15 per person, $25 per family.
Date and Time: Saturday, December 10th, 11:00 am – 12:00 noon at Blue Sky in Grafton.

I hope you can join me on Saturday morning for these presentations.  It will be a fun and interactive time with loads of new ideas and stories.

As always, I most certainly welcome you to make a private appointment so we can discuss how to apply this knowledge to benefit you and your family.

To help you reserve your spot today, please email me today.
If you have questions, please call Alive and Healthy and leave us a message.
I look forward to seeing you real soon!

Happy Winter Holidays to you and yours,

Blair Lewis

Blue Sky School of Massage in Grafton
350 Double Tree Lane
Grafton, WI   53024
(Near the Family Farm on Port Washington Road, between Hwy. 60 and Hwy. C.)
Directions to Blue Sky are online

If you deny me, I will come back.

I am your thoughts and I’ll cut you no slack.

Millions in numbers are me and my friends.

We fill up your noggin from end-to-end.

Your equating us with “good” or “bad” allows us to last,

And allows us to replay for you all of the past.

As you fall victim to your very own mind,

We’re not taking the blame for your self-made bind.

But if you knew how the mind works & didn’t let it run astray,

Then the fun we have tormenting you, would simply go away.

Jordan Shapiro, MD is a physician completing his Pediatric Residency at the University of Cincinnati and a long time staff member of Alive and Healthy. He is a life long student of meditation and an avid traveler to plains of suffering all over the world — serving those most downtrodden in any manner possible.

This year we will be offering two classes of principles and techniques to overcome fear and stress.

Join Anne Schanz, PhD, Theresa Oswald, MD, and Pandit Blair Lewis for a dynamic afternoon of fun, fellowship and freedom from fear. And it is free!

Part One

Conquering Fear – consciousness yoga in action. Unveil the effects of unconscious roles we play in everyday life with Anne Schanz PhD a holistic counselor and expert in yoga psychology. Get first hand experience of the mind body connection and what it can do for you with avid yogini and integrative physician Theresa Oswald MD.

12:30 – 1:45pm on Monday, September 5, Labor Day

What to Bring: Pen, paper and an open mind. Be prepared to laugh, learn and grow!

Part Two

Conquering Fear – consciousness yoga in action. See the endless possibilities of befriending your mind with Blair Lewis, Pandit of the Himalayan Tradition and ardent yoga student/teacher for 30 years. Harness your closest ally in conquering fear; your breath. Explore practical pranayama with avid yogini and integrative physician Theresa Oswald MD.

2:00 – 3:15pm on Monday, September 5, Labor Day
What to Bring: Pen, paper and an open mind. Be prepared to laugh, learn and grow!

Both classes will be held off campus at the:

Center for Spiritual Living

4801 Spring Valley, Suite 115

Dallas, Texas 75244

Map

To Reserve Your Seat: Please email us at Terri@aliveandhealthy.com

Everyone is Welcome!  Both classes are free of charge.  Love offerings are welcome.

What proof do we have that this is true? Well there are many indigenous groups of people around the world that have very low evidences of these diseases. Research shows that the traditional, plant-based rural diets of Asia produce much lower rates of certain cancers, heart disease, obesity and, in some cases, osteoporosis and other chronic, degenerative diseases than the rates seen in the United States.

The Asian diet is composed mainly of rice, whole grains, minimally processed whole foods, large amounts of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds with small amounts of vegetable oil and a moderate consumption of plant-based beverages mainly tea. It is a tasty and sustainable diet. Plants are packed with the phytonutrients we seek out in vitamins and supplements. Plants are where we derive anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, anti-inflammatory agents, immune supporters, rejuvenating substances and cholesterol lowering agents. How convenient that these amazing health promoting chemical are found in something we need to eat daily, food.

The Asian diet is the polar opposite to SAD, standard American diet consumes 90% more animal protein, twice the fat and 3 times less fiber. Unlike Western diets, meat is rarely the main dish of any meal but rather an accent or garnish.

If you would like to learn more about global health trends in nutrition, see what’s cooking on, Saturday, March 26th, 2011 at Duo, All Things Culinary, 7721 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75209 ( call to register at 214-884-2979).

Food For: Your Health, Pan Asian Style | 10:30 am -12:30 pm | $45

Dr. Theresa Oswald and Lorin Grant

Menu:
Miso Soup with Soba Noodles
Roasted Sweet Potato Chips and Asparagus with Wasabi Sour Cream
“Fried Rice” – Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables & Quail Egg
Green Tea “Ice Cream”

Recently, another jarring ‘what if’ has come to me.

What if ALL LOVE is unconditional?  That set my mind reeling.

—Well, let’s look at this.  If all love is unconditional what about all the relationship issues?  What about all these different kinds of love relationships:   romantic, agape, friendship, pets, etc?

What if love is love, and it exists separate from the giver and receiver?  What if it really has NOTHING to do with relationships at all?

OMG!  Now, my synapses are popping.

When do I FEEL love?  I feel love when I am in a certain state of being.  It is associated with feeling warm, calm, happy, joyful, excited– an endless array of expansive feelings.

Are these expansive feelings really about what I am doing or what another is doing for me?  Hummmm.   I have been conditioned by association to believe that is true.

When I am feeling these feelings I do certain behaviors which are loving.  Are my behaviors love?  No, they result from my being in the state of love.

How did I get to the state of LOVE?  I assumed  that someone else evoked it or put me there, but is that true?   Can I put MYSELF there?  Am I really in charge of feeling love(d)?

When I focus on certain thoughts/images I can put myself there.  When I act lovingly toward others,  I put myself there.  AM I IN CHARGE OF MY FEELING LOVED?

Yes, I believe I am.

So then, what my spouse, child, brother, sister, mother, father, uncle, aunt, friend, co-worker, enemy does or does not do— DOES NOT control when or how I feel love(d)?

I can feel love(d) regardless of what others say, feel or do? I have unconditional love at my own discretion, anytime? WOW!  That changes everything.

Then, I can conclude that my relationships are entirely separate from feeling love/loved?  Relationships are just ‘contractual’ arrangements for reciprocation of services/behaviors.  Dealing with relationships is just a negotiation for services/behaviors with no impact on my feeling love(d) or not?

This changes everything.

Regular exercise reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s 30%. It is also the most important protective effect in preventing Alzheimer’s dementia. Moderate exercise lowers the risk of dementia even into the 8th decade of life!

Exercise is the best holistic treatment for depression and anxiety. Patients treated with exercise are less likely to have relapses than those treated with medication. Exercise boosts brain blood flow and serotonin production. Exercise has been repeatedly shown to be as effective as anti-depressant medication in the treatment of depression. The antidepressant effect of exercise is often more enduring than that of antidepressant medication.

Research shows modest exercise, like walking daily, decreased heart disease deaths by 50% in both men and women. Exercise lowers blood pressure, decreases blood & platelet stickiness and reduces stress hormones and sympathetic nervous system activity. Physical activity helps overcome all coronary risk factors (except heredity), including smoking and excess clotting. Heart patients who briskly walk one half hour per day reduced their risk 18% for repeat heart attacks both fatal and nonfatal. Increased “good” cholesterol HDL is women stair climbing 16 minutes per day.

No drugs holds as much promise as physical exercise for slowing aging effects. The 12 year risk of dying from all causes was reduced by about 50% in people age 61-81 years walking > 2 miles/day as compared to those walking < 1 mile/day.

A balance complete exercise program includes the following:
Flexibility:
Stretching 2-3 times per week using all major muscles groups.
Sustained stretching 2 or more times per week with addition of balance training.
Resistance Exercise:
Maintains muscular strength (tone) with 6-15 repetitions of all major muscle groups.
Training 2 or more times per week with 48 to 72 hours between workouts.
Aerobic Exercise:
Moderate intensity – 5 times/week 30 minutes or vigorous intensity – 3 times/week 20 minutes. Moderate exercise with varying bursts of intensity as little as two minutes.

Of all things known about exercise, please remember this: fatigue really is exercise deficiency…..most of the time.