Vision Magazine

December Cover

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Feature Stories

A Dream in Africa: An Interview with Jacqueline Prairie of GAIO

moonlight by Vanessa King

I watched a child today draw-ing with glorious, creative abandon. Books were strewn about her on the grass with pages open to fantastical designs.

Huna: Connecting with Ancient Wisdom

moon phases by Dr. Matthew B. James

“A Ohe Pau Ko Ike I Kou Halau - Think not that all wisdom is in your school.”
– Ancient Hawaiian Saying

Astrology December 2009

Sagittarius: Death (4 of Swords)

11/23 – 12/21
Our mind can be a faithful servant when we train it; however, it can also be our worst enemy if we let it go wild. Notice how your thoughts cause a procession of feelings and as one dominates, your thoughts serve it. It’s time to get your mind in shape and take charge of what you give your attention to. Thoughts are powerful agents of change and when you use them wisely, anything is possible. A current ailment will likely improve if you adjust your thoughts. Symptoms are symbols of deeper realities—where you have pain, there’s room for gain.

Visionary Artist

Mara Berendt Friedman

Viewpoint

The Airport Yogi

marijayne king by Daphne Carpenter

When I walked into the waiting area at Gate 29 of the Dallas airport, I saw a spectacle unfolding.

Mind States

Reclaiming Ritual

devin grace by Heidi Harmony Cohen-Wolff

Wiccans, Native Americans, Kabbalists, Essenes, and other followers of ancient world religions have based many of their practices on the cycles of the seasons, the moon, and various celestial patterns.

Critters, Funerals and Holy Water

bronnikov by Patricia Alfano

Latin chants and incense filled the air as I held my pet duck, Peepers in my arms. It was the annual Blessing of the Animals, and I was going to make sure my feathered friend had a prominent place in the afterlife.

How Can I Give?

bronnikov by Sydney L. Murray

We have a choice to look at our lives as one of tribulation or one of joy. If you live in a place of contribution and service, your life will have more meaning.

Living Arts

moon Buddha said, “Share the way.” What does this mean? In the context that Buddha spoke the words, it is usually understood to signify “share the Path” or “teach.” However, we can interpret this statement more broadly and find that this recommendation is quite relevant for us all.

LifeQuake™

Ask the LifeQuake™ Doctor
Dr. Toni Galardi

Dear Dr. Toni:
The holidays are coming and I am alone again. It isn’t enough to go and volunteer at a homeless shelter. My body is aching to be touched and massage is not enough. I need to feel passion through touch but I don’t want to just go out and have casual sex with a stranger. I have been turning to food as my lover…a lot. What do I do?

Holistic Products

paradice After 23 years of civil war in Uganda, East Africa, hope remains alive.
When the Acholi people escaped the crossfire to the capital of Uganda, they faced colonial discrimination and could only find refuge in a hillside slum.

Colorful Evening Clutch

foreverlily Why not promote social justice while making a fashion statement? Global Goods Partners creates the opportunity for us to create change as conscious consumers. This non-profit organization dedicates its energy to alleviating poverty, supporting sustainable communities, and maintaining fair trade practices in developing countries.

Holistic Living

The Tradition of Elderberry for Immune Health

holistic by Christine Dreher, CCN, CCH

In our modern world, it seems that so much emphasis is placed on the newest and latest remedies. Forgotten are many of our past remedies and herbs that have continually demonstrated their healing abilities over time.

SALT:
An Ancient Healing Ritual with Modern Appeal

feng shui by Alegra Marcel Bartzat

Salt has been used by humans for millennia, from flavoring and curing foods, to disinfecting wounds, cleaning and relaxing.

Earthwatch

The 12 Steps Reinterpreted

water by Lance Charles

Have you ever seen a person in the throws of their addiction?
Is there anything they will not do to get that next drink, fix or pill?

Vision Cafe

Creating New Healing Traditions

cosmopop by Kiva Rose Hardin

A tradition is the transmission of customs, practices and knowledge passed from one generation to another, an unbroken thread of wisdom that evolves and yet remains intrinsically true to itself as it moves from mother to child, teacher to student, and earth to human.

Conscious Life Expo: Opening Doors to Enlightenment

witch by Elyssa Paige

The year was 1975. A new age was emerging from the haze of the hippie days. People were coming together with a focused intention of raising the consciousness of the planet.

Danish Christmas Traditions Lost and Found

witch by Bente Mirow

It wasn’t until I couldn’t see it anymore that I really saw it. The light, the intentions and the mood around Christmas in Denmark was a marathon of festivities spreading over the entire month of December and culminating in four Christmas-pregnant days, each uniquely filled with their own set of rituals, traditions and food.

Regional

Mysterium: A Haven to Nurture your Soul

green tara by Ashlie Rodriguez

Cradled in a comfy Orange County cache is Mysterium, a place of creativity and spiritual regeneration. Owned and operated by Marla and Robert Ladd, the multifaceted theater, gallery, healing center and retail shop’s mission is to help actualize each level of the labyrinth we call life.

Bright and Beautiful this Holiday Season at dk hair

green tara by Sydney L. Murray

I find myself touching my skin and rubbing my knuckles along my cheeks because my skin feels so soft. I just had a soothing facial with Cody Montarbo at dk hair and my time with him was a welcome respite from an otherwise busy day.

Culture

The Gift of Tribal Tradition

alchemy by Danielle Goodman

An intriguing woman with a beautifully woven basket upon her head and an abalone shell around her neck greets me warmly with “Howka, mamuyuth miñay?”

Happy Re-Birthday: Celebrating the Light’s Return at Winter Solstice

the twelve by Barbara Schiffman, CHt and Cat Williford, MCC

Winter Solstice marks the shift of the seasons from harvesting crops to rejuvenating the Earth.
In 2009, this longest night of the year falls on December 21.

Greek to Me

The Last Cut Is The Deepest

© 2009 by Michael Raysses

One of life’s greatest mysteries is that I rarely discover the value of an experience until long after it’s over. For instance, when I worked in the steel mills to put myself through college, it was just a dirty means to a necessary end.

Reviews

Out of the Broom Closet

we moon “Grandma, I want to be a witch when I grow up.” What if you had to reveal to your family that you were a witch or wanted to become one? Probably not so easy. For some, it takes an enlightened second to figure out how we want to live, but for many of us it can take a lifetime, especially considering the risk of being judged or misunderstood.

Kabbalah for Inner Peace

orbs Perpetual stress, anxiety and self-doubt are just some of the side effects of what Gerald Epstein, MD, calls “our inner terrorists.” These mental-health minions block our communication with the spiritual realm, leaving us enslaved by the material world—frustrated, aggravated, and longing for peace.