The Balanced Living Book & Media Blog

Winter 2010 Issue is Now Available!!!

2009-12-29T08:06:00.001-05:00

Well, it’s the end of another year, and now is the time to reflect upon what has transpired over the previous months, and set a clear course for the months that lie in front of us.

For me, this year has been one of many professional and personal challenges. I don’t need to go into details, but suffice it to say the circumstances of my life are more difficult than they have ever been at any time in the past.

I could not have navigated the treacherous terrain of the year 2009 without the help of my family and friends. Along the same lines, I can assure you that Balanced Living would not be publishing today without the strong support of its core group of advertisers.

One of my college friends always said, “If we party together when the gettin’ is good, and have each other’s back when the goin’ gets tough, the world will be a better place.” Maybe not as profound as some inspirational statements, but you get the spirit of what he is saying.

It takes a village to survive these days. The holistic health and wellness/sustainable living community of Northeast Ohio is a village, and we all have to help each other survive and thrive in the year ahead.

Balanced Living will do its part to be a hub of activity for the local market. In the year ahead, you will see a new approach to the content of each issue, a new web site, a specialized web portal for consumers and in April, we will sponsor the Gift of Light Expo, a new live event.

There are many days when I wake up in wonder at the world, at the possibilities, opportunities and potential that exists for all of us. In our own way, we have the ability to change the world for the better at any moment, if we choose to do it.

In 2010, I ask you to look for your chance to make the world a better place. You can do it one thought and one action at a time. Have a great holiday season and an exciting start to the new year.

-- Mark S. Kuhar, publisher/editor

Emotional Wisdom Daily Tools for Transforming Anger, Depression, and Fear By Mantak Chia and Dena Saxer

2009-10-04T18:08:00.003-04:00

Today we are featuring a new book that offers tools for transforming anger, depression and fear. With his modern approach to traditional Taoist teachings, Mantak Chia, with one of his senior instructors, presents a health-enhancing program for transforming the painful emotions of sadness, anger, impatience and fear into courage, kindness, joy and peace. You will learn to utilize three 20-minute practices through step-by-step instructions and illustrations.

In "Emotional Wisdom," the authors explain that negative emotions are messages from our soul that something is out of balance and needs to be changed. They offer the following based tools for learning from and harnessing the powerful energies of troubling emotions, by transmuting them into positive, life-force energy:

a: The Six Healing Sounds - Practice uses for specific sounds, arm movements and visualized colors to release negative emotions from particular internal organs.

b: The Inner Smile - Practice begins with visualizing and feeling a joyful image in our mind's eye; we then move that "smiling energy" into the brain, heart, the internal organs, and the spine, thanking each of our body parts for its particular function as we go.

c: Releasing One Emotion - This practice examines one emotion at a time, deepens and exaggerates its feeling, releases it physically, and asks for the lesson from the emotion.

There is also a "Taoist Natural First Aid-Physical Healing," which offers specific sounds and dietary advice for relieving common physical symptoms, which are listed alphabetically.

New World Library,
price: $14.95
218 pages
available at : http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Wisdom-Daily-Transforming-Depression/dp/1577316126/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254693506&sr=1-1

Light Returning

2009-09-14T20:59:00.007-04:00

Today we are featuring Light Returning the CD of original music by Acoustic Ocean. The creators of this music are both experts in the fields of body/mind improvement as well as music. As the folk duo Morgan & Phelan, they spent 20 years touring the United States and released four albums of vocal music. The music of acoustic ocean is very soothing and reflective. It is an ideal CD for yoga, meditation, or massage. Each original composition is built around a simple melodic theme played on the Celtic Harp. The essential feeling of each theme is explored and expanded to create a lush instrumental mosaic of sound. The CD features 8 songs and is one hour in length. The price is 15.00 and can be purchased at the link below.
www.AcousticOceanMusic.com

Choose Them Wisely

2009-09-09T22:43:00.002-04:00

Choose Them Wisely Thoughts Become Things!!
By Mike Dooley
author of Notes from the Universe
and featured teacher in The Secret

Living the life of your dreams isn't just about dreaming. It's also about living: following your impulses, turning over every stone, and stepping out into the world so that the wind can catch your sails. To those in the know, it's as if your dreams paint the picture and the Universe stands ready to bring it to life. Choose them Wisely is filled with the same inspirational messages from "the Universe" that made the Notes from the Universe trilogy so popular, but the thoughts have been expanded, containing even more information and concrete examples for how to actually apply these ideas to everyday life. Author Mike Dooley's conversational, inviting tone welcomes readers at every level of self-development into the wonder of their own self-directed futures.

available here in hard cover or compact disk
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Choose-Them-Wisely/Mike-Dooley/9781582702254

Lost and Found: A Memoir of Mothers

2009-09-09T22:16:00.003-04:00

written by Kate St.Vincent Vogl

Review
A beautiful find . . . --Lorian Hemingway

A must-read for anyone touched by adoption. --Jan Schwartz

A terrific read! --Margaret Hasse

Product Description
I swore I would never let my birthmother into my life, but then Mom died of ovarian cancer and my birthmother, Val, found me through the obituary. Hard to argue with fate. Harder still to let go of childhood promises. This memoir explores what it is to be a mom and what it is to lose one. And so Lost and Found: A Memoir of Mothers is for anyone who has ever loved and lost (or maybe even found) a mother.

Lost and Found really found a spot in my heart!!!

Review
by Michele Benjamin

This book touched me deeply. It's a story of how Kate struggles with losing her mother to ovarian cancer and soon after receives a phone-call from a birth-mother who wanted to enter into her life. It is a very heartwarming story of how that birth-mother gradually became a part of an Kate's life and how the author opened her heart to understand herself in ways she never imagined. Her realness through this story kept me very intrigued. It was very heartwarming to me to see how Kate did not shut any of this down and how she worked to make it all fit into a blended family.

http://www.katevogl.com/katevogl.com/Memoir.html

CD: Michael Samson "A Still Motion"

2009-09-09T22:07:00.002-04:00

Michael Samson's Album cover Photo for "A Still Motion"

CD: Michael Samson "A Still Motion"

A STILL MOTION BY MICHAEL SAMSON
MICHAEL SAMSON LEAPS INTO THE UPPER ECHELON OF SOLO PIANISTS WITH NEW CD

On his second album, A Still Motion, solo pianist Michael Samson has created a work of art that musically and philosophically explores what he calls “The Big Paradox” -- a hidden world beneath the surface of everyday life where you can discover meaningful movement and rhythms, the beauty in opposites and contradictions, and often-unrecognized connections between people.

“On the surface of our lives, we see the world with a necessary, practical day-to-day superficiality -- let me get some food, make some money and find some entertainment or pleasure,” explains Samson. “But if we explore a little deeper, we begin to understand that our actions affect others and can have far-reaching consequences along the lines of ‘The Butterfly Effect’ theory that even an insect flapping its wings might change the fate of the world. In addition, movement and rhythm are everywhere in our world, all the way down to the level of sub-atomic particles that are always in motion. And it eventually becomes apparent that there is beauty in opposites -- darkness and light, sadness and happiness, and stillness and movement. The title of the album and the first song reflect that. The music also utilizes some of these concepts such as opposing time-signatures, combining major and minor modes, a composition with two very different sections, or strong emotion running beneath the surface of a melody.”

Michael Samson’s music (the 24 tunes contained on his CDs Until Tomorrow Comes and A Still Motion) can be purchased singly or in cost-effective package deals at his comprehensive and user-friendly website www.MichaelSamson.com. Other sales outlets include Amazon.com, CDbaby.com, iTunes.com and most major digital download locations.

The music has appeal to fans of neo-classical, new age, zone music, contemporary instrumental and acoustic piano. Samson’s music is strongly melodic, sometimes purposely simple and at other moments amazingly complex, often building from gentle beginnings to faster and more forceful conclusions.

Although Samson listens to a wide variety of music, his most direct inspirations are pianists such as Suzanne Ciani, George Winston, William Joseph, Stephan Moccio, Clara Ponty, David Nevue and David Lanz. Samson enjoys other new age artists including Enya, Nicholas Gunn and Yanni. But since childhood, Michael also has been influenced by movie music and has studied film composers -- John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Michael Nyman and Ennio Morricone. In addition, Samson has a love of classical music that goes back to his school-days and early music training (Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Satie).

Since Samson creates instrumental music, he included short self-penned poems inside the CD package (and available at his website) to offer listeners some of the meaning and inspiration for each piece. He explains the title tune by saying, “Our world is full of paradox and contradiction, of opposing forces, ideas, thoughts and realities. But those same paradoxes make the world beautiful because they exist in balance. Without it, the world would have no form and our lives no meaning.”

For “Beyond My Question,” he writes, “Some truths lie not in the answers, but in the questions themselves. It is the search itself that defines us.” Samson goes on to say, “Life is really just about making connections. Our lives intersect, join with and reflect onto others. The motion of our lives influences all around us. We are kinetic. We are connected” (“Where Ocean Meets Sky”). “Our lives are part of a great history, a story that connects each and every one of us in common brotherhood and experience that stretches back to the dawn of mankind,” he explains in regards to the composition “Of Times Long Past.” Other pieces on this recording include “In the Music Box” (“Some moments seem to be frozen in time”), “After the Rain” (“I felt a sense of renewal”) and the seven-minute-plus “Words Left Unspoken” (“Some things we just know”).

Samson continues the philosophical musing when discussing “When Light Dances” by making the observation: “There is a rhythm that surrounds us. It is there in the simplest of things -- when light shines through water or reflects on newly-fallen snow; when the rain falls or thunder crashes down; when the wind blows and the trees sway; with each step you take and with the beating of your heart; in the ways we look at one another. In every nod, smile and kiss there is a beautiful rhythm to be heard, seen and felt.”

Although Michael Samson has concentrated on solo piano performances on his first two albums, interestingly enough he began his musical studies playing viola and was in school orchestras from elementary through high school while growing up on New York’s Long Island. However, at age ten he began playing piano “by ear.” Two years later he embarked on formal piano lessons and in just a year or two he was learning advanced pieces such as Debussy’s “Arabesque No. 1” and Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata No. 8 (Sonata Pathetique).” At a state-wide music competition, he performed the latter piece from memory without sheet music which impressed the judges and earned him an extremely high score. Samson wrote his first song, “Walkabout,” and put together a rock band (Michael on piano with three singers, two guitars, bass and drums) which performed in public several times including a concert at school. His teenage years also included singing in the school choir as well as a selective Chamber Singer group. Outside of school he was part of the vocal jazz act Voco-Loco, which sang a cappella.

Samson attended the University of Maryland at College Park for several years. Based on a musical audition tape, he was asked to participate in the prestigious “College Park Scholars Program” for talented students and he graduated from that program after two years with an Arts Citation. He went on to study at HOFSTRA University where he earned a BA Degree in Fine Arts with a specialization in Graphic Design. He took honors courses in art and music at college, but he also spent most of his free time in the dorm basement practicing on a Steinway acoustic grand piano or teaching himself computer skills and web design. During college Michael began improvising on piano and turned some of the melodies into polished compositions. He recorded six of them and put out a mini-CD that he sold on campus.

After graduation Samson continued to write new solo piano material while pursuing a successful career in web development and graphic design. His first official, full-length recording, Until Tomorrow Comes, contains all of the best songs he wrote from 1997 to 2005 presented in the order he wrote them. “When you listen to my first CD, you hear a chronicle of my personal story during those years told through the emotions embodied in the music, and you also hear the progression of my songwriting.”

The material for A Still Motion was written from 2005 through 2008. “It was very important to me that my second album didn’t repeat ideas I had used in the first album. I am constantly pushing myself to improve my playing techniques, my melodic structures, my compositional form and the overall complexity of my musical presentation. I wanted this album to embody more ideas of nuance and juxtaposition.”

In 2009 Samson decided to pursue his music career fulltime, launched his inventive and far-ranging personal website, began actively marketing his music to the public and started offering all of his compositions as sheet music (available at his site). Great care was taken with every aspect of Samson’s artistic presentation including the sound of the recordings, the photography and the CD packaging (from the graphic design to the paper and printing).

“In beautiful things there is a truth to be found, and the experience is unique for each person,” Samson states. “For me, it was in music that I discovered a deeper meaning. Music speaks to me. It makes a connection, both profound and intimate. In music I have found joy and rapture. I have felt my spirit lifted beyond the expression of words. In these deeply personal moments I have found truth -- a truth that can only be found in beauty. I try to pass along that feeling of truth through my music.”
http://www.michaelsamson.com/

Your Soul's Plan: Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born

2009-09-02T17:57:00.002-04:00

Your Soul's Plan: Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born by Robert Schwartz explores the premise that we are all eternal souls who plan our lives, including our greatest challenges, before we’re born for purposes of spiritual growth.

The book contains ten true stories of people who planned physical illness, having handicapped children, deafness, blindness, drug addiction, alcoholism, losing a loved one, and severe accidents. The information about their pre-birth plans was obtained by four gifted mediums and channels.

For readers, suffering that once seemed purposeless becomes imbued with deep meaning. Wisdom may be acquired in a more conscious manner; feelings of anger, guilt, blame, and victimization are healed and replaced by acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, and peace.

Number of pages: 317

Cost: $16.99

You can purchase the book here: http://www.yoursoulsplan.com/order.php

Clutter Busting Book Review

2009-09-02T17:40:00.003-04:00

Clutter Busting:
Letting Go of What's Holding you Back

By Brooks Palmer

-An Inspiring, Upbeat Guide to the Spiritual, Creative, and Practical Benefits of Controlling Clutter-

Straightforward and focused, Clutter Busting shows how anyone can begin RIGHT NOW to clear the clutter and debris from their home, garage, office, and life.

Clutter, according to expert author Brooks Palmer, is anything that no longer serves us, from outdated clothes to old habits to people and ways of living that worked at one point but don’t now. Piles of junk in our garages and closets, overflowing papers on our desks and in our files, items unused for years, clothing we never wear, gifts received that we can't seem to toss out — all of these things, says Palmer, come weighted with shame and guilt. Ultimately, they have a suffocating effect on spirit and soul.

Brooks Palmer realized the intense emotional connection most people have with material possessions, and that internal clutter must be addressed before external clutter can be discarded. He created his Clutter Busting method to help people let go of those things they no longer need and to open the doors for new possibilities.

Written in a lively style and loaded with true-life stories, inspiring anecdotes, and practical tips, Clutter Busting is based on the premise stated in the title of the first chapter: “You Are Sacred, Your Things Are Not.” Other chapters explore such fundamental topics as the false identities we assume through clutter; the fear of change those junk piles represent; the addictive nature of holding onto objects; how clearing clutter makes room for clarity and sweeps away confusion and stasis; and much more.

Brooks Palmer’s Clutter Busting, business took off by word of mouth when people began calling, usually out of sheer desperation. He has since been featured in The Los Angeles Business Journal and Daily Candy, and on Living Live and the CBS Channel 2 Nightly News. Brooks travels between Chicago, Florida, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, working with clients and offering seminars on getting rid of the clutter in our lives. He lives in Chicago.

His website is www.clutterbusting.com

CD Review: Welcome by Bud Preston

2009-09-02T17:26:00.003-04:00

Enjoy the music of Ohio's Finest Contemporary Guitarist. Bud Preston composed, arranged and composed this cd which incorporates actual recorded sounds from Amish country.
The sounds and vibe of this beautiful corner of Ohio resonate in so many hearts and minds. You are sure to enjoy the beautiful acoustic guitar melodies accompanied by the sounds of this enchanted land.
You can purchase the cd here:

http://budpreston.com/music_buy_cd.htm

Song Titles:

1. A Welcome Spring

2. Mount Hope

3. Charm

4. The Gathering

5. Sugar Creek

6. The Road to Wilmot

7. A Walk Through Berlin

8. Honey Run

9. Falls Kiss

10. Walnut Creek

11. Kidron Around

http://budpreston.com/music_buy_cd.htm

The Codex: A Divine Writ Volume 1

2009-08-31T21:24:00.008-04:00

The Codex: A Divine Writ
Volume 1

by Cyrus Rumi

The Codex, written by Cyrus Rumi, contains a series of revolutionary revelations for those who
are spiritually inclined and wish to experience the world from a new philosophical and
theological perspective. It speaks to individuals, communities and nations on many levels, both
spiritually and rationally.

Importantly, the The Codex does not presuppose any particular spiritual or theological belief
system, or religious tradition of the reader; instead, it is all-embracing, welcoming those readers
who profess no faith at all.

Readers should enjoy the book from both subjective and objective viewpoints... appreciating the
subtle and profound nuances that come to your awareness, serving to strengthen your spiritual
experiences and journey into the mysteries of the unknown.

The Codex will be of interest to those interested in non-institutional forms of belief. Hindus and
Buddhists will find it appealing on many levels. Those of monotheistic faiths will also appreciate
the spiritual dimension to the readings; and mystics and New Age thinkers will feel comfortable
with the text.

to order click on the following link:
http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=464

Guardians of Being

2009-08-31T21:01:00.004-04:00

Guardians of Being

words by Eckhart Tolle, author of the Power of Now and A New Earth and art by Patrick McDonnell, Creator of Mutts

This wonderful unique collaboration brings together two masters of their fields, joining
original words of wisdom by Eckhart Tolle with delightful illustrations by Patrick McDonnell.
Inhabited by beloved Mutts characters, every heartwarming page provokes thought, insight,
and smiling reverence for each moment. Sure to be a classic, this charming book will inspire readers everywhere to recognize the lessons of the present moment, as embodied by the dogs and cats who share our world.

Patrick McDonnell is the award-winning creator of the Mutts comic strip, which
appears in over 700 newspapers in 20 countries and has an estimated daily readership of
50 million, as well as the author and illustrator of the picture books The Gift of Nothing,
Hug Time, and the upcoming October release, Wag! (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.)
He lives in New Jersey. His website is www.muttscomics.com

Eckhart Tole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Now (3 million copies sold) and A New Earth, the fastest-selling Oprah Book Club selection ever
(5 million copies sold.) He speaks and teaches extensively throughout the world. He lives in Vancouver, Canada and his website is www.eckharttolle.com

price: $18.00
Hardcover
129 pages

Quote for the Weekend

2009-01-04T22:15:00.001-05:00

“Brother stand the pain; Escape the poison of your impulses. The sky will bow to your beauty, if you do. Learn to light the candle. Rise with the sun. Turn away from the cave of your sleeping. That way a thorn expands to a rose. A particular glows with the universal.” -- Rumi

Quote for the Weekend

2008-12-28T12:21:00.003-05:00

"The Earth Changes that we all anticipated are upon us. This is why lightworkers such as yourself are on this planet at this time. We are here as role-models of peacefully walking through these changes, and staying centered in love instead of fear. The angels have shown me an energy field that looks like a thick layer hovering over the earth. They said that we have the choice of living below this energy field, or above it. You live below it by becoming fearful about the news stories of earth changes. You live above the energy field by taking healthy action and staying centered in love." -- Doreen Virtue

Barbara L. Bakus, DO, Graduates from Pioneering Integrative Medicine Program

2008-12-22T11:55:00.000-05:00

After two years of intensive training in areas including botanical medicine, mind-body interactions and nutrition, Dr. Barbara L. Bakus, a Balanced Living advertiser, has completed her Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Launched in the summer of 2000 by internationally-recognized integrative medicine pioneer Andrew Weil, MD, the Center in Integrative Medicine Fellowship combines residential sessions in Tucson with a “distributed learning” model in which participants learn via the Internet, in the comfort of their own home or office. Bakus, a board certified family physician in Chagrin Falls joined 74 other physicians and nurse-practitioners from all over the world in a graduation ceremony on December 12 in Tucson.

“Dr. Bakus has received the best training available in integrative medicine,” stated Dr. Andrew Weil. “I consider her fully prepared to go out in the world and help transform the practice of medicine and healthcare in the directions consumers want,” he concluded.

The program, which includes 1,000 hours of instruction, emphasizes clinical applications and collaboration to establish a broad knowledge base that will transfer into clinical practice. The curriculum utilizes patient simulations, collaborative dialogues, research updates and dialogues, problem-solving exercises, selected readings, group projects, and presentations. The focus is on the practical application of approaches that have scientific evidence and/or a history of traditional use. Methods of healing are explored, and physicians gain the ability to discuss these areas with both their patients and the practitioners of these disciplines. Fellows explore the Art of Medicine, Philosophy of Medicine, Medicine and Culture, Mind-Body Interactions, Nutrition, Botanicals, Physical Activity, Spirituality, Leadership, and Legal Issues.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-12-14T18:44:00.003-05:00

What are you being? What are you choosing to be? Is it loving? Is it caring? Healing?You can be more of that no matter what you are doing. Yet, the magic of it is, the more of that your are BEING, the more what you are DOING will fall perfectly into place to allow you to "be" even more of that!Trust this process. It works.You will discover that forms - physical ways to "be" a thing - will suddenly start to just "show up".Beingness becomes form. -- Neal Donald Walsch

I have some good news!

2008-11-17T07:50:00.002-05:00

It's time everyone got to know more about the Good News Network. It's mission is to provide a "Daily Dose of News to Enthuse." The Good News Network is a clearinghouse for the gathering and dissemination of positive news stories from around the globe. Daily stories will confirm what we already believe — that good news itself is not in short supply; the advertising of it is. Negative news is an important staple of any well-informed citizenry and necessary for society's evolution. But, today we are in dire need of a well-balanced media diet. Local TV news, especially, has been continually feeding us junk food. We need to be informed by a world view that is not dripping with sensationalism and attuned to the police scanner. Let's start looking up! Check on the Good News Network today.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-11-16T11:34:00.001-05:00

“What is opportunity, and when does it knock? It never knocks. You can wait a whole lifetime, listening, hoping, and you will hear no knocking. None at all. You are opportunity, and you must knock on the door leading to your destiny. You prepare yourself to recognize opportunity, to pursue and seize opportunity as you develop the strength of your personality, and build a self-image with which you are able to live with your self-respect alive and growing.”

Paper or plastic?

2008-11-12T11:30:00.003-05:00

An article in the Christian Science Monitor reports that in an effort to curb waste and generate revenue, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has called for a 6-cent fee for every plastic shopping bag given to shoppers. Under the proposal, for each bag, 1 cent would go to the retailer and 5 cents would go to the city. Officials estimate that the surcharge could bring in $16 million a year, offering a revenue boost to a city that faces a $4 billion deficit over the next two years.The surcharge is technically considered a fee, not a tax, so it needs only to be approved by New York’s City Council, not the state legislature. While this is considered a lower hurdle, the proposal’s passage is by no means assured, according to The New York Times.

Evening for the Earth

2008-10-22T06:26:00.003-04:00

Don't miss the Earth Day Coalition's 11th Annual Instrumental Evening for the Earth. In addition to tasty food and a fabulous silent auction,the evening culminates in a performance by Cleveland Orchestra members.

Wednesday, November 12, 6:00 - 9:30 p.m.

West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church
20401 Hilliard Blvd
Rocky River, OH 44116

$75
RSVP by Friday, November 7
Call (216) 281-6468
Click here for details.

FirstEnergy: mercury in retrograde?

2008-10-21T16:24:00.004-04:00

As you may or may not know, know, FirstEnergy's Lake Shore Plant in Cleveland has
petitioned the Ohio EPA for a mercury variance that would completely eliminate any limit on their mercury discharge into Lake Erie. According to World Can't Wait-Cleveland, they currently exceed the legal limit of 1.3 parts per trillion at a rate of 2.9 ppt. They are also requesting that their copper discharge limit be upped, from 38 parts per billion to 77 ppb. FirstEnergy has consistently shown itself to be a bad neighbor in Cleveland as they have been found to be non-compliant with various environmental standards for the past 12 consecutive quarters and have been issued a formal violation twice in the past 5 years. The neighborhood surrounding the plant is in serious jeopardy; residents within a three-mile radius of FELS find themselves above the 90th percentile nationwide in terms of risk for cancer (95.1 percentile); neurological hazards (95.3 percentile); and respiratory hazards (91.5 percentile).

It is my hope that you will forward the following link to anyone you know interested in this issue.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-10-19T06:24:00.000-04:00

"Your life will be transformed when you make peace with your shadow. The caterpillar will become a breathtakingly beautiful butterfly. You will no longer have to pretend to be someone you're not. You will no longer have to prove you're good enough. When you embrace your shadow you will no longer have to live in fear. Find the gifts of your shadow and you will finally revel in all the glory of your true self. Then you will have the freedom to create the life you have always desired." -- Debbie Ford

Walk for Autism

2008-09-30T08:05:00.003-04:00

Random observations from the Walk for Autism, by Balanced Living guest columnist Paul Sherlock . . .

On my travels to the walk:
I witnessed an interaction between a guard dog that was protecting an auto repair shop and a child in a stroller being pushed by his dad in front of the fence around the building. The dog got up and wagging his tail greeted the small child - as if to say I won’t bark at you, you are young and innocent so I won’t scare you. To me it was a moment of vulnerability and protection, the dog could have easily done what he was trained to do which is to be defensive and bark and growl at people approaching in case they might be an intruder, which may have ended up traumatizing the child, but the dog must have sensed differently and instead chose to be friendly.

At the walk:
The energy of community and love at the autism walk- people united behind a cause. The energy fed upon itself: each individual’s energy being enhanced by the positive energy from all the people around them. People from all backgrounds: political beliefs, faiths, and nationalities united behind one common cause. Committed to helping loved ones and those born. The ability to unite, to have a cause greater than our differences gives me faith that we can endure and prosper as a country and member of the global community. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the walk.

After the walk:
I sat down to lunch with my family and I had a civil discourse about politics with people who don’t share my beliefs. In the past these conversations usually deteriorated into arguments since we are generally diametrically opposite in our beliefs. But what I observed today was a much more productive discourse because we were honest in the assessments of our respective candidates and their flaws. We abstained from playing politics and defending our candidate without exception simply because he is our guy. This more honest interchange of thoughts I feel helped lead to a better understanding of one another’s beliefs. We won’t change each other’s opinion but at least the honesty helped to promote greater acceptance and lessen the animosity towards one another.

And after lunch:
The idea of us being up front about the flaws of the candidate my family and I support got me to thinking about the political games most people play. This gamesmanship is the refusal to ever admit that you or your candidate is wrong. This gives you the candidate an illusion of being a decisive leader and prevents their opponent from gaining ammunition that can and will be used against them. Yet when we look back at some of the historically and universally admired leaders, it is the honesty with themselves and with others that they have about their humanness that makes them so revered. We look at the humility on display by the Dalai Lama or Mahatma Gandhi - their willingness to admit that they do not know all the answers, to the self doubt experienced by Mother Theresa and Abraham Lincoln about some of the tough choices they made in their lives, and rather than being repulsed by such struggles in a leader, we embrace them further. These leaders and those that they influenced knew they weren’t perfect and as leaders they accepted and even embraced this imperfection as part of their being; enabling people to better accept them as one of their own

Therefore I would love to see a politician in this day and time be a little more disarming, be willing to deal with the fall out of being honest about their doubts and concerns and see if people might not gravitate towards them. Leadership is not always about being decisive. Leadership is about taking stock of the situation and admitting that one is human and will make mistakes. A huge part of the charisma that is essential in leaders is that people see you not as being better than everyone else but instead that you are just like everyone else- ordinary men and women doing extraordinary things.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-09-29T06:31:00.004-04:00

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be." -- Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye

Quote for the Weekend

2008-09-20T23:05:00.001-04:00

The Prayer To Our Father
(in the original Aramaic)

Abwûn
"Oh Thou, from whom the breath of life comes,

d'bwaschmâja
who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration.

Nethkâdasch schmach
May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest.

Têtê malkuthach.
Your Heavenly Domain approaches.

Nehwê tzevjânach aikâna d'bwaschmâja af b'arha.
Let Your will come true - in the universe (all that vibrates)
just as on earth (that is material and dense).

Hawvlân lachma d'sûnkanân jaomâna.
Give us wisdom (understanding, assistance) for our daily need,

Waschboklân chaubên wachtahên aikâna
daf chnân schwoken l'chaijabên.
detach the fetters of faults that bind us, (karma)
like we let go the guilt of others.

Wela tachlân l'nesjuna
Let us not be lost in superficial things (materialism, common temptations),

ela patzân min bischa.
but let us be freed from that what keeps us off from our true purpose.

Metol dilachie malkutha wahaila wateschbuchta l'ahlâm almîn.
From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act,
the song that beautifies all and renews itself from age to age.

Amên.
Sealed in trust, faith and truth.
(I confirm with my entire being)

Holistic Showcase planned

2008-09-19T09:38:00.004-04:00

You are invited to a Holistic Showcase featuring Polarity for Wellness, Karma Essence and BodyWork by Michelle, on Wednesday October 1st, 2008 1 pm - 4 pm and 6 pm - 9 pm At the Lexington Ridge Clubhouse in Medina (map and directions) All who attend will be eligible to win a gift. Meet Beth Albrecht and experience Polarity!! FREE 10 minute demos of Foot Reflexology! Beth Albrecht, PhD, APP, is a polarity practitioner, holistic health educator, and public speaker. Reflexology is part of the Polarity system, a natural-healing energy therapy. Polarity is deeply relaxing and is an excellent way to promote your body's ability to heal. Its goal is to decrease stress and improve ones health. Coupons for a discount on 1 hour polarity sessions will be available!

Karma Essence, owned by Medina resident Rosalyn Smith Karma Essence products include unique artisan handmade jewelry, candles, relaxing/energizing essential oils and soaps, eco-friendly journals, purses, bags & accessories, affirmation boxes, books and yoga items. Their products are local, national and fair trade artisan made. In keeping with a holistic mind set, being aware and conscious with our mind and body, all products are natural, pure, and safe to use. Karma Essence is full of wonderful gifts to give to yourself or to create a one of a kind gift to share with others. All Karma Essence products will be available for purchase. For a sneak peek check out www.KarmaEssence.com.

Michelle Bunn, of Body Work by Michelle, is a Licensed Massage Therapist in Medina. She features relaxation massage, therapeutic massage, sports massage & prenatal massage. She also does corporate on-site chair massage, as well as, at home parties with a chair or table. Michelle's philosophy of massage is to keep it affordable for everyone so that massage may be a part of your regular healthcare routine. Michelle will be featuring 50 cent a minute sample massages and selling gift certificates and package specials.

Don't miss this event!

Studio e opens its doors

2008-09-16T11:42:00.004-04:00

Studio e, a new energy education practice headed by Fairlawn psychologist and life coach Jane Lehr Eckert, PhD, formally opened its doors (left) yesterday with a blessing of the facility and open house. "We have created an amazing learning community with a goal of promoting health and wellness through the study of human energy systems," said Dr. Eckert. In addition to Dr. Eckert, the Studio e facility will include certified energy practitioners and other highly trained professionals offering a wide range of energy modalities including Passion Test, Soul Collage, healing touch and yoga, among other things. For more information, visit the studio e web site or call 330-808-8558.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-09-14T07:41:00.004-04:00

"Beliefs have the awesome potential to create or destroy. … Learn to choose the beliefs that empower you; create convictions that drive you in the direction of the destiny that calls to the highest within you. Your family, your business, your community, and your country deserve no less." — Anthony Robbins

Green energy = 2 million jobs

2008-09-11T05:32:00.002-04:00

As America confronts the current energy crisis, a new report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and partner labor and environmental groups shows that the U.S. can create two million jobs by investing in clean energy technologies that will strengthen the economy and fight global warming. The report finds that investing in clean energy would create four times as many jobs as spending the same amount of money within the oil industry.

"This new report shows that investing in clean energy is a win-win solution. Shifting to clean energy will put more people to work, provide consumers relief at the pump, help reduce global warming pollution and revitalize our economy at a time when many Americans are hurting," said Frances Beinecke, President of NRDC.

"Green Recovery - A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy" analyzes the potential for a two year $100 billion green investment program - which would be comparable to the size of the April 2008 federal stimulus package dedicated to consumer rebates - to be an engine for job creation in the U.S. This type of investment is a component of a broader clean energy strategy to create a low-carbon economy and reduce global warming pollutions.

Read more here.

Environmental songs

2008-09-10T06:36:00.003-04:00

The Christian Science Monitor's Bright Green Blog lists the top 11 environmental songs of all time. I don't want to spoil it by listing them for you. Just check it out yourself!

Quote for the Weekend

2008-09-06T10:04:00.002-04:00

"To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him." -- Buddha

The Dhammapada

2008-09-04T10:10:00.001-04:00

The Dhammapada consists of 423 verses in Pali uttered by the Buddha on some 305 occasions for the benefit of a wide range of human beings. These sayings were selected and compiled into one book as being worthy of special note on account of their beauty and relevance for moulding the lives of future generations of Buddhists. They are divided into 26 chapters and the stanzas are arranged according to subject matter. Here is a nice version, illustrated and with helpful explanations and guidance.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-08-30T09:43:00.002-04:00

"If you can imaginatively enter into another person's life, you cannot hate and wound that person. You know what it is like to be them. They are not Other. They are the Same. Art allows that imaginative connection with people and situations outside our own. Art gives us more than mental understanding or generalised sympathy - it shows us another's pain, another's struggle. It joins life together where hatred would sever it."-- Jeannette Winterson

New alternative health site

2008-08-26T10:04:00.001-04:00

Alternative Health Journal announced the launch of the Web's first alternative health community with Web 2.0 functionality, directly competing with the well-known medical information site, WebMD. The new site, found at http://www.alternativehealthjournal.com, features original editorial and user-generated content focused on natural health news, information and alternative healthcare solutions for consumers. Editorial contributors for the new site include award-winning health blogger, Bob Condor, author of The Good Mood Diet and managing editor of health at MSN.com, renowned former NASA scientist Dr. William Judy, and Dr. Glen Halvorson, who worked with the U.S. Olympic team. The new site offers visitors free access to timely information about alternative healthcare solutions and the latest in Web 2.0 interactivity. Alternative Health Journal also hosts one of the Web's largest collections of alternative health articles, videos and vitamin-supplement glossaries, allowing consumers to make informed decisions about vitamins, supplements, herbal remedies, minerals, enzymes and other natural products.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-08-24T11:36:00.003-04:00

“If you don't get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don't want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can't hold on to it forever. Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change. Free of pain, free of the obligations of life and death. But change is a law, and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.” -- Dan Millman

Hybrid cars too quiet?

2008-08-20T07:54:00.002-04:00

Electric and hybrid vehicles may be better for the environment, but the California Legislature says they're bad for the blind. It has passed a bill to ensure that the vehicles make enough noise to be heard by visually impaired people about to cross a street. The measure would establish a committee to study the issue and recommend ways the vehicles could make more noise. The state Department of Motor Vehicles says more than 300,000 of the vehicles are on state roads. Officials say they don't keep statistics on pedestrian accidents involving those vehicles. The bill has been sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has not taken a position. Source: CNN

Quote for the Weekend

2008-08-18T07:39:00.002-04:00

"A hidden energy crisis threatens our world. Our high-tech, volatile society thrusts many of us into chronic physical, emotional, and spiritual depletion. With information overload, we sink into techno-despair, the burnout of being enslaved by beepers, email, faxes, and phones. Meanwhile, geopolitical realities grind us down. We’re confronted with hostile forces on a global scale. No surprise: our energy suffers. Most alarming, we come to tolerate tired, joyless states as normal. We must shift this socially condoned pattern of madness, no matter what external threats are looming." -- Dr. Judith Orloff

8 Sacred Sites in Beijing

2008-08-15T07:49:00.002-04:00

The Summer Olympics began in Beijing on August 8, 2008 (08.08.08) at 8:08 pm. The date and the time were chosen for the auspicious meaning in the Chinese language, the pronunciation of "8" sounding close to the pronunciation of "wealth." As the world continues to focus its attention on Beijing and to the elite athletes there for the Olympics, here is a virtual tour of the 8 most sacred places in this historically prominent city.

Quote for the weekend

2008-08-09T18:08:00.000-04:00

"I will grow. I will become something new and grand but no grander than I now am. Just as the sky will be different in a few hours, its present perfection and completeness is not deficient, so am I presently perfect and not deficient because I will be different tomorrow. I will grow and I am not deficient." -- Wayne Dyer

Cars that run on air?

2008-08-08T10:05:00.002-04:00

This just in from CNN: "You've heard of hybrids, electric cars and vehicles that can run on vegetable oil. But of all the contenders in the quest to produce the ultimate fuel-efficient car, this could be the first one to let you say, "Fill it up with air." The compressed air car planned for the U.S. market would be a six-seater, a New York company says. That's the idea behind the compressed air car, a vehicle its backers say could achieve a fuel economy of 106 miles per gallon. Plenty of skepticism exists, but with many Americans trying to escape sticker shock at the gas pump, the concept is generating buzz. The technology has been the focus of MDI, a European company founded in 1991 by a French inventor and former race car engineer. New York-based Zero Pollution Motors is the first firm to obtain a license from MDI to produce the cars in the United States, pledging to deliver the first models in 2010 at a price tag of less than $18,000." Read the entire article here.

Indians go solar

2008-08-07T06:36:00.003-04:00

The Cleveland Indians, already one of the "greenest" teams in major league baseball, and Green Energy Ohio have partnered on the new solar electric system at Progressive Field – the first American League ballpark to go solar. The solar installation provides 8.4 kilowatts of clean, renewable electricity and introduce solar energy concepts to millions in Northeast Ohio. Green Energy Ohio worked in concert with Doty & Miller Architects to design and install 42 GE solar panels on a newly erected pavilion located on the south-facing upper deck concourse of Progressive Field, overlooking Carnegie Avenue and I-90. The electricity produced from the solar installation is enough to power all of the 400 television sets throughout Progressive Field. Support for the solar project is made possible by the State of Ohio Department of Development and The Cleveland Foundation.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-08-02T22:47:00.003-04:00

"We are surrounded by an All Seeing, All Knowing Mind, which is One and runs through all. The belief in the dual mind has destroyed practically all philosophies and religions of the ages, and will continue to do so until the world comes to see that there is but One. Whatever name is given it there is but One. It is this One that creates for us, whatever we believe. Our thought operative through this One produces all our affairs. We are all centers in this Mind, centers of creative thought activity. There is nothing which appears in the manifest Universe other than an objectified thought, whether it be a bump on your head, a growth on your foot or a planet. It could not be there were it not made out of Mind, for mind is all there is to make anything out of. Whatever is made is made out of it. Nothing exists or can exist without a source from which it springs." -- Ernest Holmes

The greening of law

2008-07-28T07:56:00.003-04:00

Interesting article in the Plain Dealer about law firms going green. From the story: "A recent survey of law firms found that each attorney generates up to 100,000 sheets a year. Assuming a 2,000-hour work year, that's 50 pages an hour. Almost a sheet a minute. Enough paper laid end-to-end to wrap around the U.S. Supreme Court Building 66 times. No wonder some green-minded lawyers are saying no mas."

How much is 100,000 sheets of paper?
A single lawyer can use up to 100,000 sheets of paper every year, a survey found. That's enough to:
• Make up 12 40-foot trees.
• Line Interstate 90 from Dead Man's Curve to Lake County.
• Balance the scales of justice with 50 medium-sized pumpkins.
• Publish 271 copies of John Grisham's "The Partner."
• Stack as high as LeBron James . . . on stilts.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-07-26T09:03:00.002-04:00

"We wage, in our way, a revolution based on love. We seek to replace an old, oppressive order, not so much politically or socially, but within our minds where it lives and works. We try to hate no one, for we recognize that hatred itself is the enemy. We hope to change the world into a place of grace and love. The first shots have rung out in this revolution, and they were not shots. They were bursts of light, streaming silently yet dramatically through the hearts and minds of millions. This historic unfoldment has already begun, and it is playing out on inner planes." -- Marianne Williamson

Burning River Fest 2008

2008-07-24T15:06:00.002-04:00

Don't miss Burning River Fest 2008, Saturday, August 9th at the Nautica Entertainment Complex. This one day family-friendly festival celebrates our local:

Environmental Organizations
Green Companies
Musicians
Artisans
Sustainable Farmers and Restaurants
Historic Coast Guard Station and
Waterways!

The Nautica Entertainment Complex location provides a scenic view of Cleveland’s riverfront and serves as a living exhibit of the river’s environmental and economic impact on our community. Celebrate and support the crown jewels of our region! Environmental Awareness"Green" organizations, companies and sponsors will delight attendees of all ages with inspiring, interactive and eco-friendly exhibits and demonstrations.

Current exhibitors include:
American Institute of Architects Cleveland
Audubon Ohio
Biodiversity Alliance
bluewaterohio
Chas E. Phipps Company
City of Cleveland - Division of Water
City of Cleveland - Office of Sustainability
Clean Air Conservancy
Cleveland Waterfront Coalition
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association
Chris Dunmore - Green Stockbroker (FBW)
Dike 14 Nature Preserve Committee
Dovetail Solar and Wind
Earth Day Coalition
EarthWatch Ohio
Ecologia LLC
EcoVillage Cleveland
Environmental Health Watch
Fox Natural Building - Straw Bale Building
Friends of the Crooked River
Good Nature Organic Lawn Care
Great Lakes Bioneers/Cleveland
Great Lakes Brewing Company's "Pint Size Farm"
Green Clean, Inc.
Green Energy Ohio
Hale Farm & Village (property of the Western Reserve Historical Society)
Holden Arboretum
Leeners/LD Carlson
LilyRox Pet Treats
Load My Groceries
Karma Yoga
Mercy for Animals
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
Ohio Concrete - Pervious Surface "Waterpark"
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Coastal Management
Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
PURE FUEL LLC
Royal Oaks Recycling
Royalten Supply Landscape Center
Standing Rock Cultural Arts
Stonyfield Farm (represented by Music Matters)
Stop Beer Warming
Tinkers Creek Watershed Partners
West Creek Preservation Committee
Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Office Depot goes green

2008-07-23T08:55:00.001-04:00

According to LOHAS Online, Office Depot celebrated the grand opening of its first “Green” store, located at 2620 W. Anderson Lane in Austin, Texas. Office Depot’s “Green” store, which is pre-certified to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards by the U.S. Green Building Council, will use less energy and water in its daily operations, increase recycling and leave a much smaller overall environmental footprint than the typical store of its size. “The City of Austin is the birthplace of the USGBC and a leader in our nation’s fight against climate change,” said City of Austin Mayor Will Wynn. “We are proud that Office Depot chose to select Austin as the site of its green retail prototype. We think what they are doing shows real leadership – and paves the path for more retailers to invest in green building.” Now let's get one in Cleveland.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-07-20T13:49:00.002-04:00

"It comes down to the age-old choice of separation or unity. Do you want to be fragmented, conflicted, torn between the eternal forces of darkness and light? Or do you want to step out of separation into wholeness? You are a creature who acts, thinks, and feels. Spirituality fuses these three into a single reality. Thinking doesn’t lord it over feeling; feeling doesn’t stubbornly resist the higher brain; doing occurs when both thought and feeling say, "This is right." The one reality can be recognized because once you are there, you experience the flow of life without obstacles or resistance." -- Deepak Chopra

Repowering America

2008-07-18T08:00:00.002-04:00

Al Gore delivered an incredible speech titled, "A Generational Challenge to Repower America," at D.A.R. Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. It starts like this: "There are times in the history of our nation when our very way of life depends upon dispelling illusions and awakening to the challenge of a present danger. In such moments, we are called upon to move quickly and boldly to shake off complacency, throw aside old habits and rise, clear-eyed and alert, to the necessity of big changes. Those who, for whatever reason, refuse to do their part must either be persuaded to join the effort or asked to step aside. This is such a moment. The survival of the United States of America as we know it is at risk. And even more — if more should be required — the future of human civilization is at stake." Read the speech here.

Green patriotism

2008-07-16T08:39:00.002-04:00

I read the below post over at GreenCityBlueLake, written by Marc Lefkowitz. Very interesting and very applicable:

During the Second World War, conservation at home was more than a virtue, it was a crucial act that every American man, woman and child was asked to make in their daily lives. Saving every last scrap of metal, paper, even grease from frying pans for the good of the troops abroad was embedded in every move you made.

A brilliant series of posters sold the American public on quickly mobilizing around actions like “Plant a Victory Garden”, “Is your trip necessary?” or, emblazoned above an image of a war-weary soldier, “Have you really tried to save gas by getting into a car club?”

The fight against manmade global warming demands a similar mobilization campaign. On July 4th, 40 busses hit the streets of Cleveland with banners designed by Michael Bierut. They are asking people to enlist as a Green Patriot by using mass transit, advocating for green jobs, and changing their daily habits–right now–to improve our chances for survival. The Cleveland posters are a pilot for a nationwide Green Patriot campaign.

This Thursday at 10:30 a.m., join a local group of Green Patriots mustering at Public Square to ride RTA buses and spread the message while building support. You can also go online, sign a petition to fight global warming and create green jobs, figure out ways to tweak your actions to be more green, and view the WWII-era posters that inspired Green Patriots.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-07-12T08:16:00.001-04:00

"Spiritual growth is not an easy escape from the painful circumstances of your life. It begins with an eyes-open exploration of them and their cause. You are the cause. Every insight that brings you to this realization is a new beginning." -- Gary Zukav

Spirituality in healthcare

2008-07-09T10:06:00.002-04:00

One third of American medical schools have decided to bring spirituality back into healthcare and many of them require courses on spirituality and health, reported Dr. David Larson at the recent Spirituality and Healing in Medicine symposium, sponsored by Harvard Medical School's department of continuing education.

The question of spirituality becomes very important when facing serious illness or chronic illness, especially where "there is not much we can do as doctors," according to Larson, president of the National Institute for Healthcare Research and adjunct professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. He added that, "When people have an illness in the United States, God becomes a very important part of who they are."

Physicians are not well equipped to deal with patients with terminal illnesses, according to Larson. "There is much less fear of dying and (our skills) can be much more effective when we begin to address and support this, especially in their last year of life," he said.

The National Institute for Healthcare Research is collaborating with the John Templeton Faith and Medicine Curricular Award Program to help train medical students on how to address the spiritual needs of their patients. Many of the courses include looking at death and dying from different faith traditions.

"What we've found is, when we simply show them what to do, how to ask the questions, how to begin to address the issues, there is a lot of receptivity. Many of these medical school courses work with chaplains. That's been unheard of. (Students) will (go on rounds) with chaplains, and these are the most skilled group in dealing with death and dying," Larson told Reuters.

The rapid growth of spirituality in the medical school curriculum is demonstrated by one simple statistic: "Three years ago, only three US medical schools taught courses on religion and spiritual issues; there are now nearly 30," Larson noted.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-07-04T09:53:00.001-04:00

"Here is my advice as we begin the century that will lead to 2081. First, guard the freedom of ideas at all costs. Be alert that dictators have always played on the natural human tendency to blame others and to oversimplify. And don't regard yourself as a guardian of freedom unless you respect and preserve the rights of people you disagree with to free, public, unhampered expression." ~ Gerard K. O'Neill, 2081

Our July/August issue!

2008-07-01T09:56:00.003-04:00

The July/August issue of Balanced Living hits the streets today. This month we are featuring three articles on the benefits of chiropractic; an article about removing the toxins from your home -- beginning with the bedroom; a piece on backyard ponds, a very cool article on integral golf; a little something on volunteering and a "one tank trips" piece written by Tim Zahn, with a little help from Neil Zurcher. And of course you'll find all of the great columns you've come to expect from Balanced Living. Enjoy!

McCain wants to drill in the Great Lakes

2008-06-25T10:06:00.004-04:00

How would some nice oil platforms look sitting just off the shore of Lake Erie? That would be a great sight looking north from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, eh? Sen. John McCain's support for offshore oil drilling is primed to become a campaign issue. In a letter to McCain, Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Chicago asks McCain to "clarify" his position on drilling in the Great Lakes, which, Emanuel, who obviously passed geography in high school points out, are bordered by Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. "As you are undoubtedly aware, in 2005 a bipartisan majority in Congress enacted a permanent ban on drilling for oil and gas in the Great Lakes," Emanuel wrote. "Drilling in the Great Lakes would adversely affect millions of Americans in the eight states that border these lakes, further endanger the ecological web and threaten the beauty of our shores." McCain has come out in support of offshore drilling -- a flip flop on his previous position -- and most experts agree it would do nothing to help oil and gas prices for at least 20 years.
For my money, if anything goes offshore, let's do a forest of wind turbines.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-06-21T12:27:00.002-04:00

"Make a list of people in your life in whose company you feel more alive, happy, and optimistic. Make an effort to spend more time with them. Our spiritual selves resonate with others, and that connection is a healing." -- Andrew Weil

Green jobs

2008-06-20T09:51:00.003-04:00

Northeast Ohio gets some play in a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor, which begins . . . "Kathleen Loa first began thinking about pursuing a green career while she was a student at Oberlin College. Now, armed with a degree in chemistry, she is taking the first step in that direction. She’s serving as an intern at the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy in Washington, D.C. After earning a master’s in energy policy, she’ll find a job." Check it out!

Bamboo to you!

2008-06-19T09:38:00.000-04:00

It can be stronger than iron, yet fragile as paper. It can be eaten as well as worn. As a source of medicine, it can heal. It cleans the air and makes music in the wind. Cathy Sherman from Natural News reported that as the fastest growing woody plant on earth, bamboo has a short growth cycle. Some bamboo species can grow up to one meter daily, which makes it a rapidly renewable resource. Because it is so versatile and high-yielding, it solves the problem of replenishing many consumables within a short time. Check out this cool article on bamboo.

Tribe goes green

2008-06-17T09:57:00.006-04:00

Is it possible that the baseball team that has frustrated us for more than 60 years scores some bonus points by being, gulp, green? According to a news item on WKYC's web site, the Cleveland Indians are leading the way as one of the Major League's recycling leaders. Well, judging by their 33-40 record, they aren't doing anything right on the field, but at least they're doing something right in the way they pursue a certain green standard.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-06-14T15:53:00.002-04:00

"I know a planet where there is a certain red-faced gentleman. He has never smelled a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has never loved any one. He has never done anything in his life but add up figures. And all day he says over and over, just like you: 'I am busy with matters of consequence!' And that makes him swell up with pride. But he is not a man--he is a mushroom!" -- The Little Prince

Working green

2008-06-11T07:50:00.002-04:00

From today's Plain Dealer: How do you define a "green" job? In its purest sense, a green job is an occupation that wouldn't exist if not for the growing movement to conserve resources and make businesses more environmentally conscious. Something like a sustainable-practices coordinator at a large corporation. Or maybe a person who analyzes wind conditions to see it they're ripe for spinning turbine blades. More broadly, a green job also is a traditional vocation carried out in support of a green purpose. An accountant at a company that makes solar panels. An electrician who installs solar panels when not performing routine wiring jobs. But if the definition of a green job is hard to get your hands around, the ability to land one shouldn't be, especially in Cleveland, where industries as diverse as farming, renewable energy and an emerging business called deconstruction show promise. Read the entire piece here.

Summer program

2008-06-09T11:30:00.004-04:00

A New Sunday Summer Program, "Boy's Club," for boys ages 10-18 will be held at Unity of Medina for 12 weeks from June 15 - August 31. It will be held on Sunday mornings at 11 AM. Twelve men are volunteering their time to discuss the timely and practical book George Foreman's Guide to Life: How to Get Up Off the Canvas When Life Knocks You Down. Two men will lead per Sunday. This is to give boys an opportunity to be with men for good male mentoring and role modeling. This may be especially helpful for boys who don't always have a father or father figure in their lives or boys who don't already have church support in their lives. There will be an outdoor group activity at the end of the summer for the men and boys to celebrate!
For more information call 330-764-7999 office or email unityofmedina@aol.com

Quote for the Weekend

2008-06-07T09:24:00.004-04:00

"An artist has come for a different purpose. Maybe a self-help group -- maybe a Dr. Phil -- would say, 'How you doin'?' I don't want to get harsh and say I don't care. You do care, you care in a big way, otherwise you wouldn't be there. But it's a different kind of connection. It's not a light thing." -- Bob Dylan

Emotions Anonymous

2008-06-06T09:37:00.003-04:00

Human emotions are a necessary part of every person's life. Life becomes difficult when emotions get out of control. On Sunday June 8, you can attend a meeting of Emotions Anonymous, a 12-step organization similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. Their weekly meetings faciliate emotional recovery. The gathering will be held at the Cleveland/Fairview Park YMCA, 15501 Lorain Rd., in Cleveland, at 2:45 p.m. For more information, call Tina at 216-812-1275.

Green travel

2008-06-05T09:19:00.003-04:00

Climate change and peak oil (among other developments) are requiring a profound transformation in the way we travel - the attempt to maintain such mobility while radically reducing (or even eliminating) carbon emissions and other adverse environmental impacts of travel. According to an article in LOHAS online, there are a number of companies carrying out efforts to accomodate green travel. People are flying less, people are driving less: these companies have to do something and they are.

It's electric!

2008-06-03T09:38:00.004-04:00

Rocker Neil Young sometimes puts down his acoustic guitar and goes electric, more often than not with his band Crazy Horse. But now, Young is finding another way to go electric. He has teamed up with Johnathan Goodwin, a Wichita mechanic who has developed a national reputation for re-engineering the power units of big cars to get more horsepower but use less fuel. The two are looking to convert Young's 1959 Lincoln Continental convertible to operate on an electric battery. Ultimately, they said, they want the Continental to provide a model for the world's first affordable mass-produced electric-powered automobile. General Motors may have killed the electric car, according to an amazing documentary, but Young is trying to bring it back. Read the entire article here.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-05-31T10:56:00.002-04:00

“We could say that meditation doesn't have a reason or doesn't have a purpose. In this respect it's unlike almost all other things we do except perhaps making music and dancing. When we make music we don't do it in order to reach a certain point, such as the end of the composition. If that were the purpose of music then obviously the fastest players would be the best. Also, when we are dancing we are not aiming to arrive at a particular place on the floor as in a journey. When we dance, the journey itself is the point, as when we play music the playing itself is the point. And exactly the same thing is true in meditation. Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment.” -- Alan Watts

E4S Sustainable B2B Directory

2008-05-30T11:12:00.004-04:00

Searching for a green-building architect? Need a waste or energy audit? Trying to find a solar installer or local food supplier? The E4S Sustainable B2B Directory is a growing directory of regional companies that provide products and services to help you implement sustainable-business projects. The first tab, Industry Guide, organizes these companies into the basic industries and sub-industries that comprise a sustainable regional economy. The second tab, How-To Guide, suggests common sustainability implementation projects and links to the businesses that can provide the appropriate products or services. Check it out.

New energy facility opens in Fairlawn

2008-05-28T07:38:00.004-04:00

Psychologist and life coach Jane Lehr Eckert, PhD, has opened Studio e, an energy education facility in Fairlawn. "The cornerstone of Studio e is the study of human energy matrix, an exciting new field of medicine and psychology," Eckert says. The studio will feature classes, workshops, study groups, special-topic presentations and an interactive library designed to focus on energy modalities. For more information, call 330-808-8558, or go to the company's web site at www.studio-energy.net.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-05-24T08:22:00.005-04:00

"If you deny yourself access to the child within because you're too serious, you also block your connection to the divine Light and your feminine self. Every creator who's any good uses their feminine side to create . . . whether it's a scientist working on a hunch, a painter working on the interplay of colors, or a musician dealing with the juxtaposition of notes and chords." -- Stuart Wilde

AH-HA: Free Catalogs

2008-05-23T07:37:00.003-04:00

The American Holistic Health Association (AH-HA) has compiled a list of free catalogs of books with a wide array of topics on health and wellness! Send for those in your area of interest. Using this list you can order from the companies, purchase at a bookstore, or borrow from your local library. Please note: AHHA does not make value judgments distinguishing these organizations or the literature they offer. You are responsible to verify what is appropriate for your needs. But it is a nice place to begin to wade through the vast array of resources out there.

It's Easy Being Green

2008-05-20T06:59:00.001-04:00

MSN has compiled a really good "Green" page, consisting of interesting articles, current news items, photo galleries (dig mr. frog, at left) and more. While the material seems to be solid, it's interesting to note that Chevy is a primary advertising sponsor, trying to get traction for its cars that get an amazing 30+ miles-per-gallon. I wouldn't call it "greenwashing" but it is a stretch. Everybody is trying to burnish their green credentials these days, thin as they may be. In any case, check it out.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-05-17T10:08:00.003-04:00

"Inside yourself or outside, you never have to change what you see, only the way you see it. It is useless to try to escape any difficulty by contracting your consciousness. You will have to climb back up any hill you roll down, you will have to do it sooner or later, in this lifetime or another, because our true nature is beyond time."
-- Thaddeus Golas

Eco-friendly hotel coming to Cleveland?

2008-05-16T13:26:00.005-04:00

According to an article in today's Plain Dealer, a five-star, $48-million eco-friendly hotel and condo project is slated for downtown Cleveland. The 1 Hotel, from the Starwood Capital Group, will be located at West 11th Street and Main Avenue. It is scheduled to open in 2010, and will include about 150 rooms, a spa and meeting space, as well as a restaurant featuring local and organic foods and reportedly operated by a nationally known restaurateur. "The idea of sustainability and environmental sensitivity is something that is central to this project, so it's a very good fit culturally," developer Scott Wolstein said about the project. The 1 Hotel brand, envisioned as a luxury hotel with an environmental conscience, is designed to be "a certified green building, constructed with the environment in mind and an eye on saving energy." (photo from Wolstein Group Fairmont Properties.)

Hessler Street Fair

2008-05-15T14:44:00.001-04:00

The Hessler Street Fair is an annual community arts and music festival, celebrating its 40th year on historic Hessler Street in Cleveland's Univerity Circle. It is a family-friendly event, showcasing local artists, food, musicians and poets. The Fair is one of Cleveland's most successful, attracting upwards of 10,000 visitors each year. Running from noon to dusk, this coming Saturday and Sunday, it features a diverse mixture of musical styles and venues, and is a non-profit, volunteer-run weekend, focused on celebrating community, arts and culture. Look for copies of Balanced Living there!

Environmental activism

2008-05-14T07:38:00.004-04:00

There is an article in the Plain Dealer about Luxembourg- ArcelorMittal SA, the world's largest steel maker, which has operations in Cleveland. Liz Ilg, an activist at Ohio Citizen Action, said the steel maker has refused to respond to concerns flagged by local people near the Cleveland plant it bought in 2005 - including letters from more than 526 doctors and nurses detailing health problems linked to air pollution. Chief Financial Officer Aditya Mittal praised its U.S. steel operations, saying ArcelorMittal won an Environmental Protection Agency gold medal this year, "so clearly we are doing something right." (It's not like the EPA under the Bush Administration has functioned as anything other than a corporate consulting agency.) Kudos to Ohio Citizen Action for their activist role.

Organic food suffering?

2008-05-12T19:23:00.003-04:00

Interesting, and disturbing, article in Newsweek about Organic food. And Cleveland is mentioned in the piece. According to the article: "With food prices rising, the bloom is going off organics. The healthy-food craze mushroomed this decade, growing 150 percent since 2001 to reach $19 billion in sales last year. Driven by a rising demand for food free of pesticides and growth hormones, organics went mainstream, moving from tony Whole Foods to the produce aisle at Wal-Mart. But now with gas near $4 a gallon, the $7 gallon of organic milk doesn't look as good. (A gallon of conventional milk at Kroger will run you as little as $2.99.) In a new survey from WSL Strategic Retail, only 27 percent of shoppers thought organics were worth the money—even though most agreed they are healthier. After years of 20 percent annual sales growth, consumers are curtailing their consumption of organics, according to market researcher the Hartman Group. "Organic strawberries looked nice in February," says Nancy Massotto, who runs a "green parenting" network in Caldwell, N.J. "But I'm not paying $6 for a pint when I'm paying $4 a gallon for gas." "

Quote for the Weekend

2008-05-09T18:55:00.001-04:00

"No action is ever an isolated event. Always, it invites from the universe a reaction that corresponds exactly to the type and the force of energy behind the deed."
-- Paramahansa Yogananda

A Capital T

2008-05-06T22:05:00.003-04:00

On May 10, Mind-Body-Spirit Connection will host a “Mother’s Day Tea.” Enjoy a special afternoon with friends, family, neighbors and others. “High tea,” plus a silent auction and a one-woman comedy/play will be offered to stimulate emotions and provoke thinking. Cost is $40. The event will be held at Embassy Suites, Rockside Road, Independence, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Visit www.MBSConline.org for details, or call 440-838-3675.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-05-02T22:09:00.004-04:00

The nightingale starts to sing!

Go to the librarian and ask for the book of this bird's songs, and
Then go out into the desert. Do you really need college to read this book?

Break all your ties with people who profess to teach, and learn from the Pure Bird. -- Hafiz

On the Street

2008-05-01T11:12:00.003-04:00

Cleveland has a proud tradition of reaching out to the homeless and less fortunate. This is often accomplished by unsung heroes operating in relative obscurity. For example, the late poet laureate of Cuyahoga County, Daniel Thompson, used to distribute day-old bread and other food products to the homeless, using whatever resources he could muster. Another unsung hero is Donna Kelly (left), an RN who serves homeless men and women both on the street and in unique ways, such as through a book-study group. Her efforts were recently profiled in the Christian Science Monitor. At Balanced Living, we have begun a program called "Balanced Living Means Giving," which will focus on different charity efforts throughout the year. In our current issue, we are asking for donations to the St. Malachi shower program. Donations of towels, soap or shampoo can be dropped off at the center, located at 2416 Superior Viaduct; or you can drop off a donation at our offices at 201 W. Liberty St., in Medina.

Come see us!

2008-04-29T10:56:00.003-04:00

The Heights-Hillcrest Regional Chamber of Commerce (HRCC) will hold its 14th annual Business Expo today from 3:00-7:00 p.m. at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven. Oft-praised as the region’s most powerful business-to-business networking event, HRCC’s Business Expo offers an unparalleled opportunity to create relationships and build business with 1,000 peers both offering and seeking quality products and services. A business card is required for admission.

New this year is a special focus on Sustainability in Action, featuring HRCC members, vendors, and community partners whose operations, products, and/or services contribute to the evolving creation of a sustainable Northeast Ohio. And yes, Balanced Living will be there.
Expo attendees are encouraged BRING CLEAN, DRY PAPER (newspaper, catalogs, magazines, office & computer paper etc.) PLASTICS (#1-#7), and ALUMINUM CANS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ON-SITE RECYCLING DRIVE, coordinated by HRCC member and Expo sponsor Jakprints. Attendees who contribute recyclables will be entered into a drawing for a fantastic gift basket full of delights courtesy of HRCC's active members, including wine from Marchetti Company. "The more recyclables you bring, the more raffle tickets you'll get!" says Jakprints owner Dameon Guess. "We're making it easy and fun for everyone to do their part."

For more HRCC Business Expo information, please call the HRCC office, (216) 397-7322.

Gone with the Wind

2008-04-28T08:59:00.006-04:00

Our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels could be gone, if we would only use the wind. In a surprising take, oil and gas executive T. Boone Pickens said the nation could reduce its dependence on imported oil by 38 percent if it used natural gas to power cars and trucks instead of generating electricity. Part of his plan would involve developing solar and wind power, but would also include generating more power using nuclear plants (which obviously comes with its own set of problems.)

“If wind plays a bigger part, and you bring solar on, and you take natural gas being used in electricity generation and move it to transportation, then you reduce the imports we need by 38 percent,” Pickens said. “That is huge. There hasn’t been anyone yet who’s come up with a similar plan.”

The state of Ohio is also looking to wind power for a sustainable future. The otherwise imperfect energy bill—filled with compromises—due to be signed by Gov. Strickland this week, requires utility companies to begin generating a portion of their power with wind, solar and other renewable technologies. Wind turbine installers have promised to rush into the Buckeye state after the bill becomes law, because opportunities here will be extensive, according to news reports.

Quote for the Weekend

2008-04-27T11:10:00.004-04:00

"Repetition and ritual and their good results come in many forms. Changing the filter, wiping noses, washing dishes, checking the dipstick –– don't let yourself think these are distracting you from your more serious pursuits. Such a round of chores is not a set of difficulties we hope to escape so that we may do our 'practice' which will put us on a "path" -- it is our path."

-- Gary Snyder

Buying Green

2008-04-25T09:53:00.003-04:00

A February 2008 survey sponsored by DoubleClick found that 60% of US adults who make online purchases say that it is very or extremely important to them that a company is environmentally conscious. Almost half of those who make online purchases said they specifically search for environmentally-friendly products at least some of the time.

More importantly, 45% of respondents who make online purchases said they would pay at least 5% more for a product that is promoted with environmentally-friendly attributes. An additional 22% were willing to pay at least 10% more. And 38% of respondents said the most attractive type of environmentally-conscious marketing focused on specific user benefits such as saving money on bills or products lasting longer.

Specific environmental benefits were a distant second, cited by 21% of those surveyed as the most attractive type of environmentally-friendly marketing.

At Balanced Living, we're doing our own survey on products and services. Please take the survey here.

Patient-Centered Care

2008-04-23T12:53:00.006-04:00

Balanced Living enjoys a great partnership with Mind Body Spirit Connection. We will make it a point to get the word out about any event they are planning. To that ends, don't miss:

Patient-Centered Care: Learn about exciting transformation in northeastern Ohio as hospitals implement a patient-centered focus.

Speakers: Jeanette Michalak, Planetree, Director of Consultation; Michelle Cameron, RN; Cleveland Clinic, Program Manager or Nursing Wellness

Where: Wellington Catering, 777 Alpha Drive, Highland Heights (just west of I-271 off Wilson Mills Road)

Date: Aug 28, 08

Time: 5:30 pm Registration & Exhibitor Displays

Cost: $30 MBSC/AHMA members, medical students, seniors; $35 non-members; $20 program only.

Happy Earth Day

2008-04-22T11:59:00.002-04:00

We think it's good karma that the redesign of our print magazine, relaunch of our web site, and the debut of our blog are all happening around Earth Day. Over the years, Earth Day has become almost a national holiday, with much excitement, many live events and massive media coverage. Balanced Living was proud to be part of Earthfest, The Earth Day Coalition's live event at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this past Saturday. This local event does much to shine a light on sustainable living and best practices for an earth-centered lifestyle. What did you do to celebrate Earth Day?

Welcome!

2008-04-21T11:52:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the new Balanced Living blog. We are pleased to begin publishing this blog in association with the relaunch of our web site. Come back often for local news, national commentary, updates, information, events, opportunities, magazine information, rumors, tips, advice, humor and much more. Balanced Living is Northeast Ohio's premier holistic health, body/mind/spirit, and sustainable-living resource.