Client Appreciation Open House
Please join us for our Client Appreciation Holiday open house - a special opportunity to celebrate the holiday with clients, friends, and family with a focus on serving in our community.
Wednesday, December 10th
4-7pm
Looking for ideas for green, life-supporting holiday gifts? Give a Fern Life Experience!
Reduce, Reuse, and Re-gift...bring your own festive containers and put together custom gift sets for your loved ones. Come and experience the variety of new health-minded items in our retail boutique.
We are serving our community this season by supporting Clothes For Kids. They are a nonprofit organization that provides clothing for kids of all ages. They are in desperate need of underwear for boys and girls sizes 4T-youth large.
Receive a 10% discount off all products when you bring in underwear for the kids!
Receive a skin cream for each adult friend you bring!
Receive one entry in our drawing for a $100 spa service gift certificate for each $25 you spend!
Customize your own gift set with Eminence Skin care products...purchase 3 items or more and receive 10% off!
Let us pamper you...with wonderful experiences...
Join Diana for a 15-minute asana and pranayama practice designed to leave you centered, energized, and relaxed.
Elise will lead you to bliss with a paraffin hand dip and massage.
Swing into the holidays to a tribal beat as Caryn treats you to a 15-minute belly dance lesson.
Meet Bobby Jane, a new addition to our Spa Team as she melts away your stress with a chair massage.
We will allow time for you to enjoy all these experiences while you shop and enjoy some healthy treats-we look forward to celebrating you!
Keesha's Corner:
Greetings to everyone as we enter a beautiful holiday season. As we gather in community, other communities are gathering with us; lovely microorganisms that cause illness! I have received a lot of questions concerning immunity and disease and whether or not to get flu shots. This newsletter will be devoted to these questions.
Flu shot or no flu shot?
I do not recommend getting a flu shot for a variety of reasons; most of them based on recent research by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Group Health Cooperative. A recent study published in the October issue of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine found that vaccinating young children against the flu appeared to have no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits during two recent flu seasons.
At first glance, the data did suggest that children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years derived some protection from vaccination in these years. But after adjusting for potentially relevant variables, the researchers concluded that "significant influenza vaccine effectiveness could not be demonstrated for any season, age, or setting" examined.
Additionally, a Group Health study found that flu shots do not protect elderly people against developing pneumonia -- the primary cause of death resulting as a complication of the flu. Others have questioned whether there is any mortality benefit with influenza vaccination. Vaccination coverage among the elderly increased from 15 percent in 1980 to 65 percent now, but there has been no decrease in deaths from influenza or pneumonia.
There is some evidence that flu shots cause Alzheimer's disease, most likely as a result of combining mercury with aluminum and formaldehyde. Mercury in vaccines has also been implicated as a cause of autism. Three other serious adverse reactions to the flu vaccine are joint inflammation and arthritis, anaphylactic shock (and other life-threatening allergic reactions), and Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralytic autoimmune disease.
One credible hypothesis that explains the seasonal nature of flu is that influenza is a vitamin D deficiency disease.
Vitamin D levels in your blood fall to their lowest point during flu seasons. Unable to be protected by the body's own antibiotics (antimicrobial peptides) that are released by vitamin D, a person with a low vitamin D blood level is more vulnerable to contracting colds, influenza, and other respiratory infections.
Studies show that children with rickets, a vitamin D-deficient skeletal disorder, suffer from frequent respiratory infections, and children exposed to sunlight are less likely to get a cold. The increased number of deaths that occur in winter, largely from pneumonia and cardiovascular diseases, are most likely due to vitamin D deficiency.
Unfortunately, now, for the first time, flu vaccination is also being pushed for virtually all children -- not just those under 5. This is a huge change. Previously, flu vaccine was recommended only for youngsters under 5, who can become dangerously ill from influenza. This year, the government is recommending that children from age 6 months to 18 years be vaccinated, expanding inoculations to 30 million more school-age children. The government argues that while older children seldom get as sick as the younger ones, it's a bigger population that catches flu at higher rates, so the change should cut missed school, and parents' missed work when they catch the illness from their children. Of course, this policy ignores the fact that a systematic review of 51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo.
Sources:
EMS Responder September 9, 2008
WebMD October 6, 2008
Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine October 2008; 162(10):943-51
Three Reasons to Reconsider Flu Shots
There are three major reasons why this government push to vaccinate 84 percent of the U.S. population with a yearly flu vaccine is so incomprehensible:
1. The majority of flu shots contain 25 micrograms of mercury; an amount considered unsafe for anyone weighing less than 550 pounds! And which groups are most sensitive to the neurological damage that has been associated with mercury? Infants, children, and the elderly.
2. No studies have conclusively proven that flu shots prevent flu-related deaths among the elderly, yet this is one of the key groups to which they're pushed.
3. If you get a flu shot, you can still get the flu (or flu-like symptoms). This is because it only protects against certain strains, and it's anyone's guess which flu viruses will be in your area.
So why would you take a flu shot - EVERY YEAR -- that has NEVER been proven to be effective, that can give you the very illness you're trying to prevent, and has potential long-term side effects that are far worse than the flu itself? The powers that be have done an excellent job of instilling fear into the population so they believe that they must get a shot to stay healthy, but the simple reality is it's doing you more harm than good. And, even if the flu vaccine could effectively prevent the flu, there have been several examples in past years where government health officials have chosen the incorrect influenza strains for that year's vaccine. In 2004, the National Vaccine Information Center described how CDC officials told everyone to line up for a flu shot that didn't even contain the influenza strain causing most of the flu that year.
So what can you do to prevent the flu, upper respiratory infections and the common cold this season?
1. Take 5,000 IU of Vitamin D daily for adults and 2,000 IU for children. Mention this newsletter and get 10 % off your next Vitamin D at Fern Life Center!
2. Get plenty of rest (Vitamin D helps this too!).
3. Make sure you are coping with your stress in a healthy way (not over eating junk food, shopping, gambling, drinking alcohol, or using coffee to fuel your energy).
4. Daily self massage with sesame oil and weekly to biweekly massage and steam at Fern Life Center.
5. Eat according to your unique dosha constitution.
6. Take Chyavan Prash daily. Amalaki has the most Vitamin C of any fruit in the world and when combined with the six tastes through spices, it really gets to your tissues. Mention this newsletter article and get 10 % off your CP at Fern Life Center!
7. Use a nebulizer in your home and work space with immune-boosting essential oils: (eucalyptus, spruce, pine, fir, juniper, pinion pine, frankincense oils)
8. Meditate and do yoga daily! See our yoga schedule on our Web site, www.FernLifeCenter.com. Our next meditation workshop is December 6th. Bring a friend and get 10 % off your tuition!
9. Connect with your planet daily by getting outdoors to walk. Exercise is also essential for staving off seasonal affective disorder. The exercise and the light will help get you through our grey season.
10. Have a little bit of time every day for self care. Take a bath, read a book, meditate, go through your gratitude practice, start an abundance practice, connect with your spiritual guides.
11. Wash your hands...not fanatically, but often.
12. Use essential oil blends to clean your work and home surfaces. You can get recipes for this from us at Fern Life Center.
13. Banyan Botanicals has a wonderful Immune Support herbal supplement that will help keep your body's digestive fire going (agni). According to Ayurveda, all disease comes from digestive disturbances. This means keeping your bowels happy in this vata aggravating season. For many people, that includes daily triphala.
14. Drink fresh ginger tea daily.
15. Daily Emergen-C, flax oil, fish oil, and a good probiotic are also essential.
16. Come in for a consultation and pulse diagnosis with Keesha and she will talk to you about individualized ways of boosting your immunity (and ojas).
Ayurvedic Recipe: Immune Boosting (ojas) Date Shake
6 dates, pitted
6 almonds (soaked in water overnight and skins removed)
1 1/2 c. almond milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tbsp fennel
1 tsp ground cardamom
Place all ingredients in blender and blend. Warm and serve immediately (or the coconut will begin to settle out). |
Why Meditate?
By Ajayan
For decades, psychologists have known that nearly every human being lives only a fraction of their full, creative potential. All of us could be so much more alive, intelligent, loving, dynamic, and creative. We have the potential to be so much more ourselves. Nevertheless, psychology has failed to provide a viable key to unlock the full potential of human life. For thousands of years, the wise of many of the world's cultures have offered that key: meditation.
Deep within each and every person lies a field of pure, unlimited, creative potentiality-and through meditation this field may be directly experienced and lived. This reservoir of pure energy and intelligence is none other than one's own inner awareness, the silent state of pure Being. When the mind effortlessly settles to rest in the state of Being, it becomes balanced, empowered, filled with peace, anchored in its own essential nature. Finally, one comes Home, to discover one's true Self.
This discovery of Self is invaluable to our mental, emotional, and physical health. By plunging the mind into Being, meditation creates a state of rest and relaxation far deeper than that of deep sleep. As a result of this profound rest, body and mind are quickly rejuvenated and healed from the effects of fatigue, stress, and tension. You meditate, and you emerge refreshed, clear, energized, and filled with peace.
Every emotional state produces a corresponding biochemistry in the body. When you are anxious or fearful, you can feel your stomach tightening into a knot, your palms becoming moist, and so on. Just as there is a biochemistry of anxiety, fear, and anger, so is there a biochemistry of calm, joy, creativity, and love. The profound rest of meditation, the experience of settling into the peace of Being, creates this positive biochemistry in the body. As a result, one's experience of life naturally becomes more and more positive and creative. A growing body of research even suggests that meditation may reverse certain debilitating aspects of the aging process.
All in all, meditation unfolds our full potential. It makes life better. It has been said that the human mind is the greatest natural resource we have. Why not develop that resource?
Meditation Workshop
with
Ajayan Borys
Ajayan has been exploring and teaching a variety of meditation practices since 1970. In the early 70's, he studied in residence under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the TM Program. After teaching TM for many years, he traveled the globe continuing an impassioned exploration of various meditation practices. Having made a study of meditation his life, and having instructed and guided thousands in meditation in North America, Australia, Europe, and India, Ajayan has gained wide renown as a consummate meditation teacher.
Saturday, December 6th at Fern Life Center
9am-1pm: Mantra Meditation Class
Cost: $65
This half-day course in the art of mantra meditation will give you all you need to know to gain a state of profound rest and relaxation that is healing and vitalizing to both body and mind. Countless scientific studies have verified that the effortless practice of mantra meditation reduces stress and brings increased energy, clarity, creativity and joy-and it's so easy that anyone can do it. Join us and experience it for yourself!
2pm-6pm: The Power of Being: Meditation Beyond Meditation
Cost: $65
The power of Being offers a direct experience of exceptionally deep meditation. Based on principles of the Raja, Jnana, and Kundalini Yoga traditions, the Power of Being efficiently and effortlessly draws the conscious mind to its source, pure consciousness or Being.
To gain all that meditation has to offer, we recommend taking both Mantra Meditation and The Power of Being, either on the same day or separately. If taken with Mantra Meditation, both classes are $110
Pre-registration is required; please contact Fern Life Center
Lomi Lomi Style Massage Comes To Fern Life!
Our own wonderful massage therapist, Julie James, is now offering Lomi Lomi massage. Lomi Lomi massage is a concept based on the sacred science of the ancient Hawaiians.
How does this compare to Ayurvedic massage?
- Massage cream is used instead of oil.
- It is a very flowing and relaxing yet deep and powerful hands-on
technique that delivers long-lasting results.
- It connects mind, body, and soul, bringing health, peace, and harmony to
the individual.
December Special-
Purchase a Lomi Lomi Massage in December and save! You will receive a 90-minute massage for the price of a 60-minute massage-$95 (a $42 savings!)
Connecting and Healing
With The
Angels
An Interactive Workshop with
Angel Therapy Practitioner Jeanette Dames
Saturday, January 10th at Fern Life Center
Connecting and Healing With The Angels
10am-2pm
Cost: $40
Saturday, February 21
Manifesting With the Angels
10am-2pm
Cost: $40
Saturday, March 14
Find Your Purpose, Live Your Passion
10am-2pm
Cost: $40
Sign up and pay for all three classes for $100.
Connecting and Healing with the Angels
Angels are divine beings of love who can help us with any situation. They are standing by, just waiting for our request. Nothing is too big or too small for the angels. The angels are here to lovingly guide and assist you in every aspect of your life. They wish for you to receive the full richness of their messages. In this workshop, we will work on deepening your faith in yourself and building your confidence so that you can receive the divine guidance that surrounds you. The angels will harmonize and balance your core beliefs around worthiness and power. Learn how connect with and co-create with your angels and the archangels to heal any situation in your life. Guided meditations will help you get in touch with your personal guardian angels, cut etheric cords, and help you learn how to make communicating with angels a regular part of your everyday life!
Jeanette is a certified Angel Therapy Practitioner and Medium certified by Doreen Virtue, PhD. She is also a staff reader for 12Angel.com, sister site to 12Listen.com a phenomena, intuitive reading service, founded by Hay House author and astrologer Mark Husson. It is through here that you can receive readings from a highly talented group of intuitives and angel readers, including Jeanette. You can hear Jeanette the first Saturday of every month on her radio show, The Angel Connection, with BestlifeBarb@aol.com, broadcast at 9am EST.
Pre-registration is required.
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Fall Yoga with Diana Bonyhadi
December 2nd- January 13, 2009
Diana Bonyhadi, Certified Yoga Instructor, began her yogic journey in 1995. Her style reflects her commitment to wholeness through strength, flexibility, and self-awareness. Her classes draw upon the wisdom and teachings of the Hatha, Lyengar, Ayurvedic, and Vinyasa Flow yoga traditions.
Vinyasa Flow Yoga
This class carefully combines yoga asanas (postures) in a graduated sequence of rhythmic movements of body and breath to create a dynamic, challenging, and meditative flow. The asanas, combined with body alignment, physical conditioning, and breathing exercises (pranayama) will help you discover many paths to strength, flexibility, healing, and mindfulness.
(Appropriate for beginners to the very experienced participant)
Yoga I - Introduction
This is the perfect class for anyone interested in learning about yoga or returning to yoga. This gentle and nurturing class is designed to provide an introduction to the fundamentals of yoga. In this six-week session, the students will gain an understanding of the basic yoga positions, learn correct positioning and alignment, receive detailed instruction on combining breath and movement, and experience the peace and clarity of meditation.
(Upon completion, students can join in the Yoga II-III class.)
Yoga II-III
For the strong beginner through intermediate student, this class will explore all aspects of yoga, including pranayama, asanas, and meditation. Each student will be encouraged and supported to engage at their own level of skill and experience. Focus will be on alignment, technique, engagement, and the deepening of the mind-body connection.
Private Therapeutic Instruction
For those wishing to deepen their understanding of yoga on a one-to-one basis or if there is a specific health concern, this is the class for you. Start from the very beginning, deepen your existing knowledge, reach towards your edge, and/or explore more advanced techniques. Diana can work with you to develop a yoga practice which will help to heal and strengthen your body and mind as you transition from a place of dis-ease to a place of wholeness and well-being. Scheduling at your convenience.
Monday
6:00-7:00pm *Private Therapeutic Instruction
(call Diana for appointments)
Tuesday
9:30-11am Hatha Yoga Levels II-III
6:00-7:30pm Yoga I-III
Wednesday
9:00-11:30am *Private Therapeutic Instruction
(call Diana for appointments)
Thursday
6:45-8:15am Rise & Shine Levels II-III
9:30-11am Vinyasa Flow (all levels)
7:00-8:30am Special Thanksgiving Day Yoga
*To schedule Private Instruction, call Diana at 425-765-3173.
Cost: $ 96 6-class pass
$ 180 12-class pass
$ 17 drop-in rate
Preregistration is required; please contact Fern Life Center.
Sufi with Rev. Halima Levkovitz
First and Third Thursdays at Fern Life Center
7:30pm-9pm
Cost: $15/class
Rev. Halima Thea Levkovitz is a Cheraga (Minister) in the Universal Worship of the Sufi Order International. A student of world faith mystical traditions for more than thirty years, she has studied with Sufi, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Yoga and other spiritual teachers. She guides retreats for environmental activists and was facilitator of the Partnership for Religion and the Environment.
Drawing on spiritual practices, chants, meditation, prayers and scriptures from the world's religions, we will journey together discovering the One Heart that inspired the Prophets, known and unknown, of all humankind. We will be joined by guest Rabbis, Sheiks, Shamans, and other luminary spiritual leaders in the Pacific Northwest.
To register:please contact Halima at 425-443-4013
Tribal Style Belly Dance Classes
with
Caryn Law
of
Skin Deep Dance
January 5th-February 2nd 2009
Monday 6:30pm-7:30pm (5 weeks)
Suitable for beginners
About the class:
Learn to dance by drilling the basics in fun combinations. Using both slow movements and fast steps we'll get you dancing in your first class! All basic movements and group formations in a six-week cycle including posture and body awareness, zils and music. Intro to partner and group dancing. You are welcome to drop-in on this class after the course has started as we have plenty of review built into each class. (If space is available.) However, you must arrive 10-15 minutes prior to class start.
*Corresponds with FCBD Tribal Basics Vol.1 Fundamentals of Dance DVD (Available for purchase from instructor)
Rates: $75 for 6 weeks (6 student minimum) No refunds.
Drop in $15 when available.
Pre-registration required by January 1st:
425.391.3376 / 877.391.3376 or email: info@fernlifecenter.com
Dress for Skin Deep dance classes: Full skirt or loose pants, hip scarf, short top or leotard (just wear something comfortable). Bare feet or dance shoes only in dance studio. You will need a pair of zils (finger cymbals). You can purchase from the instructor bring your own. |
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