If you or a loved one is struggling with life challenges-a career change, divorce, grief, addictions or compulsions-give us a call and let the Sedona Intensive give you the help you need. Don't face these problems alone. Let our support team of professional therapists help you today.

(800) 647-0732 or www.sedonaintensive.com.

Extended Sessions
There have been so many requests recently, especially due to the rollercoaster financial markets, crumbling housing crisis, and other life challenges, that we at the Sedona Intensive™ have begun to offer Extended Sessions. In weekly sessions we are able to see how you and your planets in angulation and aspect are compatible or incongruent to what’s going on in the world. We take the planetary movements for the week ahead and see how Void of Course Moons, retrogrades, New and Full Moons and Eclipses affect you personally. Having this information can mean the difference in being caught up in pandemonium and panic that is not applicable to you but you don’t know it.

Call the office at 800-647-0732 and inquire about the Extended Sessions.

Light Foundation Scholarship Fund Needs Your Help

There are a lot of people who need help; oftentimes it is getting sober or straight and in other instances it is coming to terms with lifelong issues that keep them from being authentic. The Light Foundation, a not-for-profit IRS-approved organization, would like for you to be a part of this effort to help others clear away the wreckage of their past through help in the Sedona Intensive. All donations are tax-deductible. 

Please send donations to:  

Light Foundation Scholarship Fund,

PO Box 50, Sedona, AZ 86339

IN MEMORIAM
Gloria Decker, died on December 1.
 
Gloria and I have known one another since I got sober on February 18, 1980. Her husband, Bob is my sobriety sponsor. No one has been closer to me throughout my sobriety than Gloria and Bob, and I will sorely miss her laughter and her wit. No one has done more for women trying to get sober than Gloria has. Her son, Bobby, who died of AIDS years ago, was waiting for her when she returned to Paradise.
 
Gloria was the woman in the last chapter of my new book, You’re Not Who You Think You Are, and she will always live in my heart and memory.

A MAN WE ADMIRE

Moshe Elbaum
Elbaum Intelligence Integration
The Physical Foundation of Learning

Q. Moshe, the Elbaum Intelligence Integration™ is a unique, holistic and drug-free process that enables children and adults to improve or completely resolve a variety of learning, concentration and behavioral difficulties. How and when did you discover this technique?

A. I discovered this technique 22 years ago while helping the son of a friend who, at the time, suffered from dyslexia. The mother refused to give the child any medication for his learning difficulty. And when I checked his eyes, I saw he could not consciously move them at will in any direction.
So I built a training program for him where he practiced and developed control over moving his eyes, and after a few weeks, he began to read fluently.

Because this child had gone through every test that existed—including the most extensive—and no one had found what I found, I came to discover that there are things in the professional therapeutic fields that no one really checks.

The next question I asked myself was this: if other professionals did not find what I was finding, what else had they not considered? Thereafter, I developed all the tests I currently use for evaluating a person's motor abilities and senses.

Most of the time, when a child or adult succeeds to build the neural networks that correct his motor abilities and modulate his senses, the symptoms that are classified as ADD/ADHD, dyslexia (and more) disappear.

The technique was developed in Israel in 1987.

Q. What you treat is what has become commonly known as dyslexia or ADD. Your theory is that there are neurological deficiencies for certain young people as well as adults that require retraining the brain and the muscles of the mind, if you will, to correct congenital problems with learning. Explain this better in your own words.

A. Learning—and learning to use a certain ability—depends on neural networks, more specifically on the quality of neural networks which the person began building from the 3rd month inside the womb. There are many reasons a child may not succeed in developing enough of—or the right, neural networks. But in such cases, whenever the child tries to function in an area in which the existing neural network will not allow him to function, the body creates tension. This tension leads to frustration, which leads to avoidance, which leads to the different labels and terminology that exist in other diagnostic and evaluative methods.

I believe that performing physical exercises that integrate the physical intelligence with the cognitive, emotional, and energetic intelligences builds those neural networks that facilitate one's overall ability. When these new and better abilities exist, most of the learning disabilities and behavioral issues disappear.

Q. Is it possible that some of us are deliberately born with what psychologists and behavioral specialists label as "deficiencies" so that we can learn what makes us passionate or so that we are not trapped into buying into a system of learning contradictory to our soul urge?

A. Every person is born with a great deal of talents, but it's a fact that many of us do not fulfill our talents. However, the question we have to ask is not whether a particular difficulty will either force us or allow us to develop a particular passion. The real question has to be: are we ready to easily fulfill what we are born to fulfill? I believe that when a person's neural networks are underdeveloped or immature, they then have many different difficulties and frustration as a result. But I also believe that solving this frustration—at any point in our lives, through the right training will help us to fulfill ourselves in a much better way.

There are probably a small number of us who are born with unfinished business from past lives. I believe that "unfinished business" has nothing to do with neural networks; these neural networks must be well-developed in order for any person to fully and easily develop their personality and inborn talents.

Q. Are you successful with all children and adults and if not, what causes those who don't learn to make these neurological changes to resist the new way to unlearn non-learning capabilities?

A. First of all, I must mention that kids who grow up in an unloving and unsupportive environment have a very hard time believing in themselves. Personally, if I do not succeed to help the parents change their attitude throughout the training, it will be extremely difficult for the kid to want to accept the new changes, especially children who are younger than 12 or 13.

Second, no method fixes everybody; therefore, my method does not help a portion of the population. Thank god it's a small part. With those clients who allow themselves to understand why they have to practice and who also practice as this program requires (15 minutes a day maximum), we see very good results.

Third, there are many different diseases that simply do not allow the body to practice. Or, sometimes there are psychological situations in which—without the right intervention alongside our work, we cannot assist the child and the family.

Lastly, nearly every child has a family. Therefore, any change children have to undertake or experience is always a family matter. If the family—as a family unit, does not have the will to recognize their part in the child's issues, it will be difficult to help the child to develop.

Moshe Elbaum and I came to know one another because a client in New York had her thirteen-year old daughter evaluated by Elbaum and is mentoring her to make these changes. He is an Argentine, and Jewish (was raised primarily in Israel), but does not follow organized religion of any sort. Moshe Elbaum is passionate about what he does and has been practicing untangling the neural wiring of boys and girls and men and women for more than 20 years.

Giving You Gratitude This Year

I have always said that when it is time to say “ta-ta” or “so long, world”, I want to run toward that tunnel of white light as fast as God would have it. But as long as most of us have to stay to make more corrections in this thing called life, I have a bon mot or two for the Christmas and Holiday crowd.

1) Gratitude for my health and happiness—neither of which went down the tubes with the Stock Market or Housing Market.
2) Gratitude that I was retrained to ask “What can I do for you?” There is always someone who needs what I have.
3) Gratitude that I am privileged to work with the likes of those of you with wide-open eyes to read what I am grateful for. Each of you has taught me more than I could ever teach you.
4) Gratitude for the resilience and strength to stand up and be counted every day. There is a long and winding road of reconstruction ahead of us and I do not want to be a pike or shirker. Momma wouldn’t like it.
5) Gratitude that God lives within me although He may or may not have a few more homes “out there”. It was so empowering to let go of the God of the Church.
6) Gratitude that my face laughs more than it frowns. There is no one least likely to be invited back than a sourpuss.
7) Gratitude that I believe that the men, women and children in places like Darfur have the right to drink clean water and to eat three meals a day and to have shelter from the heat and cold. My promise is that with every drop I drink and every bite I eat I will do what I can to pay it forward.
8) Gratitude for all the good that I have in my life and gratitude that God has spared me all the things I don’t have in my life.
9) Gratitude that today I know who I am and for that I will always thank the God of my Own Understanding.

I wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays. Have a Wonderful 2009!

What Really Matters

In looking back at 2008 and assessing the trials and tribulations that challenged us, there is no doubt that many, if not all of us are anticipating this year’s end and next year’s new beginning. All of us have been affected in some way. Whether it was through the housing bubble that finally burst or Wall Street’s downward tumble, directly or indirectly, all of us had to ride at least one of the roller coasters produced from the turmoil. But can we really say it was all bad? I suppose we could depending on one’s perspective.

I know for me at some point in the fall, I had to make a major decision. I could either take an emotional ride all the way to the bottom with these financial markets and institutions, not knowing when and where that bottom would be, or detach and look for the silver lining. Fortunately most days, I have chosen the latter.

I find it amazing that more than not, it takes a large-scale struggle to bring people together to realize our similarities, when otherwise we spend inordinate amounts of time and energy stressing our differences. These struggles can be a prime opportunity for us to let go of our attachments to the external world and material possessions, and to look at what really matters in life such as being of service and maintaining meaningful relationships.

My wish for the New Year is that we all continue to learn the lessons we need to in order to lessen the hardships we all have to face. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

by Andrew Bell

It is almost counterintuitive to admit it, but it took a year riddled with financial turmoil, political surprises and worldwide catastrophes, for me to learn much more about players and forces in the world, and in the process to better understand myself. Although I have always believed that I understood myself well, catastrophe and turmoil, teaches us nothing, if not that we are not truly who we think we are. In a nation built on opportunity and a seemingly endless supply of second chances, I have always falsely conceived that I could wait for the future to achieve my goals and solve my problems. However, 2008, and my monthly newsletter has put a lot of things into perspective. I now know that no longer should I procrastinate and put off school work, and no longer should I wait to forgive and apologize to those I love. Too long in life, we wait for the person we believe has wronged us, to apologize. 2008 has taught us that sometimes they never do, and we never get that chance. We must always leave those we love on good terms, as the future that we hope will solve all our problems, may never come.

One of the reasons I found Barack Obama’s historic victory so impressive, was that he didn’t wait another 4 years to run. Although most politicians and pundits suggested that he expand his resume and increase his experience, Obama, knowing that he may never have a chance to make the difference he longed for in the present, decided to defy all odds and to run for president. To me, Obama proves that we should not sit on a great idea, but we should immediately set about pursuing it.

In 2008, I have also found another wise adage to be true; “Be the change you want to see in the world.” So long I have wondered why so much evil exists in the world, and questioned how greed and disdain seems to infect the people I know, and the places I love. However, in asking these questions, I had always refused to imagine what role I had played in the rapid spread of such negative energy. In this year of tragedy, I have learned that I must first examine my role in many of the problems we have faced, and to use my voice and words for good in the future.

I write this summary of such an eventful and meaningful year for me personally, not to suggest that I have become more cynical or pessimistic in any way. In fact, amidst so much change in America, I have become much more secure with whom I am, and the tremendous influence I can have in the world. The world can absolutely be a dark place, but it is also a place of tremendous opportunity and joy. Look no further than the face of Rafael Nadal as he lifted the Wimbledon trophy after winning the title against all odds, or the face of a little girl greeting her father sent home after another deployment in Iraq, to know and to better visualize pure joy. 2008, has been a year filled with immeasurable damage and loss for many Americans, but I believe that emotionally and spiritually this has been an incredibly moving and important on so many fronts. I have talked a lot this year, about what I have learned, and what we can do as a nation to change the world.

However, I believe that this New Year’s, when we wonder what resolutions to follow, we should all collectively commit to be the change we want to see in the world, and to use our voice, now, to achieve it.

Although we are experiencing one of the most difficult financial recoveries in the history of the world, it will be simpler and easier to make the sacrifices that will restore your personal economics if you have always been less of a spender. Ask all those folks who religiously saved and then look how 50% of due diligence was lost in the melt down of Wall Street and the value of real estate and you will see that you were damned if you did and damned if you didn’t save more than you spent. Perhaps the lesson to be learned is that ‘the love of money is truly the root of all evil.’

Now that Pluto is in Capricorn for fifteen years it may be time, if you want potatoes, to pick up the hoe. And if you want the cosmic reminder, here it is: we will return to financial, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing ‘brick by brick and stone by stone.’ President-elect, Barack Obama, said as much in his acceptance speech November 5th.

There will be a New Moon at 6 degrees of Capricorn on December 27th which alerts us all that January is going to be the beginning of our massive reconstruction around the world. Nothing says ‘one day at a time’ ‘one dollar at a time’ quite like this New Moon.

There will be a Full Moon at 21 degrees of Cancer on January 10th. For those of you with Holiday decorations in plain sight, de-flock the tree or put away the Menorah—it is time to dig deep and see how expensive the Holidays were.

Holiday Wishes from the Stars

Capricorn (December 21 - January 19)

Your present this Holiday Season is the slow but steady pay-off for all your hard labors. Just because everyone else was chasing rainbows you were the Rainmaker. Now that Pluto is in your sign until 2023 you Goats will be the ones to show us how to make a dramatic comeback in all areas of out lives. Happy Holidays!

Aquarius (January 20 - February 17)

For you slightly off-center, thinkers ‘outside the box’ your gift this Christmas is the approaching blessings and bounty of Jupiter which will go into Aquarius on January 5th. Added to that will be the Solar Eclipse New Moon at 6 degrees of Aquarius on January 25th. Boys and Girls, 2009 is gonna be your year. Pop a coca-cola and celebrate!

Pisces (February 18 - March 20)

You Fish are going to get the gift that keeps on giving: dig into your secret stash and make a commitment to tithe now and in 2009 to one person or one cause—ANONYMOUSLY. No one has taught us more than you Fishes have about how to ask others, “What can I do for you?” This is the gift of interconnectedness which gives you front-row seating at the Award-winning play you have written yourself into. Merry Christmas!

Aries (March 21 - April 20)

Your special Holiday treat is a collector’s item: a copy of The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain. Since you speculators and daredevils have lost your mother lode in wild and woolly schemes over the past few years, see how close the prince and the pauper are when they trade places. Look on the brighter side: nobody makes a comeback like an Aries! Ho-ho-ho!

Taurus (April 21 - May 20)

The star Capella’s luster and brilliance offers you a Christmas present you have been longing for: the fortitude and courage to check into Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa and lose those unsightly pounds and start the New Year with a healthier way to eat. There is so much celestial good going on for you right now that the Giver of Glad Tidings wants you to stop eating yourself out of dress sizes and britches. “Silver bells, silver bells…”

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

The jolly fat guy in red has something for you that you may never have gotten before: a one-way ticket to bliss—one-way because you won’t need to come back—and a bowl of cherries to eat on your way to your First Class seat. 2009 will find you in the driver’s seat of the ride of your life. It’s about time you told others what to do and where to go. “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus…”

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

The magical wondrous Lords of Karma have decided for your Holiday Wish List to cancel your subscription to AARP and instead sign you up for the Good Ship Lollipop—fun instead of frugal. And you can’t take family—only the man or woman who knows how to laugh and the world laughs with you. “It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas…”

Leo (July 22 - August 22)

When we checked in with the heavenly Star Gazer he told us to tell you that they had to fumigate all the gift-giving storerooms of your hopes and wishes because things were too big, too perishable or too expensive. So your tiny present from the Sky is a double dip of Gratitude for the things you need, and more for what you don’t, and won’t get. This is a time for you Leos to see who needs what you have, and give it up.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22)

Saturn begged the Dispensers of all Things Allowable to give you a never-ending set of meditation CDs and to take away your calculator, your thesaurus and your Critical Commentator. 2009 may be remembered by you Virgos as the year that led you to your Personal Legend and Purpose. And as the God of all that is holy and right might say, ‘you won’t believe the extreme personality makeover when it is complete’. “I’m making a list and checking it twice…”

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

When looking for just the right Holiday present for you fair and balanced folks, Williams-Sonoma was where they found your perfect gift: a place card holder housing a card erasable and reusable with the name of your prince or princess of the moment. Nobody has more true loves than you Libras. And next year is a gusher year—try to decide who fits you like a hand to glove and stay put.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

Tinker Bell suggested a bushel of mistletoe for you to stand under so that all the men or women who wanted to kiss Your Majesties could, and would, but then Anna Wintour at Vogue said it would be too messy. So the Fairies who bring magic into the Scorpio slice of the Zodiac suggested a trophy chest to hold all of your Awards and Accomplishments. The Good Witch of Wonders asked that we stick a note in your Akashic Record that said you had gotten over your envy and jealousy. You go, girl…(or boy)!

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 20)

Take advantage of the New Moon in Sagittarius on November 27th because this marks a new beginning if you can let go of what hasn’t Tricycles, bicycles, roller skates, hula-hoops or sackcloth and switches—no one had your “good or bad list” so the Powers that Be in the old cosmic world decided to give you a subscription to Atlases of the World, because you are wont to roam at the drop of a mad hatter or the hint of the Wizard of Oz. Now that Pluto has passed you by, you’re free to go anywhere in the world—as long as you can afford to get back. Or stay where you are. “O, there’s no place like home for the Holidays…”

De-Stressing the Holidays
by Sarah McLean

The holidays can be an emotional time - we appreciate those we love and how lucky we are. And yet it is also a time when we can feel overwhelmed and down. In an effort to pull off a perfect Hallmark holiday, we make many demands on ourselves and others. It can also be a tough time on our bodies, relationships and finances. Bad habits can kick in: over scheduling, overeating, and drinking a little too much eggnog.

Stress has become a fact of life, and for some, the daily norm. Although occasional stress can help improve our focus and performance, the stress of the holidays can backfire by causing anxiety, depression and health issues. If you minimize the stress that often can accompany the holidays, you may even end up enjoying the season more than you thought you would. Here are a few ideas:

Schedule time for you. Don’t abandon your healthy habits. Listen to yourself, and say “no” to events that seem like they could be stressful. Instead, find ways to take care of yourself. Spend some time in whatever way suits you: meditating, watching an uplifting movie, taking a hike, journaling, attending a yoga class, listening to music, getting a massage, hanging out with good friends, being in silence, taking a bath, reading, etc. Seek support if you need it from your family, friends, or professionals.

Acknowledge your feelings. If you are lonely and depressed, or if a loved one recently died, or you recently ended a relationship, realize it is normal to feel grief and sadness. Give yourself time to actually feel your feelings. Taking time to feel the feelings that come up instead of masking them can help you to maintain your emotional health. Don’t force yourself to be happy, just because it is the holiday season. Be easy on yourself.

Accentuate the positive. Focus on what you do like about the holidays: the twinkling lights, seeing new and old friends, the holiday music, traveling or staying in town, having time off, seeing family, receiving greeting cards. And, in general instead of focusing your attention on what isn’t working in your life, focus on what is working and what you like about your life. “Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into positive," said Hans Selye, the scientist who wrote the book on stress theory.

Don’t worry. It doesn’t really matter if you found the perfect gift or you got any or all of your cards out on time. Gifts come in a variety of forms: a smile, doing an errand for someone who needs the help, making a meal for someone living alone, or donating to a great cause in someone else’s name. And, if you do shop for gifts, be conscious how you spend. Stay within your budget, and purchase gifts that are in alignment with your values.

Plan ahead, and then enjoy the moment. Make a plan to visit, shop, attend parties, and take care of yourself. Then, you can enjoy every moment as it unfolds, knowing you have a great plan for success. However, be realistic, remain flexible, and don’t worry if everything goes according to the plan.

Accept each moment, every gift, and each person as they come. Relinquish expectations of the holiday, yourself, and others. Try to accept friends and family members as they are. If there is a conflict, you can imagine that they are probably feeling the stress of the holidays too.

Find your inner peace. Many forms of meditation have recently gained popularity for better health and well being. Meditation is also known as the perfect antidote for stress. By focusing on our breath, gazing at a candle flame, or practicing a simple mantra meditation, we can reduce anxiety and depression and get a fresh perspective and a little spaciousness in our day.

Get out and enjoy nature. With our busy lives, we often don’t give ourselves the time to look up at the sky, feel the wind in our hair, experience the warmth of the sun on our skin, or deeply breathe the crisp air. Getting outside of buildings and cars and taking some time in nature is an essential source of stress relief. Studies show that interacting with nature can help lessen the effects of stress on the nervous system, reduce attention deficits, decrease aggression and enhance spiritual well-being.

Take a deep breath. You can literally stop the stress response by taking some slow deep breaths. Deep breaths send a signal to your mind and body that it is time to relax. And you can do this anywhere and anytime. Deep breaths can bring your awareness on your body – you can then relax your clenched jaw, relax your face, or move your shoulders away from your ears. When you're busy reacting to stress, you tend to be unaware of your body and its needs. When you take a deep breath, it helps bring your focus to the present moment. When you are in the present moment, you can respond more mindfully to whatever the stressful situation is instead of worrying about the future or agonizing over the past.

Accept change. As families grow and change structure, traditions change too. Maybe a new tradition will be born. If nothing else, this season is a time to experience joy, peace, fulfillment, hope, and merriment. Every greeting card you receive can serve as a reminder to you to truly have wonderful holiday season filled with peace and possibility.
Count your blessings. An attitude of gratitude trumps negative emotions every time; the struggle stops and your inner world calms. Research shows that daily gratitude exercises resulted in more enthusiasm, determination, optimism and energy. Grateful people experienced less depression and stress, were more likely to help others, exercised more regularly and made more progress toward personal goals. People who feel grateful are also more likely to feel loved. It’s simple. You can begin with a gratitude practice by making a list of what you are grateful for before bed, or when you wake up, every day. Or you might want to appreciate all the abundance you truly have in life before your meals.

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours. ~Swedish Proverb

Sarah McLean teaches stress management techniques to individuals and businesses in Sedona and Scottsdale Arizona. She can be reached at (928) 204-0067. For more stress reduction techniques, visit www.SedonaMeditation.com.