Apparently Moses knelt for 40 daysand 40 nights when he climbed Mt.Sinai, but after the breakawayCatholics adopted kneeling as anintegral part of their service, a Rabbiforbade the Jews from worshiping inthat manner. The only exception is onYom Kippur, the very holy JewishDay of Atonement.

So I can’t kneel, and I don’t wantto block the kneelers behind me, ormake a big show of not being akneeler, so I sit in the back.

The problem is you can’t see fromthe back of a church, or a synagoguefor that matter. Unless there is a veryhigh altar, you can hear the Priests andthe choir but you can’t see them.There’s often a great stereo soundsystem but poor sight lines.

Krishna Lounge Opens in Bellingham

Edition #1 November / December 2013

The Krishna Lounge opened last month in Bellingham. Ihave to admit that I had some misunderstandings about what theHare Krishna movement is about. When I think of HareKrishna the Hollywood images of people dancing, singing andhanding out flowers at the airport come to mind. I have had theopportunity to meet and work with the founders of theBellingham Association for Krishna Consciousness, Sadhu andSudevi. As I have gotten to know them, I realized that I hadsome pretty poor stereo-types about the Hare Krishnamovement. What I experienced was a very welcoming andheartwarming practice. They both are great about sharing theirphilosophy without preaching or making me feel ignorant.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness or morecommonly known Hare Krishna movement is a holisticphilosophy that inspires the mind, body and spirit. They havetheir roots in the ancient teaching of the Baghavad Gita andhave had famous followers such as George Harrison of theBeattles. They have inspired great community projects such asFood for Life, a project to "liberally distribute pure vegetarianmeals (prasadam) throughout the world".

Here in Bellingham I have participated in the Kirtan andfeast offered by Sadhu and Sudevi and would highlyrecommend both.

The Kirtan or chanting meditation is a uniquely beautifulexperience. The music and chanting bring you into a deep stateof meditation and sense of peaceful bliss. I was apprehensive atfirst about chanting with them (stemming from a fear of singingin public), but what I experienced was very powerful. Thecombination of feeling the music, the others chanting and myown voice created a resonance in my body that was out of thisworld.

The feast that followed was a delicious vegetarian meal.They explained that the food is prepared in a practice calledprasadam, which is a sacred meditative process of preparing and

If I Ran The ZooA Christmas Story

Continued on Page 3

BODYer SPIRITMINDInflammation andGut Health

Podcast Reviewon Radiolab

.

EVENTSThe Path of the Fool

PAGE 5 PAGE 4 PAGE 4 PAGE 11

A highlight ofMind ~ Body ~ Spiritevents in Bellingham

Continued on Page 7

Inspiring the mind, body and spirit

We always go to Christmas Masswherever we are. This year we were inSanta Fe, New Mexico, and there areso many Catholic Churches here thatwe went looking for one church,couldn’t find it, and ended up drivingby another one that was beautiful andhad very few cars is the parking lot.

What the hell. Bad choice of words.What the heck, we decided to give it atry.

It was a old mission style church,Cristo Rey, with thick adobe walls andbeautiful timbers on the ceiling. Mywife went right towards the front and Isat in the back row, as I always do,because I’m Jewish and Jews aren’tsupposed to kneel.

Tea room at theKrishna Lounge

you will not find in the paper includes butis not limited to:*Updated calendar of events (Have anevent you want listed? Add it on thewebsite!)*Tune in for free weekly guidedmeditations for stress reduction tipsduring the holidays.*Links to podcasts and videos*Special guest interviews*Input from our readers!

We would like to hear from our readersand invite you to share your own thoughtson matters including: your spiritualjourney, stress relieving tips during theholidays and anything that inspires themind, body or spirit.

Thanks for letting the Muse inspire you.-Alana & Kerri

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Horoscopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Squash Soup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

BACK IN MOTION CHIROPRACTIC AND MASSAGE CENTER

What we love about Bellingham is thatthere are many diverse thoughts andpractices here. Some are easy to find andothers are not so easy. This newspaper'sgoal is to highlight the many differentorganizations and people who provideservices or products in Bellingham thatinspire the mind, body and spirit.

A Letter From the Editors

While frustrations with figuring out the health marketplace may be high, our patients are finding thatthey can count on us to be leaders in information and aiding them to navigate the new rules with low tono stress. After all, you are coming to us for care, to ease your pain, to educate you on how to lead ahealthier life. And we want you to know that although healthcare may be changing, our attitude abouthow to deliver you the absolute best and most complete care will not change.

We are leaders in the Chiropractic and massage community here in Whatcom county when it comes to360 degree care for our patients. By 360 degree care I mean that not only are you given excellent careby practitioners who are constantly increasing their knowledge base, but we are also completelyHIPPA compliant by the most updated standards to protect your information, as well as having met theFederal government standards for documenting patient care using electronic health records.So if you have been seeking natural health providers that meet up to your specialized needs as well asprofessional standards, consider adding us to your team.

Call for an appointment or consultation at 360-647-1970

In This Issue...

Bellingham Muse www.bellinghammuse.com Page 2

MindCreating a Joyful Life

-Thanks~Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Dissolving the Monkey Mind . . . . . . . 7

Podcast Review

- Radiolab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Body

Optimal You

- What's Your Deal? . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Herbal Healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Inflammation and Gut Health? . . . . . . .4

Spirit

If I Ran The Zoo

-A Christmas Story . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Krishna Lounge Opens In Bellingham . . . . 1

Befriending Saturn In The Season of Dark 5

The Fool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

This and That

“People take different roadsseeking fulfillment and

happiness. Just because they’renot on your road doesn’t mean

they’ve gotten lost.”― Dalai Lama XIV

Kerri Burnside is a CertifiedHypnotherapist, Hypnotherapy Instructorand Spiritual Life Coach. Herbackground is in public speaking andteaching leadership courses in thecorporate environment. She now teachesspiritual classes which focus on centeringyourself in the present moment, andleading an authentically empowered life.

Alana Simler is a Licensed MassageTherapist and Pilates Instructor. As well asowning and running a successful massagepractice for 18 years, she has instructedmassage therapy at Ashmead School ofMassage and Whatcom CommunityCollege.

A big thank you to all our wonderfulcontributors!

We hope to build a place people cancome to for inspiration, things to do,learn, experience or even share withinour own community. We have thephysical paper for our hands on readers,and for our tech savvy we have ourwebsite. We encourage you to visit thewebsite frequently as we will be updatingand adding content regularly.Information available on the website that

We do not wish to tell you what to do orhow to think. Instead our goal is to helpyou find the road to fulfillment andhappiness that is right for you. We do nothave preference for any particular way andhave reverence for all views. We want tomake it easy for our readers to find all theopportunities available in our beautifulcommunity.

Thank you for picking up a copy ofBellingham Muse!

When my eye starts twitching Iknow I've reached a pretty highlevel of tension. For some peopleits trouble sleeping, or headaches,or tight shoulders, or troubleconcentrating, or, or, or... Let'sface it, stress affects us all in oneform or another. Besides theobvious causes, even happyevents, holidays or socialgatherings can cause anxiety. Itseems we all have our own specialway of communicating that stressto ourselves.

Don't worry (ha-ha), there is areason for all this. The reaction iscalled the fight-or-flight response.

A Christmas StoryWhat's Your Deal?

I understand that there might besome tradition involved, but wouldit really offend anyone if theyadded at least a little slope to theseating area. If that’s too hard toengineer, then at least raise thealtar. Better yet, re-design it likean arena or a modern movietheater with festival seating.

You might be wondering at thispoint why I even bother going tochurch with my wife when I’mJewish. It’s because we have aperfectly ecumenical marriage. Weboth totally respect each other’sreligious beliefs and we have nevertried to convert each other. Thismakes for a good marriage but alsoserves as a very good model –people of different religions canpeacefully co-exist and live inharmony, even under the sameroof. Susan loves going tosynagogue with me and my momand my sister and I love going tochurch with her. She doesn’t weara hat or prayer shawl at temple andI don’t kneel or take communion.

Two of our kids are Jewish andhad Bar Mitzvahs. Those are theboys from my first marriage. Ourtwo kids from Susan’s firstmarriage were baptized and hadtheir first communion. Ouryoungest, Charley, our jointbiological child, was baptizedbecause my wife teaches inCatholic school and we boththought it would be great for himto go to the school where his Momteaches.

One day I was driving Charlieto school, he was in third or fourthgrade, and he asked what thedifference between what Mombelieved in and what I believed in.I told him that his mother and Iagreed on everything thathappened up until Good Friday.Then we had some differences ofopinion about what exactlyhappened next, but we ultimatelyboth believed in the TenCommandments, in the power of

Bellingham Muse

Whether caused from internal thoughts/expectations, or externalimmediate danger our body was designed to cope with these "threats."Basically defined, the body goes into this primitive response mode tocope. Hang on for the ride!

This process starts in our brain; your sympathetic nervous systembutton is pushed and a cascade of events within your body follows.Adrenaline starts flowing, heartbeat quickens, breathing becomesshallower and more rapid, hearing and vision becomes more acute andso on. Well, that all seems a little extreme, doesn't it? If we need tojump out of the way of the random crazy driver this is all quite useful,but otherwise we are unintentionally activating this system not evenrealizing it. You know those little thoughts that make you gasp - did Ileave the candle burning, did I lose my keys; or worry - did I get the job,how am I going to afford all these presents. Hello compounded stress.

Luckily, we have what's called the parasympathetic nervous systemthat works opposite to the sympathetic nervous system. It tells yourbody to chill out, have a rest and maybe digest while your at it.Unfortunately, many of us have this constant mind chatter going on thatkeeps pushing that other button!

So how do we intervene? We start by learning how to communicatewith our bodies. Don't you love it when someone says "just relax".Easier said than done, believe me, it takes practice and not all of usachieve it in the same way. The key is to find a method you like andrecognize when you need to do it. I'm going to list a few and tell youwhy they help, pick out a couple and give them a try!

Continued from Page 1

I'm a director. Site lines, or in mycase, camera angles, are my breadand butter. So I’m trying to seewhat the Priest looks like and whoactually is in the choir and that oldlady reading responsively soundsnice, I can actually see a piece ofher red hat.

I want to yell “cut”. Reallyloud. Stand up in the back of thechurch and start barking orders.Have my construction departmentraise the altar. Get a couple ofapple boxes under the podium toraise everyone up even higher.Have all the shortest people moveto the front row and then we willseat the rest of you, row by row, byheight, tall people in the back.But my wife wouldn’t appreciate

this and they probably wouldn’tlisten to me anyway, even though itwould be hard to argue my point.

My point being that you shouldconstruct churches and synagoguesso that the people on the altar canbe seen from all of the seats in thechapel. They got it right when theyconstructed the coliseums andarenas in ancient Rome. You couldsee every gory detail of the slayingof the lion or the goring of thegladiator from every seat in thehouse.

Why is this so obvious to meand not to the people who designand build these houses of worship?

Continued on Page ##

Page 3www.bellinghammuse.com

Get more great stories by MelDamski in his new book "If Mel Ran

The Zoo" or visit his blog:www.ifmelranthezoo.com.

Originally published in theLa Conner Weekly News

By Mel Damski - the producing-director of the TV series "Psych" andwinner of the Best General Interest

Column by the Washington NewspaperAssociation.

Continued on Page 4

prayer, peace on Earth, good will toMankind. As long as we bothshared the same values, we didn'tthink it was important to impose ourown unique relationship with Godon each other. In fact, there wouldbe so much less hatred, so much lessviolence, so much less mistrustbetween people if everyone felt thesame way.

MA 00008372

Optimal You

What's Your Deal?

Bellingham Muse

*Deep Breathing - I mean deep in the belly breathing (not those wimpylight chest breaths). Doing this interrupts the fight-or-flight response andstimulates the parasympathetic system - the one that tells your body torest and digest. Try resting your hand on your bellybutton and inhalingfor 4 seconds while focusing on the breath expanding where your hand islocated. Now exhale for 6 seconds. Repeat this 4 more times. Hopefullyyou can already feel some relaxation benefits.

*Exercise - The fight-or-flight response was preparing us to go into asudden burst of physical movement. By exercising we burn off thosestress hormones that were released and stored. Regular exercise is great,but if your running (pun intended) low on time, drop and give yourself 20quick push-ups or 50 jumping jacks. These quick bursts will essentiallyanswer your stress response and help to neutralize your body. For routineexercise, take your pick, there are unlimited ways to burn off stress andgain all the benefits of physical activity!

*Massage - My personal favorite, of course, being a massage therapist.This is a great way to teach your body how to relax and let go. It alsoreduces levels of cortisol (stress hormones), increases good endorphins,lowers heart rates and decreases blood pressure. Massage can also begood feedback to let you know where you are storing stress. It also helpsyou learn more about how to listen to your body's cues.

*Meditation - Teaches us how to quiet the endless mind chatter, andachieve our quiet mind. Plus, you can do it anywhere and for as short orlong as you need.

*Singing, laughing, praying, dancing, yoga, tai chi and more - All ofthese have attributes to help create calmness within our bodies and mind.

Page 4www.bellinghammuse.com

Inflammation and Gut Health?(part 1 of 2)

Inflammation; what does thatword bring to your mind? I haveasked this to numerous differentgroups and the answers aregenerally that of the various “itis’s”like tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, orsprains and strains. Certainly theseare common conditions in whichinflammation is the secondaryeffect of the injury. Whether it isacute or chronic, in these conditionswe see the cardinal signs ofinflammation; redness, swelling andpain, and as well, in theseconditions we are apt to know thecause of the inflammation. Butwhat about other inflammatoryconditions like the myriad ofautoimmune processes, heartdisease, Fibromyalgia,ADD/ADHD and Alzheimer’s?What triggers the inflammatoryprocess that ends up beingexpressed as these conditions?

This is an important questionwith many possible answers.However, for the purpose of thisarticle I will focus on theconnection between the foods weeat, gut health, and inflammatoryconditions.

First it is important to havesome background on the structureof the intestinal lining. It is anintricate interlocking of cells which,in their optimal structure only allowpassage of fluids and digested smallparticles of fats, carbohydrates, andproteins. This mucous layer of cellsalso blocks large undigested foodparticles from escaping andentering the bloodstream.Secondly, it is important to know

that more than 70% of the immunesystem is located in the gut. The

gut’s immune response is run bythe Gut Associated LymphoidTissue or GALT. The health ofour gut is directly impacted bydiet, lifestyle, stress, food allergiesand sensitivities, toxins, andnutrient deficiencies. If gut healthdeclines over time ( and this canhappen very quietly and with fewsymptoms) the interlocking of thecells begin to loosen and gapsform wide enough for largerparticles of nutrients to passthrough. This can causeoveractive GALT response due tothe perceived “Foreign Invaders”crossing the barrier. In responseto this over activity of the GALT,the immune system will increaseproduction of inflammatoryproteins which have the ability tochange the permeability of theblood-brain barrier as well ascause production of antibodies toattack the foreign invaders. Theseantibodies can deposit in anytissue (cartilage, thyroid gland, gutlining, skin, arteries, to name afew) and because of the weakenedblood-brain barrier, they can alsodeposit in the brain, brainstem, ordura. Hence, any time that thefood which has been marked asthe foreign invader is eaten, it cantrigger an inflammatory response.

The process by which the gapswiden and food particles escape isknown as Leaky Gut Syndrome orincreased intestinal permeability.There is increasing evidenceshowing that this process is relatedin some way to all of the aforementioned conditions. Andremember, that at the root cause isinflammation.

So how do we maintain our guthealth so that we don’t start thissilent triggering of inflammatoryreactions?

Tune in next time for helpfulsteps toward optimal function.

By Cherrelyn Seegers, D.C.

Continued from Page 3

By Alana Simler, LMP

The Fool leaves his home with no destination in mind. On morning he

just wakes up and leaves everything he has ever known behind him.

The consequences of his departure never enter his mind, the only

thing that he thinks about is that he needs to be somewhere else

and this is the day that he must go.

Fool is young and clever. He has always passed any trials. He

has never had any trouble succeeding at whatever he puts his mind

to, knowing that he cannot fail. He trusts in his ability to

overcome. No one has ever tried to stop him or get in his way so

he knows that he can do anything.

The Fool’s dog jumps around nipping his feet. The dog doesn’t

The Path of the Fool

know where they are going, never

having travelled this path before, so

it dances around looking at

everything. It always comes back to

nip at the Fool so he will look at

what has been found now. His senses

are alive and traveling with the Fool

is a great adventure.

Continued on page 9

fraught with so much suffering and lack ofcare. But if pursued with a certain single-minded intensity, our desire to onlyexperience the lighter half of life can lead toan internal imbalance that perpetuatesunhealthy patterns within ourselves.

This is when Saturn may come to visit to“darken” us through an illness possibly orpersonal limitation of some sort. Saturnslows us down, keeps us from attaining thethings we believe bring us happiness andfulfillment, forces to look at the things in ourlife we would rather not pay attention to. I’llgive an example from my own experience. Ican be a very task and goal-oriented person,whipping through to-do-lists with Olympicdetermination and speed. If I find myselftrying to keep up this routine for too long, Iwill eventually be struck with a bout of

podcast experience. Instead, I suggest you start with season 7, episode 3,“Limits”. This episode tells the tales of humans toeing the edge ofphysical and mental endurance, before completely jumping from thatedge to find that solid ground is closer than one thinks.

What is nice about Radiolab, is that in between full episodes, theywill put out “shorts” which are mini episodes, usually around 15 minuteslong. I enjoy these for when I am doing dishes and need something tolisten to. Anyways, one episode in particular I will point out is called“Wake Up and Dream”. It’s about a man who has a recurringnightmare through most of his life. Determined to overcome this, heseeks professional help from Dr. Stephen LaBerge, who has done muchresearch in lucid dreaming. Using techniques described by Dr.LaBerge’s assistant, this man attempts to confront his nightmare. What Ienjoy about this episode in particular is its look into a part of humanitythat seems under studied. Why do we dream? What causes the dreamswe have? And why, if dreams are so common, are they so elusive? It isrefreshing to hear some professionals in the world taking a chance atstudying them more closely.

One more episode I recommend is titled “The Universe Knows MyName”. This episode examines our perceived role of what the universeis, and even what our universe perceives of us. A sort of philosophicalepisode that looks at coincidences or “rhyming events” in people’s lives,as well as a lively discussion of Looney Tunes. Once again this is a“short”, so it is just long enough to get your brain tingling with thoughtsbefore ending and leaving you craving more Radiolab!

Finally, I will leave you with one last episode. Episode 13 season 10“Colors”. Honestly, I just love this episode for no good reason otherthan it is interesting and told very well. Mantis shrimp may well be oneof the most interesting creatures on this planet, and I had not heard ofthem until this episode.

Seriously, check it out.

Title or Heading Goes Here

Podcast Review

What in the heck is a podcast? For the longest time I had heard‘podcast’ thrown around without having a clue what they were myself. Imoved to Seattle about four years ago, and when I did, I left televisionbehind me. Honestly I watched way more TV than was necessary for ahealthy existence, so living without it was certainly an adjustment. For awhile I got along well digging into the depths of Netflix on my laptop,and eventually I tuned into the waves of public radio broadcasts. Butthen, from the shadows of these entertainment behemoths, I wasintroduced to podcasts.

Podcasts are basically radio shows, typically structured in the waythat TV shows are, with episodes and seasons. The range of what apodcast can be and it’s length (10 minutes to 2 hours) is astounding;from talk show interviews, fictional stories, education, comedy, andrandom rants and raves. They are free to download on either yourcomputer, or mobile device, and anybody with a microphone, a recorderand a computer can create one, that means there’s is a lot of, let’ssay...underdeveloped… content out there available to download.Since learning about podcasts, I have delved deep into the tangled massof free downloadable shows, and have surfaced to tell of many tales.Fear not readers! With persistence you can find a variety of shows toexpand your mind, discover mysteries of the body, and warm your spirit;and I bring you suggestions of where to start.

May I propose that you begin with my personal favorite podcast,Radiolab. What I love about Radiolab is how it makes what could be amundane science lecture into a unique and captivating program thatmakes one more curious about ourselves and the world around us. Oneof the two hosts, Robert Krulwich, sums up the premise of the show, andmy particular interest in an episode titled “Tell Me a Story”, whereRobert speaks at a commencement ceremony for the California Instituteof Technology. While this is a great episode that really gets at “what”Radiolab is, it is maybe not the best place to start for your foray into the

Continued on page 9

Our dark season is upon us here in the PacificNorthwest. We can look forward to sunsets at fivepm, long, cold nights, and weeks of rain where thesun pushes back the clouds for maybe only a fewminutes. It’s natural to tighten up inside during thistime as many begin to feel the effects of SeasonalAffective Disorder, succumb to winter illnesses, orexperience the flare up of old chronic conditions.

Astrologically, the planet who rules this territoryis Saturn, the god of depression, sickness, limitationand old age. Most of us cringe at the thought of this

Befriending Saturn in the Season of Darkguy. Unlike benevolent Jupiter or enticingVenus, Saturn seems cold, menacing, andsevere.

It’s important to remember; however, thateach of the planets (i.e. characters of ourpsyches) plays a certain necessary role in ourlives and ultimately is working towards ourwholeness and growth.

As I’ve found over and over againthrough my own journey, life is an intricateintertwining of darkness and light. It is apeculiar convergence of happiness andsorrow, pleasure and pain, triumph anddefeat, that all combined create theremarkable, mesmerizing collage of ourindividual and collective stories.

For those of us who identify as spiritual,we are often drawn to the lighter half of life-joy, serenity, friendliness, and bliss. Theseare all vital practices, especially in a world

By Joel Simler

Bellingham Muse www.bellinghammuse.com Page 5

Radiolab

WWU Symphony Orchestra

With Thanksgiving right around thecorner, I am reminded of how when Iwas young I was taught to count myblessings each night before going tosleep. I would list at least five thingsthat I knew that I “should” begrateful for. It was done out ofobligation and with a sense of duty. Inever really understood why I wasdoing it and I never really thoughtabout what I was truly grateful for.In time I stopped doing it. Later inlife I learned that this was actually abrilliant tool or practice. Instead ofdoing it at night, I began doing it inthe morning and I truly listed what Iwas grateful for. What I noticed wasremarkable. On the days that Istarted by thinking about and feelingwhat I was grateful for my dayflowed more easily and not muchwould aggravate me. On the daysthat I forgot or was too rushed to doit… well, let’s just say that I wasirritated.

Will practicing gratitude work foryou? There is a growing body ofscientific evidence that says that itwill. According to several studieswhen you feel gratitude it changesyour heart and brain waves, resultingin less stress, anxiety and more By Kerri Burnside, CHT

Creating A Joyful Life

•Think about what you are grateful for.Look for what you are grateful foreveryday. This shifts your awarenessaway from what you are unhappy withand brings your focus onto what youare happy about.

• Pay attention to your self-talk.If you are like most people you have arunning dialog in your head. Payattention to what you are saying toyourself. Are you repeating the samenegative story over and over? Are youstuck in the past or worrying about thefuture? Give yourself a break andpurposefully choose to think aboutwhat is going well.

• Do a gratitude exercise.Write a letter to someone expressinghow much you appreciate him/her andshare it. Years ago for a college essay,

I had to write about someonethat I admired. I wrote aboutmy grandmother and Iremember how as I waswriting it my mood reallychanged. I was stressed out,but by the time I finished it Ifelt great. I wrote about howloved and supported I was byher and thinking about itmelted the stress away. Ishared the essay in a card toher and remembering herreaction still puts a smile inmy heart.

Everyone everywhere hassomething or someone in theirlife that they are grateful for.

Some days or in somecircumstances it may seemchallenging to come up withsomething that you are gratefulfor, but if you take a momentyou will find it. Gratitude isone of the closest emotions tolove and is one of the besttools to boost your mood andmake you feel happy. Whenyou think of what you are trulygrateful for it shifts yourenergy and brings you into thefeeling of love andhappiness. Give it a try; youwill be less stressed andhappier!

Page 6www.bellinghammuse.comBellingham Muse

Thanks ~ Giving

Western Washington Univeristywelcomes Dr. David Ramael as the

new Director of OrchestralActivities.

WWU Symphony OrchestraNovember 26th, 2013

8:00pmWWU Performing Arts Center

Concert HallFree Admission

"Heralded as a “highly giftedconductor” and for his “exceptionalcommand and professional demeanor,”David Ramael has beenin great demand as conductor, clinicianand lecturer in the United States andabroad."

Dr. Ramael brings a refreshingnew approach for concertgoers. You no longer have tobe an expert in classical music toenjoy the experience. Some ofthe innovative ideas that Dr.Ramael offers are live tweetsduring the performanceproviding links to relevant bio’sand performance detail.Audience members can enjoy aninteractive and educationalexperience that is great for allages. Come experience it foryourself Tuesday, 11/26/2013.

Visit our website for an upcominglive interview with Dr. Ramael.

“There is no way tohappiness, happiness isthe way.” -The Buddha

happiness. (Check out our websitewww.bellinghammuse.com to see someof these interesting studies and videos.)

How can you do it?

Performing; Joseph Haydn, Symphony No. 6Richard Wagner, Prelude and Love Deathfrom Tristan and IsoldeMelissa Plagemann, mezzo-soprano soloJean Sibelius, Symphony No. 7

.

Thursday evenings KrishnaLounge offers kirtan,philosophical discussion, avegetarian meal, and a cool placeto meet new people seeking abroader and deep perspective onlife. It is very peaceful, fun andthe food is great!

If you are human, you haveexperienced those thoughts that goround and round like a hyped upmonkey chattering from branch tobranch sometimes called themonkey mind. This craziness canalmost make you dizzy.Something like a dog chasing itstail. These rampant thoughtscertainly don’t allow you to focus.

I just read an article talking aboutmanaging the monkey mind. Theauthor was suggesting that duringmeditation one can observe thethoughts and let them go. I findthat we can take this one step

further. These thoughts can becompletely dissolved to theircore. When repetitive thoughtsare removed, you may not evenremember them or if you doremember, they are like someoneelse’s story. They have no holdon you. There is no emotionattached to them and they do notrun old programs that mess upyour daily life.

The next question is, “How doyou dissolve them?” Let’s firstremember that thoughts areenergy.

Krishna Lounge is multi-faceted spiritual and social center. Their goal isto have regular classes, workshops and social events meant for nurturingthe spiritual inclinations with in everyone. Currently they have programstwo days a week that are open to the public.

Dissolving The Monkey Mind

Squash Soup

1 choice of squash (pumpkin, butternut, kabocha...) cut into chunks and skinremoved (approximately 4-5 cups)

1 medium sized potato (sweet potato, russet, yukon gold...) peeled and cut inchunks

2 celery stalks, washed and cut in to chunks1 onion, cut into chunks

Vegetable or chicken broth3/4 cup half and half or coconut milk1 Tbls fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried rosemary) or herb of choicesalt and pepperOptional: bouillon (sometimes this is needed if your squash happens to be a littlebland, add this at the end if needed after a taste test)

Continued on page 8

My favorite time of year for cooking is fall; harvest food is so yummy! I adapted this recipe from a wonderful lady I hold in treasured memoriesfrom an earlier time in my life. Being from Italy, she always cooked food a little differently than how I was familiar with in my short years ofkitchen experience at the time. I was immediately intrigued to learn her ways and expand my knowledge. A particular memory enters my mind eachtime fall sets in of being a guest for dinner and the first course served was pumpkin soup. Pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie were as far as myendeavors into eating squash had reached, and considering it as a non dessert item was new. My eyes were wide and I thought, "Oh I hope I canchoke this down." Boy was I surprised to learn that this would soon be my favorite fall soup! I'm calling it Squash Soup now since it really can bemade with almost any squash you choose whether that be pumpkin, butternut squash, kabocha squash, etc. It can be served as a first course or as themain meal with a good hearty fall bread.

Add all vegetables to a large pot. Fill with broth of choice to about an inch below the level of the veggies. Bring to boil and then simmeruntil veggies are very soft. Blend all contents in pot until smooth using a wand blender or a regular blender in batches. Add half and half(coconut milk) and seasonings, bring back to a very low simmer for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve in a bowlwith a dollop of sour cream and sprinkled with hot sauce.

By Alana Simler, LMP

Krishna Lounge Opens in Bellingham

On Sunday Krishna Lounge is an all inclusive lounge, tea bar and yogastudio. The space is student and volunteer run with the intention to createa healthy and sustainable atmosphere. All of Bellingham is invited to bepart of a community engaged in a spiritual revolution. The SundayKrishna Lounge offers a wide arrangement of tea and whole food bakedgoods. Ultimately, Sunday is all about catering to a community need for apeaceful daytime lounge.

What is the Krishna Lounge?

Continued from Page 1

offering the food to Krishna. By offering the food to Krishna first thefood is transformed into a pure form that will in turn purify you.

By Kerri Burnside, CHT

Bellingham Muse www.bellinghammuse.com Page 7

centers breaks up and dissolves what is stuck.You now have the building blocks of energy touse however you desire.

Does this seem to easy? For sure it is simple!Getting ourselves to take steps toward thechange is sometimes the piece we have to workthrough. That is why we come together to helpeach other, whether that’s with friends,practitioners, or mastermind groups.

If you are still bothered by thoughts you don’twant, emotions that get you side tracked, or lifepatterns that don’t fit who you are, now is thetime to make a change. Set your intention tofind how you can best do that for yourself.You might write out or say in your mind, “I amopen to finding how I can best shift these oldpatterns that keep me from moving forward. Iam paying attention so that I will see that helpwhen it comes.” You may be amazed at theresults! Hang in there, you are ready!

character’s head? You know that somethinghas occurred to that character that has broughtup a new way of seeing something. That “aha”is the moment the energy changes.

The key to that shift is finding what changes anold energy form (thought form, emotion, orrepeated life pattern). Every healing modalityis doing this in some way.

One simple way to do this is throughcomplementary colors. Each color vibrationhas meaning which constitutes a vibrationalpattern. Red on its own can be about struggle,fear that you won’t survive, or anger that youfeel like a victim of circumstances.

The complementary color to Red is Green.Green opens the heart, allows you to grow,connects you to others, and brings youinformation that is soul deep. When workingtogether, Red and Green can shift the struggle,fear and anger found in Red into hope, apassion for life, and a feeling that you are notalone. With this shift, you change your focus.This disassembles the old energy pattern andreplaces it with a new pathway.

When these colors are breathed into yourconsciousness and asked to help you dissolvethe energy pattern, they respond immediately.Breathing opens you up, asking for helpreleases your hold on the energy pattern, andthe movement of the colors through the energy

Page 8

What keeps them in place is our attachment tothem. We may have been hurt, embarrassed,disrespected, and more. The resultingemotions and beliefs that developed fromthese experiences are what keep them in place.These are also energy that has taken a certainunseen form.

Dissolving an energy pattern can meandisassembling the pattern and then replacingit. So how does one go about taking a patternapart?

There are many ways to shift energy.Breathing and visualization are two veryimportant keys to changing the form ofenergy.

You may have heard that what you put yourattention to is what you create. Once yourattention is attached to what you feel andbelieve you are riveted to that energy form.You dream it, you get pinged to remember itas some similar situation comes into your life,or it cycles through as the dizzying thoughtsthat keep your mind occupied. You may evendig its pathway deeper by repeating the storyof what happened.

So what brings about the change? Rememberthe cartoons where a light bulb appears over a

Dissolving The Monkey MindContinued from Page 7

By Arlene Arnold

Bellingham Muse www.bellinghammuse.com

Through years of working with color andcounseling hundreds of clients, Arlene Arnolddeveloped Complementary Color Therapy. ThePower of Color offers classes, courses, training

and certification in this modality.For more information go to:www.ThePowerofColor.com

contact Arlene at Arlene@thepowerofcolor.com360-450-6849

Befriending Saturn in the Season of Dark The Path of the Fool

The Fool doesn’t watch

where he is going. He has

picked a flower and it is one

that he has never seen

before. The flower is a thing

of beauty with vibrant colors

and smells. With the sun at

his back and beauty all

around him, he travels

onward.

The path has brought him

to a cliff. Far below the

fool are the crashing waves

of the sea. His destination

can’t be seen from where he

is, but he knows that all he

needs to do is move onward

and he will arrive.

But it can be appreciated. Andhonored. Saturn is ultimatelyconcerned with our greaterwellbeing, and he will shed light onour fears and insecurities andshortcomings so that we have nochoice but to turn to the deeper, morepowerful qualities of our souls. It isthis deep inner wisdom that Saturn isafter, and it is sometimes onlythrough one of his dark visitationsthat we get in touch with a newcapacity within ourselves that allowsus to achieve greater levels offulfillment and meaning.

I encourage you to reflect on thisas we enter our season of sixteenhour nights and weeklong rainsqualls. Saturn is not easy tobefriend. It can take a long time tolearn to accept his often painfulmedicine. But if we can slowly learnto trust his work and form arelationship with him that isn’t builton fear and aversion, we may find hisvisits are no longer quite so scary anddon’t need to happen as often.

quick dissolving powder. This is a greatpreventative herb to take regularly this timeof year.Astragalus Root Astragalus membranaceuscan be found in capsules, powder or in aliquid extract (tincture). This herb isfantastic for maintaining health and it isespecially supportive to the immune system.This herb can be taken daily.Nervine Relaxants are my absolute favoritecategory of herbal healers. These plants havechemicals which work directly to regulateand calm your nervous system. These herbswill reduce tension but aren’t meant to makeyou sleepy!Holy Basil Occimum sanctum is mostcommonly found in tea form. Renowned inAyurvedic medicine as a sacred plant andcure-all, Holy Basil will give you a gentlesense of serenity and uplift your spirits,especially in times of stress. Holy Basil teacan be consumed liberally throughout the

anxiety or experience a collapse inmotivation. Now, it can betempting to try to power throughthis and draw on some self-helptechnique that will allow me tomaintain peak efficiency. But I’vecome to recognize these episodesas a visit from Saturn letting meknow it’s time to slow down, totake a break and get back in touchwith the rhythms of my body andpersonal intuition. It also givesme time to recognize that when Ibecome fixated on getting thingsdone, it is often driven by fears Ihold around making enoughmoney, meeting other’sexpectations, and having somecontrol over my circumstances.

While Saturn may manifest in aform we perceive as negative, he isreally helping us to change ourperspective and refocus ourattention on what really matters.A visit from Saturn probably isn’tgoing to be much fun. In theclassic sense, he’s not a very niceguy, and his presence isn’tsomething that has to be enjoyed.

Crisp cool autumn scents, mysterious fogladen valleys, brilliant, colorful tree linedstreets and walkways, remind me that it’sundoubtedly Fall. This is the time of year thatmost of us either anticipate with great joy andexcitement in our hearts or silently tiptoearound in hopes that it will just pass us by.Our schedules become busier and our mindsmove faster creating disruption to our dailylives on physical, emotional and spirituallevels. The resulting unwarranted stress canlead to physical ailments which can furtherinhibit our ability to calmly complete ourholiday check list and really, just enjoyourselves and loved ones.

Utilizing herbal medicine can ease youthrough this time of year. Naturally speaking,plants have the ability to heal and transformboth the mind and body simultaneously. Theirenergetic properties and chemicalcompositions will help in reducing your stress,calming your tension, aiding with digestion,boosting your immune system and lulling you

By Matthew Brouwer

Continued on Page 10

The Fool has left his

home with the clothes on his

back and those things that

have helped him in the past.

His passions and

understanding of the world

may have the unfocused

nature of youth but now the

Fool is ready to go out and

see what the World has to

offer. He knows that what

lies over the mountain is

what he desires. The Fool

never seems to take into

consideration how tall the

mountains are or how long

the trail may be. He just

knows that he will arrive

soon. He can see far and he

can get there.

Herbal Healing

into a deep restful sleep. An important category ofherbs which aid in both the health of the mind andyour physical body are Adaptogens. Adaptogensregulate all body systems during times of stresscreating space to more easily “adapt”. The rightadaptogenic herb will determine where your bodyneeds the most support and can regulate thehormones released, signals fired, and nutrientsabsorbed and processed.Siberian Ginseng Eleutherococcus senticosus canbe purchased in tea form, as a liquid extract, or a

Continued from Page 5 Continued from Page 4

By Chad Saunders

Bellingham Muse www.bellinghammuse.com Page 9

Matthew Brouwer is a poet, teaching artist, and peer mentor living inBellingham. He leads writing classes on how to get in touch with one’score creativity and facilitates Kintsugi: A Writing Circle for PeopleSuffering Chronic Medical Conditions. His work is built upon his ownlengthy journey with Myofascial Pain Syndrome, which for a timerendered him virtually unable to walk. To learn more about Matthewand his work, visit www.matthewbrouwerpoet.com

Page 10

during stressful times, and yet achievingquality sleep can be quite challenging.The following hypnotic herbs will giveyou the deep sleep that you need.Passionflower Passiflora incarnata isfound in a capsule form, liquid extract ortea. Taking this herb before bed will notonly help you to fall asleep but also toremain sleeping. Its potency will bringyou deep relaxation and sleepiness.California Poppy Eschschoolziacalifornica is found in capsule form, liquidextract or in some tea blends. Use thisherb before bed to induce sleep or in anycase of restlessness or tension headachesthroughout the day.

Take care of yourself this holidayseason inside and out and be sure to have acup of Holy Basil tea before heading out tothe Mall.

Herbal Healing

Aries (3/21-4/19) - This isa good time to go travel,get out and see what theworld has to offer. Whatyou see and do now willshape your future. A timeof adventure awaits.

Good Days: Nov. 13 & 14and Dec. 10 & 11

Horoscopes

Taurus(4/20-5/20)- This iswhen all your hard workstarts to pay off. Co-workers will be looking toyou to get things done.What you do now matters,chose your projectscarefully.

Good Days: Nov. 15 & 16and Dec. 12, 13 & 14

Gemini(5/21-6/20)- This isa time for discussing yourideas with others, they canhelp you shape that projectyou have been thinkingabout. Friends and familymatter now.

Good Days: Nov. 17, 18 &19 and Dec. 15 & 16

Cancer(6/21-7/22)-This is atime where your friendsmatter. Your family is therefor you even if they seem tobe the obstacle right now.The road ahead is going tobe hard.

Good Days: Nov. 20 & 21and Dec. 17, 18 & 19

Leo(7/23-8/22) – This is atime to let your passionsburn, they will lead you tosuccess. Something thatgets your mind and bodycharged will fulfill you inways you never knew.

Good Days: Nov. 22, 23 &24 and Dec. 20 & 21

Virgo(8/23-9/22) – This isa time to be careful whatyou spend. Work willseem to hold you backfrom the things that youdesire. Look at the thingsthat you do have, not whatyou don’t.

Good Days: Nov. 25 & 26and Dec. 22, 23 & 24

Libra(9/23-10/22) – This isa time to stay away fromarguments. Interactionsnow will shape your futurefor a long time to come.Keep a cool head and lookfor rich conversations.

Good Days: Nov. 1, 27 & 28and Dec. 25 & 26

Scorpio(10/23-11/21)–This is a time to put yourfaith in others. Yourfriends can help enrichyour life as you enrichtheirs. Emotions will runhigh this month.

Good Days: Nov. 2, 3, 29 &30 and Dec. 1, 27 & 28

Sagittarius(11/22-12/21) –This is a time of love andpleasure. Although therisks might be fun rightnow, the gamble might notbe worth it in the long run.Adventure can be yours.

Good Days: Nov. 4 & 5 andDec. 2, 3, 29 & 30

Capricorn(12/22-1/19)–This is the time where yourpatience pays off. Yourpatience and hard work willbe rewarded just keep at itjust a little longer. Thecold weather to come willbe your bane.

Good Days: Nov. 6 &7 andDec. 4, 5 & 31

Aquarius(1/20-2/18)– Thisis a time to look at yourrelationships. Equality andunderstanding willstrengthen what you havewith others. If you’re noton the same footing thenexpect a separation.

Good Days: Nov. 8 & 9 andDec. 6 & 7

Pisces(2/19-3/20) – This isa time where you will comeinto what is yours. Outsidesources will enrich your lifefor the better. When itrains it pours, just becareful not to get drenchedin the process.

Good Days: Nov. 10, 11 &12 and Dec. 8 & 9

Good days are those days that the moon has moved intoyour sign making it a good time to start something new.These are the days when things just seem to fall into place.

"As Thanksgiving approaches in the Pacific Northwest and the days growshort in preparation for the coming winter, our thoughts turn to home andhearth and comfort. We are reminded of the joys of family and communityand celebration, and we are thankful for the incomparable beauty thatsurrounds us. We greet the season with mixture of feelings: nostalgia andloss, gratitude and hope. This concert will feature beautiful choral music thatreflects these varied themes as we join together to usher in the holiday seasonwith songs that inspire and uplift us, bringing light to our wintry days."

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS : SONGS OF HOPE AND COMFORT

A Bellingham Holiday Tradition

Featuring the Concert Choir and soloists of Western Washington Universityconducted by Leslie Guelker-Cone

Sunday, November 24, 20132:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Tickets available through the WWU Box Office, Village Books,The Bellingham Food Co-op, and at the door

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church2117 Walnut St., Bellingham

Contact Information: 360-650-3772; Leslie.Guelker-Cone@wwu.edu

$15 general, $10 students/seniors

day if you choose, or simply enjoy aglass of tea before bed.Wood Betony Stachys officinalis isfound in capsule form or in a liquidextract. This herb especially targetstension of the neck and shoulders,gently easing your muscular tightness.Skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora isfound in capsules, tea or a liquidextract. The benefits of this herb onyour nervous system are endless. Ithelps to relieve actual nervous painsand ailments while also providingcalming/tension relieving effects.Taking this herb will give you deeprelaxation.Oatstraw Avena sativa is found in acapsule form, liquid extract or in sometea blends. This herb providesnourishment for your nervous system.In the case of depleted and overworkednerves, this herb will help to rebuildyour system and support regenerationwhile creating a sense of calm.

Lastly, I will discuss Hypnotics.Sleep is vital for maintaining health

By Adrianna VegaOwner of Sage Remedies located in

Bellingham, WAFind her at Inspiration Alley

(See Ad on page 8)BS Herbal Science from Bastyr

University

By Chad Saunders

Bellingham Muse www.bellinghammuse.com

Continued from Page 9

November and December

Holiday Port Festival12/06 - 12/08 2013

Bellingham Cruise TerminalFamily Friendly

Free!

Holiday BallFormal Event!

Friday, 12/13/2013Bellingham Dance Co.1705 N. State Street$10/per person

Jingle Bell RunSaturday 12/14/2013

Festivities begin at 8:00amBellingham High School

Winter Solstice ServiceSaturday 12/21/20137:00pm - 9:00pm

Center for Spiritual Living2224 Yew Street Rd

Christmas Eve Candle-lightingService

Tuesday 12/24/20137:00pm - 9:00pm

Center for Spiritual Living2224 Yew Street Rd

See our websitewww.bellinghammuse.com

for a current calendar of eventsor to list your own event

Holiday Festival of the Arts11/15 –12/24, 2013

Open Wednesday - Sunday10am - 6pm

closed Thanksgiving Day andclosing at 3pm on Christmas EveBonus Days: 12/23 and 12/24

BIONS(Bellingham Institute of Noetic Science)SCIENCE & SPIRIT MERGE IN

FUTURE CLASSICThursday, 11/21/2013

7:00 – 9:00pm(Doors open at 6:30pm)

Fairhaven Library1117 12th St.

Suggested donation $5-$10

Mystical Winds BellinghamHolistic Fair

Saturday, 11/23/201310:00am – 5:00pm

Bloedel Donavan Park,2214 Electric Ave.Free Admission

WWU Concert ChoirA Light in the Darkness: Songs of

Hope and ComfortSunday 11/24/20132:00pm and 7:00pm

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church,2117 Walnut St.

$15 general, $10 students/seniors

Mat PilatesMondays 9:00am

By Simler Massage and PilatesBellingham Dance Co.1705 N. State Street

$10 drop in

Tslagi Moving Meditation(The Cherokee Dance Of Life)

Tuesdays 7:00amCenter for Spiritual Living

2224 Yew Street Rd

Healing Hour2nd & 4th Wednesdays

5:30-6:30pmSimply Spirit Reading &

Healing Center1304 Meador Avenue, Suite

B-11, Bellingham(Haskell Business Center,

Building B)$5 drop in

Kirtan & Bahgavad GitaThursdays 6:00pm-8:00pm

Krishna Lounge, 1111 N. State St.

Sundays 5:00pm-7pm(feast following on 11/10 &11/24)

1109 N. State St.

Be Stress Free!Guided Meditation

Saturdays 10:00-11:00amKrishna Lounge1111 N. State St.

$5 drop in

Krishna LoungeDaytime Lounge & Tea BarSundays 10:00am-5:00pm

$5 Yoga- 10:00am & 3:00pmKrishna Lounge1111 N. State St.

WWU Symphony OrchestraTuesday 11/26/2013

8:00pmWWU Performing Arts Center

Concert HallFree Admission

Fairhaven Holiday FestivalOpening & Holiday Art Walk

Friday, 11/29/20133:00pm - 9:00pm

Happening throughout FairhavenFree to enjoy!

Left Overs PartyFriday 11/29/2013

Bellingham Dance Co.1705 N. State Street

6:30 pm -Bring some left overs, eatwith friends.

7:30pm-Swing Dance Lesson7:30-10:00pm Dance

$5 special

Festival of the TreesBellingham Health Support CenterFriday-11/30 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.Saturday- 12/1 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.The Leopold Crystal Ballroom

1224 Cornwall Ave.Musicians will perform Friday

evening.

Events

www.bellinghammuse.com Page 11Bellingham Muse

Occurring Weekly

Occurring in November

Occuring in December

"Yesterday I was clever,so I wanted to change theworld. Today I am wise,so I am changing myself."

- Rumiwww.bellinghammuse.com

Bellingham Muse www.bellinghammuse.com Page 12