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"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

What is a Wounded Healer?

Today being "the wounded healer" has become the excuse for poor discernment in contemporary practitioners around boundaries, responsibility, and personal healing. In western thought the concept of the wounded healer began with Karl Jung who used the phrase to refer psychologically to the capacity "to be at home in the darkness of suffering and there to find germs of light and recovery with which, as though by enchantment, to bring forth Asclepius, the sun-like healer" and to assist healing. However before Jung, before Asclepius, and even before western thought there were shamans, the first wounded healers. Shamanically speaking the wounded healer is the initiated shaman, the person who has entered her own death, illness, or madness and found the path through it with the help of Spirit. And in that journey the wound is healed for the shaman and because of that journey the shaman is able to work with the spirits to assist the healing of others. Join host and shaman, Christina Pratt, as we explore the concept of the wounded healer, bust some myths, and consider the reality through the eyes of spiritual maturity.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 11:00 AM Pacific

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Why Shamanism Now? on Co-Creator Network
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Just Energy Radio

Ram Dass & Rev. Anna Shouse - Finding A Spiritual Community

First Hour Guest

Rev. Anna J. Shouse
Finding A Spiritual Community
Rev. Anna J. Shouse, Ph.D. is an ordained Unity minister and holds a Ph.D. in Communication and Human Relations from the University of Kansas and a Masters in Addiction Counseling from the Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies. She is the founder of Soul Matters-Spirit Works, a consulting ministry that integrates psychology and recovery principles with positive spirituality.

Second Hour Guest

Ram Dass
Be Here Now, Be Love Now
Ram Dass, one of America's most beloved spiritual figures, has made his mark on the world giving teachings and promoting loving service, harmonious business practices, and conscious care for the dying. His spirit has been a guiding light for four generations, carrying millions along on the journey, helping free them from their bonds as he has worked his way through his own.

Fri, Jun 3, 2011 3:00PM ET/2:00PM CT

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/just-energy-radio

Awake: Now What?

Scott Lindquist, Author, Crime Prevention Practitioner

Scott Lindquist is a certified crime prevention practitioner and crime prevention specialist. He is a graduate of the Florida Crime Prevention Training Institute, and has written three non-fiction books on rape prevention. He has been featured internationally in Cosmopolitan Magazine (both US & UK) as well as other magazines in the Caribbean and in Australia.

He has given hundreds of crime prevention seminars and been interviewed on hundreds of TV and radio stations worldwide. He has made it his life’s work to find solutions to violence against women. This new fiction work carries on his commitment to find solutions to gender injustice at its very core. He is a committed follower of the Christ and is a member of Unity Church in Gainesville, GA. where his wife is Senior Minister .

For more information about the book go to www.thejesusfactory.com

Sun, Jun 5, 2011 6:00PM ET

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/awake

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James Ray Sweat Lodge Trial Resumes

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

James Ray with Defense Attorney Tom Kelly

Thanks to CNN's abandonment of the James Ray trial, we missed what looks to have been an exciting couple days of testimony. The trial resumed from its Luis Li induced hiatus on Thursday and ended the week in the high drama of perjury charges and another announcement from the team Ray that they will attempt to have the case thrown out.

What follows is a round-up of the meager news coverage available.

From the Associated Press we learn that Brandy Rainey found the sweat lodge unbearably hot and that Tom Kelly covered at least two of the three pillars of the defense's strategy as outlined here.

There are three major pillars to the defense's cross examination strategy: 1)You signed a waiver so you knew what you were getting into. 2) You are a grown-up and you are responsible for all your choices to participate in these activities. 3) Some questions may seem obscure but they lay the groundwork for the poisoning, as opposed to heat related death, theory.

I don't know from news reports if Kelly hinted at the poisoning thing and it will be interesting to see how they handle that after Dr. Dickson rather thoroughly discredited it. (I have little doubt, though, that Truc Do is gearing up to beat that dead horse for many more painful hours.) But we do know that Brandy Rainey was thoroughly reminded that she was solely responsible for her own misery as heat and steam scalded her throat, leaving her extremely ill after only five of the eight rounds.

Rainey said she only skimmed the waiver. During questioning from defense attorney Tom Kelly, she said she never communicated her concerns directly to Ray, who has pleaded not guilty to three deaths stemming from the ceremony.

. . .


While she had a headache, stomach cramps and flushed skin, others were in worse condition. Rainey and other witnesses have recounted people vomiting, violently shaking and experiencing delusions from the sweat lodge.

. . .

Kelly pointed out that Rainey made that decision on her own, "as a strong, independent, professional woman, that you were going to stay there through five rounds."

"Yes," she responded.

From Mark Duncan we learned a bit more about Rainey's direct testimony. That waiver she signed, which only said that there may be a sweat lodge with sauna like conditions, left her unprepared for both the sweat lodge and its very not sauna-like heat levels. Rainey was "in disbelief" after the rigors of the week that they would in fact have a sweat lodge but she was determined to get her "money's worth."

But the sweat lodge was even hotter than she had imagined, even though Ray had warned the group that they would "feel like our skin was burning off." She said the heat made her nauseous and, when Ray poured water on the hot rocks, "the steam sort of rolled over your body and went up your nose and down your throat."

. . .

After finally leaving the lodge, she said she was too weak to stand for some time, so she sat in a chair and watched a scene that has been well-described by previous witnesses in the trial, which began March 1. She saw Lou Caci come out of the lodge, badly burned after crawling through the rock pit, and witnessed Dennis Mehraver's shouted ravings about his belief that he was having a heart attack.

She said she never saw Ray doing anything to help any of those in distress, including her friend Amy, who was dragged unconscious from the lodge.

. . .

"I was coherent," she said. "I don't know if I was thinking clearly. If I was thinking clearly, I would have thought, 'Maybe you should get checked out by the paramedics right now.'"

Rainey was briefly hospitalized over concerns of carbon monoxide poisoning, which we now know was ruled out. It's pretty clear that she suffered severe heat related illness because her body's set point has changed. She now gets rashes and blisters in heat as low as 100 degrees.

We also have to rely on Mark Duncan for coverage of Mark Rock's testimony as I've been able to find no other. It was apparently quite dramatic. He was accused of perjury and Judge Darrow suspended proceedings until next Wednesday to allow him to consult with court appointed counsel.

At issue are three alleged false statements, one of which came to light during the trial's mid-morning break. Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk reported to the court, with the jury out of the courtroom, that Rock had just told her he had been asked by fellow members of Ray's volunteer dream team not to cooperate with police.

"That night," Polk said, referring to Oct. 8, 2009, the day on which a Ray-led sweat lodge went bad and resulted in three deaths, "(A dream team member) told him not to talk to the police because they are trying to frame James Ray."

. . .

Those statements, Polk said in court, are less important than the defense gives them credit for because they may well be a result of the stress Rock was under on that tragic day and are clear targets for impeachment on cross-examination.

"His testimony is what he recalls today," she said, "and those would be areas to impeach him on. It is appropriate to confront the witness with prior inconsistent statements."

They certainly have used such inconsistencies as impeachment material previously, so either these inconsistencies were far more egregious than they appear to be from Duncan's accounting, or this is more of the desperate grandstanding that has become de rigueur for the defense. This will waste yet another trial day. But not to worry. The defense team is also offering to solve the time crunch they are largely responsible for creating. They will present a motion to acquit at the end of the State's case in chief, contending that prosecutors have not met their burden.

On a side note, I must say that attending a James Ray event is the gift that keeps on taking. In the course of this trial we've learned that many people have been left with medical bills, permanent physical damage, legal jeopardy, and massive credit card debt. (If you really want a good overview of how Ray's high pressure sales tactics extract credit card payments from people, read Hope Miller's police interview which Connie Joy makes available here. My favorite part is when Miller describes a woman sobbing through the entire transaction because she can't afford it and leaving the auditorium still in tears.)

Prosecutors still intend to come in on schedule after another abbreviated week of testimony, wrapping up their case next Friday. Over the break Judge Darrow disallowed two of their intended witnesses, Dr. David Kent and Douglas Sundling.

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Horoscope for May 30 - June 5

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

Aries (March 21st - April 20th)
The energy of forward motion and the power of communication are evident in your life this week, Aries. The new moon and partial eclipse fall in your 3rd house of ideas, communication, siblings, and local neighborhood. There is an aspect that helps you connect with your Higher Self, guides, and angels. Let go of the need to order and control. Look, listen, and allow. Initiate conversations with your mate, family members, friends, and new people. Cultivate the art of listening to deepen your connections and learn information or skills that can help you grow emotionally, become more materially abundant, and lead a more effective life.

Taurus (April 21st - May 20th)
Your finances and needs must be examined this week, Taurus. Big changes in your life are indicated by the new moon in your 2nd house of money and personal values. Self-love, self-worth, acceptance of healing, and new beginnings is your primary focus. Your negative self-talk and years of wrong thinking can be undone this week. I'm not telling you it will be a cake walk, but it can be a profoundly healing and enduring change. Whatever you begin this week will establish itself quickly and become a foundation or supportive structure in your life.



Gemini (May 21st - June 21st)
Before the new moon and eclipse activates your 1st house of self, Gemini, setting you off on a fresh cycle, you must go within to clean out your emotional closet. You may even clean out real closets and drawers to eliminate old papers, clothes, etc. that are simply cluttering your environment and weighing you down. Releasing old things allows you to attract things that are better for you. Later in the week, you may manifest a significant amount of money, a material object of great value, or create a connection with a group or organization that takes your career and income to a higher level.

Cancer (June 22nd - July 22nd)
The new moon and partial eclipse in the sign of Gemini takes place in your 12th house of the subconscious, Cancer. Because it is a psychic water house and you are a psychic water sign, you may not be aware of just how intense this lunation really is. You are already a natural psychic and empath - how rough can a little more emotion be? Well, the 12th house taps you into the entire collective of society. You may be just one soul, but you can feel all souls at this new moon. When the moon leaves the 12th house and enters your 1st house of self, you may have an existential crisis that leads to a new and healthier path of working or relating. Authenticity and purpose will be your guideposts for future growth because the new moon will show you the significance of your own soul as it relates to the whole.

Leo (July 23rd - August 22nd)
Friends, groups, organizations, and wish fulfillment are highlighted by the new moon and partial eclipse in your 11th house, Leo. You must learn to take immediate action on opportunities this week through clear and direct communication. Do not allow a false sense of pride or your ego to stand between you and other people who may be able to make your dreams a reality. If you don't ask, you won't receive. If you are stressed by an increased workload, you may need to hire help (an opportunity for business growth!) or learn to delegate work and release your need to control every step of a creative process. Your alliances with others will not dilute your strength - they will empower you.

Virgo (August 23rd - September 22nd)
Your reputation and career can become new and improved this week, Virgo. The new moon and partial eclipse may bring several opportunities for new projects or business investments. Virgos who write, teach, or sell for a living may be especially busy with travel or communication relating to work. A crisis or sudden change in the values of a group or organization with which you have been affiliated may become the straw that breaks the camel's back. This may be just what you need in order to help you choose which new direction to take. If what has been falls apart, there is nothing to go back to that would prevent you from moving ahead. Once you get over an initial shock, you welcome the creative potential the planets are serving you.

Libra (September 23rd - October 23rd)
Examination of your thoughts and understanding that what you think is what you will create is important this week, Libra. The new moon and partial eclipse takes place in your 9th house of higher education, foreign travel, philosophy, and communication. It is a very busy, broad-reaching area of life and the planets also spotlight self, work, career, and relationship, which makes it difficult for me to give a very precise forecast for you. Immediately following the new moon, it looks like you will be forced to make a decision, take a stand, or choose what seems to be the lesser of two evils. Libra always has life lessons tied into weighing and deciding. This week, right or wrong, best or worst may not be clear and there may be no perfect choice. Keeping your thoughts positive and your attention on the present, not the past, is your key to knowing you are on the right path no matter how things may appear. If you need help, ask.

Scorpio (October 24th - November 21st)
The deep and intense 8th house of sex, death, taxes, metaphysics, investments, and inheritance hosts the new moon and partial eclipse this week, Scorpio. This is the house that is the domain of Scorpio. Other patterns within your chart this week make me think that relationship, intimacy, dissolving of personal boundaries, and sharing of deep emotions and beliefs with someone of significance is the true work of your week. If you are not currently involved with someone romantically, you may seek a partner now. If you are a solitary Scorpio by choice, the moon will still prompt you to open up to other people and merge. You may channel this energy into a creative outlet or into a passion for your career or business.

Sagittarius (November 22nd - December 21st)
The importance of friendships becomes clear this week, Sagittarius, or a friendship becomes more emotionally important to you as it activates romantic feelings within you. Although the new moon and partial eclipse occurs in your 7th house of marriage and relationship, other planetary positions and aspects make business, group, and friendship alliances just as important as a romantic relationship. Redefining roles or establishing boundaries through clear communication will keep you very busy. Your talent for wearing many hats comes into play. You may be surprised to find that other people are as eager to be as adventurous or flexible as you. Your biggest issue may be releasing your old views of how they should act or appear. We all have the right to change our mind.

Capricorn (December 22nd - January 19th)
The planets are making you a creative volcano, spewing lots of lava, which is forming new land around you in your life. A lot of steam is obscuring your view and you can't really see what you've been creating. You need to send scouts on your behalf to look at the potential and to help you decide which options to choose. The new moon in your 6th house of health, work, and service is closely connected with your 10th house of career and social standing. A crisis point may be reached at work, where you must take a stand and go against the majority, or perhaps you have to defend a personal choice or your reputation. Use your family or closest friends to help you know which direction to take and to act as sounding boards. I suggest that you talk through likely scenarios with them before taking any action or you may become too emotionally intense for others to handle.

Aquarius (January 20th - February 18th)
Domesticity, family, creativity, romance, children, and relationships will keep you happily busy this week, Aquarius. Money may arrive through friends, a hobby, or as a surprise. The new moon and partial eclipse occurs in your 5th house of creativity, romance, children, and pets. If you have been overlooking play and relaxation, now is the time to make room for it. Sometimes when the wind goes out of your sails and you can't seem to get ahead in money or career, jumping off the boat to splash in the still water for the fun of it is exactly what you need to get back in flow. Enjoy the people closest to you. Stop striving to reach people on the career or business level. Your richest blessings are the people who love you - take the time this week to love them back.

Pisces (February 19th - March 20th)
Ah, malleable, mutable Pisces! You are no less malleable or mutable this week than you were last week, but you are more self-assured and outspoken. You are also less inclined to modify yourself to please others or gain their approval. The new moon and partial eclipse in your 4th house of home and psychological foundations may precipitate an actual change in your housing situation, family structure, or housemate situation. It can also help you see your early conditioning from childhood and the belief patterns that were put in place. Now you can decide what to keep and what to release. A conversation with a parent or an internal dialogue with a parent can bring you to a point of crisis that gives way ultimately to personal healing. There may be some things in life you can never forget, but you can forgive and move ahead.

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Astrological Trends for May 30 - June 5

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

A powerful problem solving day begins on Monday, May 30th, with the moon in the fixed earth sign of Taurus conjunct Mars, the planet of action, in Taurus. Together, they form a steadying and polite quincunx to hard-working Saturn in diplomatic Libra. This combination allows you to flow easily from thinking to doing. Saturn receives support from a trine to the sun in Gemini until June 4th. Constructive communication is favored now and anyone who writes or sells for a living can have a few very productive and satisfying days. Your physical energy should be high and your willpower will be strong, as well, with the air sign Gemini sun receiving a shot of strength from a quincunx to powerful Pluto in Capricorn. Some conflict between old and new may arise from time to time this week due to Uranus in upstart Aries making a challenging square to Pluto in traditional Capricorn. But Pluto is also involved in a sextile to Chiron in Pisces, indicating there will be opportunities for healing transformation. Jupiter, now in the final degree of Aries, is sextile Neptune in Pisces. Jupiter and Neptune in favorable aspect to each other act as a protective and blessing energy. Grace will be present if you have any difficult situations to handle this week. Mars, Venus, and Mercury are all in the sensual fixed earth sign of Taurus. They help you create things that are useful or beautiful, follow through on projects, and enjoy the material pleasures of life. The quincunx between the moon and Saturn fades as the day progresses. Your mood will lighten up as you move from work to leisure pursuits. The pleasure-seeking Taurus moon joins Venus and Mars by the evening. You may be singing, "All You Need is Love." And maybe a good meal, wine, music, and a partner to make the most of a potentially romantic evening.

Negotiations and formalizing plans are favored activities on Tuesday, May 31st, when the Taurus moon joins Mercury in Taurus. The fixed earth energy of Taurus, when filtered through the emotions and intellect, makes you practical, purposeful, and steady. Monday's quincunx between the sun in Gemini and Pluto in Capricorn is gone at lunchtime, removing some pressure or feeling of urgency. You no longer feel as though everything rests on you alone or is a test of your capability. Later this afternoon, the moon in Taurus forms a square to Neptune in Pisces. For some, this may bring up feelings of unrequited love, a yearning for something you can't have, or nostalgia for things from the past. As you bring a project to a close, you may also feel that you weren't able to do a perfect job. The less-than-perfect impression is just a Neptune illusion. In reality, you have probably done the best that you could, and after this square fades, you will see that this is so. When the square begins to dissolve between the moon and Neptune later this evening, the moon leaves Taurus and enters the mutable air sign of Gemini. Gemini curiosity looks ahead to new ideas and fresh beginnings. You feel the tickle of the Gemini new moon approaching.



On Wednesday, June 1st, a new moon in the mutable air sign of Gemini joins the sun and a partial eclipse makes the event slightly more noticeable. Together, the moon and sun form a favorable trine to Saturn in the cardinal air sign of Libra. On a simplistic level, Gemini represents childlike, selfish thought and Libra represents more mature, relationship-minded thought. This strong trine can help you take new scattered thoughts and bring them to a working, cooperative level. It is important to consider not just the moon in Gemini today, but also Mercury, which is Gemini's ruling planet. A challenging square aspect between Mercury in Taurus and Neptune in Pisces can distort your perception of reality and create feelings of lack or disappointment in the midst of the new moon anticipation. It is important to maintain faith now, even if you can't see how something may come into being. Rather than looking at what keeps you from achieving your dreams, focus on identifying and refining your dreams. The "how" of things will come to you after you settle on the "what." Mercury in Taurus is mildly supported by a semi-sextile to Jupiter in Aries, which helps you stay optimistic in the face of any challenge. The new moon and partial eclipse is an opportunity to rest in the field of potential without attachment and to refine your thoughts and communication skills. When the lights go out on a room full of people, it is natural for them to call out to each other and ask if anyone has a light. Who are the people in your life you need to call? Where do you need to shine some light?

Getting up to speed is the work of the day on Thursday, June 2nd, as Mercury enters the mutable air sign of Gemini. Now that Mercury has moved out of the pragmatic fixed earth energy of Taurus and has entered its "home" sign, you can expect things to quicken and lift off in your life. Check your own natal chart to see which house, or area of life, Gemini occupies. The moon in Gemini semi-sextile to Venus in Taurus makes you feel good about the new cycle that has begun and helps you take whatever next step is necessary to follow through on new moon ideas or plans.

An emotional integration day arrives on Friday, June 3rd, as the moon enters the cardinal water sign of sensitive Cancer and forms a trine to Neptune and Chiron in dreamy Pisces. Your new ideas or plans may have taken off quickly and now you are adjusting to the newness on an emotional level. The moon square Uranus in Aries and Mercury sextile Uranus in Aries indicates that while you may want and like the idea of newness and change, it could be an uncomfortable sensation emotionally. But the moon is also semi-sextile to Mercury in mutable Gemini, giving you the desire to adapt and move ahead. The combined energy of these aspects has a creative or romantic overtone. Your emotions may be wrapped up in love or artistic expression. At lunchtime, a potentially volatile and erratic T-square forms, which can precipitate an emotional upheaval and transformation. The emotional moon in sensitive Cancer opposes intense Pluto in serious Capricorn. The moon also squares unpredictable Uranus in pioneering Aries, and Uranus in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn. I cannot predict exactly how this may affect you personally without looking at your own natal chart, but a loss or release of something or someone to whom you have a strong attachment may be necessary in order to have a new beginning or a dramatically different life. Early in the evening, the T-square falls apart, but your emotions may still feel some strain as the Cancer moon squares Saturn in Libra. The lesson in this square aspect is responsible love, duty, or honor.

Your emotions will become more grounded on Saturday, June 4th, as the moon in the cardinal water sign of Cancer forms a supportive sextile to Mars in Taurus, as well as a semi-sextile to the sun in the mutable air sign of Gemini. It is easy to know exactly what you are feeling, to communicate your emotions clearly, and to take affirmative action. At midday, Mercury in Gemini forms a quincunx to Pluto in Capricorn, enhancing your powers of mental reasoning and deduction. If you have to solve a logistic problem or argue for your stance on an issue, do it now. An evening of nurturing and indulging in pleasure, alone or with a partner, is indicated when the moon in caring Cancer forms a supportive sextile to affectionate Venus in sensual Taurus. Enjoy this little oasis on your journey through a challenging week.

Put on your armor and carry an umbrella on Sunday, June 5th. Be prepared for anything in your personal life and keep your eye on the weather and world news. A very active and intense set of planetary aspects is in place today. At the start of the day, the moon in the cardinal water sign of Cancer forms a quincunx to Neptune in Pisces, and also squares Jupiter in Taurus. You may be wondering which way to go and how to grow or expand in a grounded or practical way. In past trends, I have mentioned that days when a planet changes signs can be especially intense or make you feel unsettled until you integrate the new energy. Today is such a day because Jupiter has finally left the cardinal fire sign of Aries and has entered the fixed earth sign of Taurus. This is an extremely materialistic Jupiter placement and it may turn your attention to your physical needs and finances. The positive side of Jupiter in Taurus is the ability to become more abundant through steady effort. The negative side is greed and gluttony, continually wanting more rather than being satisfied with enough. At lunchtime, the moon enters the fixed fire sign of Leo, which is a refreshing change from the past few days of a complicated water moon cycle. In the early afternoon, the Leo moon forms a favorable trine to Uranus in Aries. Early this evening, the Leo moon forms a sextile to Mercury in Gemini. The moon also forms a quincunx to Pluto in Capricorn. I see this group of lunar aspects symbolically as a cavalry of men on horses beginning to charge into battle with a big burst of noise and color. An afternoon and evening of creativity, boldness, courage, and resolve can be used to make things happen or push hard for something you want. Outdoor activities, physical sports, or competitive games can help you burn off some of this energy if it is too intense for you. Early this evening, two yod aspect patterns form. I feel this may be significant on a political or global level and may mark an event that transforms and changes our lives for the better. A yod is formed with Pluto and the moon in Leo and Pluto and Mercury in Gemini. Another yod is formed by the moon in Leo and Pluto in Capricorn and the moon and Chiron in Pisces. The Leo moon is sextile Mercury in Gemini and Pluto is sextile to Chiron in Pisces. The moon/Uranus trine and the Pluto/Uranus square make me think that people will demand a change and bring real pressure to bear on politicians or government. The Leo moon makes people aware of their "pride" and Mercury in Gemini considers everyone a brother or sister. Perhaps the planetary energy this evening will make a unity consciousness a logical next step in our evolution. The energy of a major shift caps off a week of many changes.

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Oprah, James Ray, and the Media Effect

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

As Oprah wrapped her history-making show this week, amidst the cascade of media coverage could be found a lot of ambivalence about her impact on society. On the one hand, she had an undeniably positive impact on public perception of what a woman of color can accomplish in America. She broke a lot of ground for women, period. For that we can all be grateful. On the other hand, she foisted a lot of pop psychology and dumbed down spiritual teaching on an eager public. It ranged from the helpful to the useless to the destructive to the deadly. I'm referring, of course, to James Arthur Ray, on whose watch -- during his post-Oprah years -- four people have died. Many people are angry with Oprah for enabling Ray's success and subsequent recklessness.

So is it fair to blame a woman who simply had someone on her talk show for the deaths of his students? I don't think there's an easy answer to that but in the final analysis I have to say, "with great power comes great responsibility."

Oprah is singular in her ability to sell books, ideas, and social trends. This is something the New York Post referred to as the "Oprah Effect."

The “Oprah effect” has shaped our national consciousness in profound ways. “There are a lot of people whose lives are better, thanks to what she’s done,” says Robert Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. “Her whole message of empowerment is the idea that you can change your circumstances.”

Occasionally, however, that influence has seriously misfired. “Oprah has mainstreamed a lot of very questionable characters in my opinion,” anti-cult therapist Steven Hassan has said, pointing to Oprah acolyte James Arthur Ray whose infamous sweat lodge led to the deaths of three people in 2009.

When I was working in publishing, I was vividly aware of the "Oprah Effect." A booking on her show was the plum for a book publicist and it was not an easy booking to get. I booked a lot of authors on a lot of TV talk shows, Sally Jessy, Maury, even Phil Donahue. But Oprah was a hard nut to crack. For the most part, her producers only dealt with department heads and the bookings were rare but critical. While most talk shows back in those days were eager for the human interest content that came from non-fiction books and celebrity bios, Oprah only promoted books and authors she believed in. Unlike most of those shows, she even promoted fiction. I vividly remember what happened when she took an interest in Waiting to Exhale author Terry McMillan because I was working at Penguin at the time.  Even before she started her book club, Oprah sold books. When a book was featured on her show you could watch the sales figures spike immediately. There was no other media exposure where such a clear correlation between publicity and sales could be drawn -- not another chat show, not the Today Show or GMA, not even a much coveted review in The New York Times.

On the plus side, Oprah is a major force for literacy. She makes people feel good about reading which not a lot of television personalities do. She heightened attention to literary greats like Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. On the negative side, I can never forgive her Dr. Phil and The Secret.

I just can't.

I have little doubt that Oprah believes strongly in both. Her endorsement of the pop psychology of Dr. Phil and the spiritual pornography of The Secret are a tiny, little window into the psyche of this extremely driven woman. Both of these Oprah endorsed cottage industries are a study in control freakdom.

I do an impression of Dr. Phil. It's always a big hit at parties. In my best Texas I just drawl, "You came on this show because you think this, this, and this are wrong with you. I'm here to tell you that's not what's wrong with you.  THIS is what's wrong with you... Now straighten up and fly right."

Stripped down to its essence, that's really all he ever says. And I would be the first to admit that he can be very insightful and good at pointing out the forest when people are lost amongst the trees. But that kind of guidance only goes so far and is rarely if ever transformative. Real transformation only comes from our own shifts in awareness; not from what we're told by others. Emotional healing is an inside out process. And Dr. Phil is all outside in. He's not about helping people make more constructive choices. He just tells people what to do and shames them on national television so they'll be more inclined to do it. And it all just sounds like your dad lecturing you for putting a ding in the family station wagon.

By his own admission, Dr. Phil doesn't have the patience to do actual therapy. He'd rather just criticize, judge, and boss people around.

But from the very beginning, it wasn‘t for me.  I didn‘t have the patience for it.  I mean, people sometimes were very motivated and wanting to do great.  Other times, I think they just want to, like, rent a friend.  Yeah, they‘d want to sit there and talk to you for six months, and not always, but there were a lot of times I can figure this out in the first hour.  I‘ll be sitting there saying, "You know, okay, here‘s the problem.  You are a jerk.  " 

I see a similar impatience and intolerance in The Secret. As I said here, Lisa Nichols really pushed my buttons for that same reason. (The entire show is embedded above.)

In her appearance on "Oprah," Lisa Nichols explained how she addresses people who want to talk about their personal history or "story." Her response is "I don't want to know it, because you've used it to keep yourself where you are." So word to the wise, if you want someone to help you heal and come complete with your painful history, Lisa Nichols is probably not the appropriate facilitator for you.

The implicit hostility of this particular assumption is one I'm all too familiar with in my own field. That is to say, the idea that people are holding on to past trauma because they are "unwilling" to release it. I have even heard colleagues say of their clients, "Well they don't really want to get better." If they're showing up for help, they want help. It just may not be the kind of help that healer is willing or able to provide. And when a healer runs into the limits of his or her own paradigm, it is easier to blame the client than to question the belief system. When a client pushes your buttons, it's easier to dismiss the client than to determine why you have sourced them into your practice.

Implicit in The Secret is that you've been doing everything wrong, which in and of itself is all about submitting to some external judgment and control. Don't think what you've been thinking or feel the feelings you've been feeling. That's why your life is a mess.

Worse, The Secret feeds the control freak in us all. Of course we'd like to think that by just doing things the right way we never have to have problems again. We can just move from joy to joy and success to success. We'll have all the money we want. We'll always find a parking space. We won't get sick. All of our problems The Secret tells us are from our "negative" thoughts and feelings and all of that is in our control.

And James Ray took that illusion of absolute control to such an extreme that three people cooked to death, convinced by him that the power of their minds was enough to combat the inevitable result of being merely mortal in a superheated environment. He didn't need to warn them about the symptoms of heat related illness. Not when the power of their thoughts -- "mind over matter" -- could offset the deadly effects of heatstroke. Sheer force of will as panacea. That's The Secret and, sad to say, that's Oprah.

Whether Oprah will take responsibility at some point for the monsters she's created in The Secret and its spawn is an open question. Perhaps she's just waiting to see how the James Ray trial turns out. If he goes to jail, maybe then he'll get a James Frey style sit-down... via satellite on some Oprah special of the future. (Hey. A girl can dream.)

If he's acquitted we can all go safely back to thinking that everyone who died was a master of their own fate. Oprah will be off the hook, as will every other media organ that promoted these cheap, commercial friendly ideas and personalities. Buying stuff is good! Commercialism is good! It's spiritual! It says so in The Secret! And poor people have only themselves and their bad thoughts to blame. So we don't need to worry about unemployment, corporate criminals, or the growing wealth gap. Now buy some more!

It's not just Oprah. The media has been in love with this stuff from the beginning. All the major networks had a hand in promoting The Secret. The narrative on In Session from the get go was that the charges against James Ray wouldn't stick because Liz Neuman, James Shore, and Kirby Brown, and all those other people who were sickened and injured, had free will. And when it started to look like the motivational speaker and media darling might actually be a sadistic psychopath who brainwashed people into immobility, they dropped this trial like a hot potato. They thought the Brady violation would be their out. When it wasn't, their hostility became increasingly palpable and video of the sweat lodge trial decreasingly visible until it disappeared entirely.

And now CNN has stopped streaming the trial. If the press coverage of the trial overall was decent, I could live with that. There've been a few notable exceptions but most of it is terrible. That's the thing about seeing something occur in front of your eyes in real time. The cheapness and inaccuracy of most media coverage is suddenly very apparent.

So contact CNNLive and let them know you care. There are some hopeful signs that they'll pick it up again. Well... there's been one.  Public pressure is critical. They don't make it easy but here are some links:

Their feedback form.  Their regular advertiser. Or send them a tweet @CNNLive.

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Cafe

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Around the Web, Around the World

"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

Intimate Apprenticeship with Paula Denham

"It is your commitment to be in your highest level of integrity, to teach what you are and not what you want to be." So begins Paula Denham's covenant with the Spirits to teach. "This means that you teach authenticity by being authentic. While you may speak of your aspirations, you are true to where you are in your approach to them." Paula Denham, founder and director of the Sacramento Shamanic Center joins host and shaman, Christina Pratt, to share her experience with local and intimate apprenticeship. Working with the guidance of her helping spirits, Paula has cultivated an ongoing system for teaching and apprenticeship that steps out of the workshop format and back into the power of the circle, of community, and of the personal growth and accountability inherent in authentic shamanic practice. Paula is our next guest for the Society of Shamanic Practitioners sponsored interview series. Through these monthly shows we explore how contemporary shamans are meeting the challenge of their world where the relations of things-the living and the dead, the humans and nature, and Western Way and the spirit world-are profoundly out of balance. It is the ancient role of the shaman in all cultures to tend the balance of things. How are these shamans meeting this extraordinary need today?

This week's guest:
Paula Denham

Paula Denham, CSC (Harner Method Certified Shamanic Counselor), has been practicing shamanism for 19 years. She is a founder and Director of the Sacramento Shamanic Center, and a Minister of the Circle of the Sacred Earth Church. She is a Foundation for Shamanic Studies Three-Year Apprenticeship Program graduate (1996); studied with Carol Proudfoot-Edgar in her first Bear Medicine Circle (1995-2001); with Tom Cowan in the Celtic shaman's ways and perspective, and with a number of indigenous shamans internationally. She says, "This work is the great joy of my life. It fills my heart every day."

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 11:00 AM Pacific

Log on to Listen
Why Shamanism Now? on Co-Creator Network
Questions? Comments? Call: 1-512-772-1938

All episodes are now available in the iTunes Podcast Library.

Awakenings with Michele Meiche

YogaPartOut.com with Daniel Gautheir from French Canada

12pm PST --- One on One with Michele ----MICHELE MEICHE shares her weekly 2012 & beyond update, answers your questions, and does channeled readings--- 12:45pm PST --- Welcome our Awakened Guest: Daniel Gautheir of YogaPartout (pronounced: Parr Too).com: Yoga en français. Daniel Gauthier's official web site launch about Yoga (Yoga Partout means Yoga Everywhere) Yogapartout.com is a collaborative CMS Groupware. It is a wiki platform where everyone is welcomed to add their two cents.
Daniel's natural tendency to be of service, natural need and want to give to others and think about others first is of utmost importance for him. He has had his share of challenges, and obstacles in his life. He was taught not to say or show his weakness, from childhood Daniel was different from others.

Daniel is a symbol analyst, according to Robert Reich. Daniel has made a film about yoga using internet technology. He studied film production when he was 19, and he also has his college diploma in Information Technology as a system analyst. Daniel continues to study Jnana yoga with a master in India (hooray for skype!) Daniel started to teach yoga the same day his mother passed, his first class he offered to her. Daniel meditates and learned psychic healing and considers Bob Moore as his second real master (first one is always the mother, isn't it!). Daniel has traveled, and made connections with those willing to help him continue searching for the origins of yoga. Here is a link for you to read on the reason Daniel made his documentary... http://www.imagesetsons.net/da/yoga/DVD/documentary/reasonForDoing.htm


Wed, May 25, 2011 3:00PM ET

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/awakenings

Just Energy Radio

The Precession of the Equinox & The Quickening

First Hour Guest
Walter Cruttenden
Human Evolution & the Precession of the Equinox


Walter Cruttenden is the Director of the Binary Research Institute in Newport Beach, California, author of Lost Star of Myth and Time, and writer producer of the award winning documentary film, The Great Year, as well as many articles and papers on the subject of solar system motion and its influence on history and consciousness. Walter is the host of a regular podcast series, The Cosmic Influence, and organizer of the annual Conference on Precession and Ancient Knowledge (CPAK), which features authors and scientists from around the world addressing the topic of ancient knowledge.

Second Hour Guest
Susan B. Martinez
The Quickening
Susan B. Martinez, Ph.D., is a writer, linguist, teacher, paranormal researcher, and recognized authority on the Oahspe Bible with a doctorate in anthropology from Columbia University. The author of The Psychic Life of Abraham Lincoln and The Hidden Prophet, she is the book review editor for the Academy of Spirituality and Paranormal Studies.

Fri, May 27, 2011 3:00PM ET/2:00PM CT

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/just-energy-radio

Awake: Now What?

Kerrie O'Connor, Master Visionary, Medium, Clairvoyant, Coa

Kerrie O'Connor visits us again. She uses her amazing intuitive ability to help you transform and celebrate your life! Kerrie can energetically view your personal life history and blueprints, observe your true inner processes and help tune into and direct your soul's purpose. Right over the phone on her new radio shows!

Kerrie's mission is to remind and re-awaken you to your Divine Heritage. She can help you step out of your "stories" and into your POWER. Begin to release from negative thought patterns and blockages that hold you back. Call in with your personal questions and Kerrie will read your energy field and tap into your soul's desires. Your current circumstances do not define you. Your past history does not define you. Let Kerrie help you release your past, re-write your script and finally live the life you deserve.

Kerrie O'Connor has the amazing ability to energetically read your unique energy field and like a tuning fork, help raise your vibrational levels so that you can attract what you truly desire in life. Kerrie's powerful lifelong connection to Spirit has honed her extraordinary intuitive abilities which she is dedicated to using to help humanity remember and re-awaken to their Divine Heritage and Empowerment.

Kerrie has a flourishing practice based in Salem, CT, an alternative-healing venture where she specializes in personal and call-in sessions. She holds workshops and classes regularly and will travel around the country to present them. Among her varied talents, she is a Medium of the Doreen Virtue School, a Reiki Master, an LPN, a practitioner of the EMF Balancing technique, founder of the 12:12 Trinity Love Activation as well as the creator of Intuitive LightStream ReadingTM and LightStream LiveTM.

For more information go to http://www.kerrieoconnor.com/

Sun, May 29, 2011 6:00PM ET

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/awake

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Horoscope for May 23-29

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

Aries (March 21st - April 20th)
When you look back on this week, Aries, it may stand out as a pivotal moment in your life. There is a distinct difference between you at the beginning of the week and you at the end of the week, which will always be a before-and-after kind of thing. An event or internal shift will precipitate this. It may be meeting a life mate or marrying, achieving a title you have worked hard for, finding your life purpose, or simply feeling like you have finally met yourself and knowing you are meant to be.

Taurus (April 21st - May 20th)
You've still got the planets on your side, Taurus. They are almost as good as a magic spell or charm if you are bold enough to go after the things you want. The more you pull together into a cohesive Taurus whole, the less your vibration will match with certain people or groups now. In the past, when you were a follower, going along with others to keep the peace or be accepted, you may have made allowances for differences in values or overlooked incompatibilities because you wanted to belong. Your self-esteem is healthier now and you are not afraid to express yourself. Now it is up to the others to decide how to respond to the full you and it may be up to you to let go of the ones who choose to leave.



Gemini (May 21st - June 21st)
A time of gathering followed by a time of sorting and incubating is what the week has in store for you, Gemini. The sun is now in your sign, which should be bringing you attention and giving you that quickening feeling of a new cycle being initiated in your life, but the Taurus planets have you in a nebulous wait-and-see zone. You are just not ready yet. Do you feel you are just not enough on some level to step into a new role or expand your business? It is a good time to do deep meditations, hypnosis, Law of Attraction, or any other method that gives you a greater feeling of stability. Your biggest work this week takes place on the spiritual/metaphysical level. The rest of life drifts past you like a TV sitcom.

Cancer (June 22nd - July 22nd)
Relationships and your interdependence with other people is what this week is about, Cancer. Friends, family, partner, coworkers - even the UPS man - are all necessary to your sense of self now. If your relationships are based on love and filled with gratitude, there is really nothing for you to do but observe how everything and everyone really works out for the best and supports you. As you contemplate your life from the observation deck, you are beginning to see that it is not about what you are doing, it is about what you are thinking and feeling.

Leo (July 23rd - August 22nd)
In the drive to be successful in business or to expand your business and build your reputation, Leo, you must make meeting new people and networking an actual discipline. Without that communication, you will fall short of the mark. The lesson this week brings you is the art of discernment. Not everyone is good for you and not everyone has the same internal moral guidance system that you do. Tune in to your instincts when dealing with people. Doing so can save you time, money, and heartache. Time is something you have just enough of now and it's important that you use it wisely.

Virgo (August 23rd - September 22nd)
Where you stand in relationships and the mingling of finances in love or business will keep you busy with phone calls or mail correspondence this week, Virgo. If you already have a mate or are in a business of some kind, there may be some confusion and a need for communication to help you sort priorities and get on the same page. If you are looking for love, a business, or investment opportunity, decisions may not be made until you ask a lot of questions and consider possible futures. The week is unsettled in many ways, but you will enjoy delving into details and imagining what any possible choice you make might bring.

Libra (September 23rd - October 23rd)
Not only are you a smart, savvy cookie this week, Libra, but you are not likely to crumble under pressure. You may be tested at work now to see if you have the necessary qualifications or commitment to be a leader. Well, duh, you and I both know that you do, but the planets are making you prove it. The hero or heroine must often take on seemingly impossible tasks in order to win the prize. You have manifesting magic now to help you get what you want. If you are in love, you may enter a phase of deepening sexual intimacy with your partner. This same strong sensual, material energy can also be applied to business and may help you attract financing or an investment partner.

Scorpio (October 24th - November 21st)
"Between two worlds" is what I heard when I looked at your chart this week, Scorpio. In general, Scorpio navigates through the material world fairly easily because the potent Scorpio combination of strength of will and intensity of emotion helps manifest what is needed to survive. There are times when Scorpio sees or feels realms or dimensions the rest of us do not. Rarely will Scorpio let on about this. It looks like the planets are prompting you to show someone close to you both worlds you live in, or maybe it is time to bring the hidden world out for us to see through your creativity. Exposure isn't to be feared. Only "those who have eyes to see will see."

Sagittarius (November 22nd - December 21st)
Your horoscope is succinct this week, Sagittarius. Much money can be made through persistent work with a group or organization. It even looks like the work can be playful or fun, with folks tossing money your way for just showing up and being social. Camp counselor? Adventure tour guide? Just as plain to see is the itch for change in home, family, or relationship. Something is strange, off, unclear, or just not the right situation, person, or place anymore, but an actual decision and consequent action is about a week away. By then, the whole picture may look differently than it does now.

Capricorn (December 22nd - January 19th)
Your newer, more creative self may be difficult for your current job or work environment to adapt to, Capricorn. You may be trying to introduce new ideas or new methods of operating that aren't understood. The middle of the week may bring you to a point of ultimatum and possible independence that results in self-employment or a complete restructuring of your status at work. For instance, if you are employed by a company, you may leave, only to be contracted with the same company as a consultant. You have what it takes to do your own thing without a big name behind you and your enthusiasm in the things that interest you will make you successful.

Aquarius (January 20th - February 18th)
Self-improvement interests you this week, Aquarius. You want to know more, be more, and have more. Whether you study independently or decide to return to school or find a personal mentor, the motivating factor is the same. You know the only person you can truly control in your life and the only thing you can change is yourself. Some doubt, confusion, or misunderstanding is possible with a lover, or too much money may be spent on pleasure or unnecessary things. Now is not the time to make important decisions in love or in money. Be patient for a week.

Pisces (February 19th - March 20th)
If you feel more Piscean than usual this week, you can blame it on the moon spending a few slow days in your sign, Pisces. Your ruling planet, Neptune, is also in your first house. Unfortunately, a confusing and distorting square between Neptune and the sun in fickle Gemini may have you wondering who you are. It's as if all the water of your sign has just been mixed in with air and all that remains is a fine, foggy mist that hangs everywhere. The rest of the planets are keeping you busy with friends and groups and dissolving your boundaries further through strong feelings of empathy. I think you need a day alone at the beach, Pisces, to feel less confused. You may still not know who you are by the end of the week, but I'm sure you will have had some amazing experiences feeling like everyone else.

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