OMTIMES MAGAZINE MAY / ISSUE B 2018
CONTENTS 01
Dean Radin, Exclusive Interview: REAL MAGIC: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe
02
11 signs You are in a Manipulative Relationship
03
When Someone Else’s Clutter Becomes YOUR Problem
04 05
Moroccan Tagine- An Inspired Vegetarian Recipe 2 Mantras to Heal Negative conditions: Anger
07 08 09 10
Ego--Our Survival Energy An Elevated State of Consciousness
How to Reform a Bully Dreams and the Why of Things
A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. ~Yoko Ono
contents
OMTIMES MAGAZINE
11
Remedies For Treating A Sore Throat
12
Learning How to Embrace the Impossible
13
Remedies For Treating A Sore Throat
14
4 Steps to Reclaiming Your Self
15
10 simple things you can do to jump-start positive thinking
16
Integrating Our Fragmented Selves and Society
17
The Meaning of True Redemption
18
Railroad - Visual Journeys
MAY / ISSUE B 2018
DEAN
RADIN
INTERVIEW BY SANDIE SEDGBEER
Science has been around for a few hundred years. Religion has been around for a few million years. And for most of that time, magic has been regarded as something that is both separate from them and unnatural. Yet, as history reveals, a belief in magic seems to have been deeply embedded in the human psyche since the beginning of recorded time. So, why is that? To some people, magic is harmless hokum. To others, it's evil. And for many self-respecting scientists in the 20th Century, it was a career killer and therefore anathema.
So, when a book emerges that is endorsed by two Nobel laureates, a President of the American Statistical Association and a Program Director from the National Science Foundation, one can't help but sit up, take notice and ask, is it time to start taking magic seriously? Dean Radin, Ph.D., is Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and Associated Distinguished Professor of Integral and Transpersonal Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He's the author or co-author of hundreds of articles, book chapters and four popular books, The Conscious Universe, Entangled Minds, Super Normal and the recently published Real Magic: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe.
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“Within the magical worldview everything is deeply interconnected, so if you intend to harm others, you are likely to end up harming yourself.” Real Magic: Unlocking Your Natural Psychic Abilities to Create Everyday Miracles Sandie Sedgbeer: Now, you've been probing the far reaches of human consciousness, principally psi phenomena, using the tools and techniques of science for nearly four decades. Few scientists 40 years ago would have admitted an interest in magic let alone published a book on the subject. And yet, your latest book, Real Magic, carries endorsements from many distinguished names in the fields of science, medicine, and psychology. How did yesterday's sorcery become today's leading-edge science? Dean Radin: If you look at leading-edge science today, for those who are interested in consciousness, as a topic of study is relatively new within the past 30 years or so, for people interested in consciousness, the underlying puzzle has been to account for the experience just for simple selfawareness and experience. And the reason it's a puzzle is that we don't know something which doesn't appear to be a physical effect or experience doesn't have correlates in the brain, neuro correlates, but we don't see how experience can arise simply from matter and energy. Because of that, there's a growing number of scientists in many domains, and philosophers who are beginning to suspect that there's something about consciousness that might simply be woven into the fabric of reality. And that's immediately going to lead us into the esoteric traditions. Since I've been studying phenomena that already give us a clue about what consciousness can do, mainly psychic and mystical experiences. OMTIMES | MAY 2018
Best Remedies for Treating A Sore Throat
Most sore throats are caused by viral or bacterial infections. Allergies, asthma, cigarette smoke, and pollutants are some other culprits. Sore throats respond well to bed rest,
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gargling with warm salt water 3-4 times a day, Vitamin A, C, bioflavonoids, and zinc. A sore throat is sometimes a symptom of a more serious condition distinct from the common cold (such as strep throat) that may require medical diagnosis and treatment with appropriate antibiotics. If you do take antibiotics, remember to take acidophilus along with them or after your complete course to maintain normal intestinal flora. Best Remedies Add a teaspoon of sea salt (not-iodized salt) to 8 ounces of warm water. Stir it well to dissolve and then gargle and spit the water out. Gargle until all the water is gone. Do this 3-4 times per day. Drinking warm liquids (such as caffeine-free tea, water with honey, or warm soup broth). Using a humidifier to moisten dry air is important. If a sore throat is caused by infection, it is important to
drink plenty of fluids and to rest to prevent dehydration and to allow your body to properly recover. Baking Soda and Sea Salt: The National Cancer Institute recommends gargling and gently swishing a combination of 1 cup warm water, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. They recommend using the rinse every three hours as needed. Marshmallow root contains a mucus-like substance that coats and soothes a sore throat. Simply add some of the dried root to a cup of boiling water to make tea. Sipping the tea two to three times a day may help ease throat pain. Licorice root has long been used to treat sore throats. Recent research shows it’s effective when mixed with water to create a solution for gargling. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid this remedy, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
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An Elevated State of Consciousness By Isha Judd
Elevated states of consciousness are not only for “special people” who dedicate their lives to meditating on a mountaintop or in a monastery. They are possible for all human
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beings and make us more present in our daily activities. We can choose how to be in every moment, we can choose love and happiness, bringing the spiritual into our daily activities, to totally transform our human experience. We believe that an elevated state of consciousness is for “special� people such as the Buddha or Jesus, and is beyond our human capacity. But what if Buddha and Jesus were demonstrating a very real potential, something that is possible for all human beings? The experience of love in everything is a reality, but we have forgotten it. As we expand our consciousness, we see that our heart is continually yearning for more and more love-consciousness. An elevated consciousness never compromises its own greatness. And this does not come from an arrogant place. When one is in a high state of consciousness they are always completely real, they do not hide behind a mask of false modesty.
They do not compromise with their truth, playing small so that others do not feel bad. Arrogance is the abandonment of oneself, it is God playing small, it is God being a victim and not taking responsibility for his creations. Arrogance is the most magnificent creatures on the planet destroying themselves without respite. It is the adoption of masks in the form of judgments, political and religious opinions and false piety. Arrogance is humans condemning each other for their color, religion or sexuality. Consciousness is the love of oneself, it has nothing to do with arrogance. We have been taught that loving ourselves is selfish, but if we do not experience unconditional love for ourselves, we cannot give that to the rest of humanity. We often think that raising our consciousness will lead us to a state of zero emotionality, but it is not so. When consciousness expands, we feel each emotion fully, like a child. A high state of consciousness
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Self-Care with the Help of Your Unconscious by Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD
If you are feeling worn out, you might know you should relax, reduce your stressors, and get to bed earlier. So why don’t you do any of that? When you most need restoration, you once again find yourself wasting time with distractions: You mindlessly check mobile devices or watch TV. But what if you could replenish yourself and engage in self-care with the help of your unconscious? Omtimes.com
The key to changing your habits and feeling energized again may be to release emotions and beliefs that are no longer serving you. Letting go of the old can make room to bring in something new that will give you enthusiasm, hope, and motivation. Your energy might shift dramatically and lead to a feeling of revitalization as you begin a transformation process your unconscious is yearning for. When you ignore callings from within, you can start to feel bored, listless, and tired out. Your conscious mind may be ignoring a need to grieve or feel anger, or face the truth about your role in being overworked and too pressured. Not realizing this, you might seek distractions that ultimately leave you feeling even more drained. Self-care activities require time. You must replenish yourself emotionally, releasing what is no longer serving you and bringing in what will make you feel joyful and vitalized. What if your unconscious could help you transform aspects of your life that are seemingly impossible to change? What if you let go
of the denial that is keeping you from accessing the truth about what you need to do differently? You may be avoiding rest because the desire to radically change the story of your life is so intense and unsettling that you are keeping it hidden in your unconscious. You may think your opportunities are limited, but what if you are wrong, and your real problem is your fear of stepping out of your comfort zone? Unleashing the truth may free up energy from the unconscious mind that can restore and revitalize you. The unconscious can speak its wisdom to you and help you break through obstacles to change. When you reduce the intense chatter of the busy conscious mind, and sit alone quietly in meditation, you make space for wisdom and insights to arise. They come through symbols, sensations, and a feeling of knowing that can’t necessarily be explained logically. Your unconscious mind can help you shift energetically, releasing emotions and beliefs that no longer serve you and allowing peace and healing Omtimes.com
Ego-Our Survival Energy By Dr. Nickolas Martin
Our ego plays an extremely important role in our life— survival. Its single purpose is to ensure our daily and mortal survival. Unlike what has often been written or said, it can exert a positive, as well as the negative impact on our lives, including the connection Omtimes.com
between our humanity and Divinity. Understanding its true purpose and potential for good can allow us to fully live and experience the best of what we and life have to offer—humanly and spiritually. There has been much written
about ego over the years by many intelligent, well-educated and well-intended people. Most of what has been said cast ego in a dark and negative light. It is often presented as the part of us which can only lead us into no good and becoming a lesser, if not worst, version of ourselves. A part that can only lead us toward making bad choices, being with the wrong people and for some in the spiritual community—rejecting God. There is some truth to all of this because whenever our ego energy is imbalanced in its power, flexibility, or vulnerability, bad things and suffering often do occur in our lives. We can think of many examples of unpleasant or destructive things which happen to oneself or others when ego energy is unhealthy. But surprisingly and ironically all of that is about trying to promote our daily and mortal survival, which most would generally agree is a good thing. Our ego is “trying” to help us survive in ways that often result in some stupid, crazy or dysfunctional ways that we come up with, but it is still about survival. However, there is one important distinction. We—not ego—make the choices in the ways we are surviving and
whether we are going to merely exist or fully live. That is where ego’s purpose ends, and we begin. And one of the really big choices we must make is seeing the ego energy that is shaping who we are being. You are the real difference between a life of just existing, and often suffering, and one of truly living. And whether you get the best out of what you and life have to offer. The good news about ego is that it can promote some really healthy survival called living when it is in balance. It can play a role in promoting healthy thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and physiology we can use in our daily life while experiencing a wonderful life journey. Relationships are enhanced, achievement is optimized, minds are enriched, change is understood, failure is conquered, genuine happiness is recognized, stress is eliminated, and conflict is resolved when ego energy is healthy and doing its thing. All of this is happening in our daily lives when we are truly living, and healthy ego energy contributes to making this possible. Beyond the service to our humanity and life which ego can bring forth when it is healthy, Omtimes.com
When Someone Else’s Clutter Becomes YOUR Problem By Kartar Diamond
Most people seek out decluttering and organizing advice for themselves. But I’ve noticed a few book titles which address the issue of how to deal with another person whose clutter can affect you. The most common scenario is likely the Omtimes.com
home environment, where a spouse or other family member has clutter issues even to the point of hoarding. One of my Feng Shui clients lived with her mother and father when I first met her. Neither she nor her father could confront the mother effectively about the hoarding problem. When the father died, the mother got even worse with her clutter, presumably because she was that much more depressed after her husband passed away. And it wasn’t until her mother died a few years later that my client was able to clean up the house, de-clutter and really transform the home into a comfortable living space. This client even proudly sent me a photo of a formerly cluttered room that she cleared out and turned into a neat and tidy Air BNB rental room. I have even known a few Professional Organizers who were married to spouses that were clutter-bugs, and that seems more than ironic, rather probably karmic on some level. I’ve seen how several different scenarios which could be lumped into two basic
categories. One category is the person who really is hoarding and saving things with no value or current purpose. I could give countless examples, but when someone is saving yogurt containers or all of their junk mail, then we know we have the makings of Pack Rat Syndrome. The other big category is the person who saves a lot of things that are functional and possibly worth keeping, but the storing of these items is overflowing and unsightly to the family member who is neater and more organized. Why should someone get rid of their surfboard, power tools or things a person does use occasionally, and which have indisputable monetary value or would be difficult to replace? My significant other see the practicality in storing things in emptied plastic kitty litter containers. They are in fact good quality containers with lids and handles, especially for emergency supplies. But, I don’t like seeing them stacked up against the wall in the den. My personal solution to the wall of miscellaneous “things” in the Omtimes.com
How to Reform a Bully By Marcia Sirota, MD.
The subject of bullying has been in the news a lot lately, but do we really understand what a bully is? For that matter, do we know how someone becomes a bully? Omtimes.com
We can agree that no one who’s secure within themselves would feel the need to push around someone smaller or weaker than they are. A truly confident person is comfortable in their own skin and doesn’t need to prove how powerful they are. If we understand this fundamental truth about human nature, we can see that only those who are tormented by their own perceived failings would choose to engage in bullying. Although they use intimidation to dominate those who appear weaker, the bully is the real weakling, often backing down at the first sign of assertiveness on the part of their intended victim. When confronted, the bully reveals themselves as a coward whose aggression derives from insecurity. A bully is created by their parents and society. I believe the growing child has been on the receiving end of contempt or they’ve observed their parents or other adults belittling, abusing or intimidating those who appear less powerful.
The bully has learned from their role models how to be contemptuous toward any signs of human weakness, and since they’ve been made all too aware of their own inadequacies, they become filled with self-loathing. Experiencing these demonstrations of dominance causes the young child to feel scared, humiliated, even enraged, but has been subject to so much intimidation, it’s far too threatening to get angry at those who hurt them. The unconscious reaction would be to turn that rage inward against themselves. The bully is filled with intolerable self-directed rage and contempt. Having observed their role models taking out their anger on those who appear inferior, they learn to direct their own pent-up hostility toward other, weaker individuals. Essentially, a bully is someone who can’t face the aspects of their personality that they believe to be defective or inadequate. Being in the presence of someone who apparently demonstrates these unacceptable attributes is Omtimes.com
DREAMS:
THE “WHY” OF THINGS By Kaya
We, as humans, always wish to find out the “why” of things and of existence. This quest to know is so deeply ingrained in us as beings that it leads to the opening of immense knowledge hidden inside each of us one day. When we receive Omtimes.com
dreams, beautiful or nightmares, it is actually an onset of the process to know who we are, the reason for our existence and also the next steps of our evolution. That is the reason why dreams have always been so important in all the traditions, as an advance way of studying and understanding the inner universe. The presence as well as the role of 4 elements of which we are made of, their inter-relation and experimentation within us to create who we are physically as well as metaphysically. Dreams fascinate and amaze most people because they can do things in dreams that may not be possible in reality. But, dedramatizing them helps one to unleash & attain the true potential within that was latent for so long. A Mirror of our Memories When we were small children, our parents often comforted us when nightmares disturbed our sleep. “It’s only a bad dream. It’s just your imagination. It’s not real,” they lovingly reassured us, not realizing that dreams are the Universe’s way of communicating the essence of who we truly are. Dreams
are not fanciful illusions; they are not abstract at all. In fact, when we understand Symbolic Language, the language of the Universe, we understand that dreams can be more real than our concrete, everyday reality. How so? Through Symbolic Language, dreams reveal our subconscious; they accurately and precisely reveal our feelings, thoughts, and actions from our past experiences that have been recorded by our soul in the form of memories. Dreams allow us to delve deeper into ourselves to understand how multiple memories continuously influence our day-to-day lives. Through dreams, we understand the origin of our life’s challenges and ways to overcome our obstacles to become more joyful and better beings. Dreams reveal the deepest truths of our subconscious: of who we were, who we are, and the potential of who we will become. It is important that one understands the cause of the problem or situation. It is all about learning the lessons and evolving. One can open the layers of memories to understand the cause through dreams and Omtimes.com
The Meaning of True Redemption By Debbie Peluso
What does the word “redemption� imply? Is it salvation through the sacrifices of a redeemer? Is it forgiveness for ourselves and for others? What is this act of grace? To many, the crucifixion of
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Jesus symbolizes the purging of sins, past and present, and, therefore, salvation. But is this taking spiritual responsibility for ourselves, or is it a justification for future behaviors, believing if we place our faith in an external redeemer we shall be saved? We all make mistakes. Who has not created suffering to another and to oneself by inexcusable actions or malicious words? It seems to be humans’ second nature. The concept of “cause and effect” is for every cause we make, which includes our thoughts and intentions, there is an equal effect. If we judge another, we shall be judged just as harshly, if not more so. Should we participate in an act that creates bodily harm to any human or animal, in some manner, it shall be brought back to us? How the effect manifests vary. It does not always present in an equal fashion. However, some
way…. somehow, whether it be mental anguish, physical discomfort or a myriad of unfortunate events in our lives, it will manifest. That said, is it fair to shift the burden and responsibility onto another to suffer the consequences of our causes? We all know someone in our lives who fulfills that role. Someone, we shift our shame to justify our actions. Jesus shed his blood for us sinners, but was it to save us, or was it to symbolize that through acceptance, forgiveness and following a doctrine that teaches us to live with integrity, righteousness, responsibility, and love, we can be our own redeemers. It does not matter whether you are Christian, Muslim, Hindu or of any other school of thought, we all seek to be liberated from our suffering. This is particularly true after we have undergone a
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4 Steps to Reclaiming Your Self By Karen Ulvestad
It’s time to reclaim ourselves. It’s easy to come second in the busyness of the modern world. Without self, we become weakened by the effects of illness and become unable to adapt to the constantly changing world around
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us. Finding and keep self is the foundation of a happy, balanced life. The modern world is filled with busyness. It demands our attention. Other dominate our time and energy. We struggle to keep up with the rapid pace of change. Sometimes, it feels like we are drowning, and everything becomes overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be this way. The hard part is disconnecting and finding time for self. We exist; therefore, we must invest in ourselves. Without this investment, we get swept away and lose our sense of self. This is one of the gateways to anxiety and depression.
or inner peace. It can be challenging at the start, but practice makes the process of meditation easier. The easier it becomes, the longer the calm is sustained within. There are many different forms of meditation. It is good to find the one that works within one’s life routine. Styles include transcendental, mantra, and mindful (Buddhist). It’s not about the amount of time spent meditating. It is about the quality of the meditation time. 2. Exercise
1. Meditation
Exercise is essential! It helps maintain the physical body. It makes us physically stronger, creates more energy to work through the day, and gives us self-confidence. It releases endorphins into our body, which helps live our mood. We feel more energetic, and better about ourselves.
Meditation is finding time to look inward, tune into the inner self, and be calm. This skill is essential to maintaining yourself in the modern, chaotic world. It helps us work towards an inner calm
To exercise, it requires us to move. It is defined as burning calories for a sustained time frame. The simplest form of exercise is walking. Other forms of exercise include
Here are 4 easy steps to regain balance in the modern world and keep a sense of self.
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Learning How to Embrace the Impossible by Crystal Presence
Acknowledging the exploration of what we know is possible. Embracing what we think is impossible and bringing forth a new experience of what it means to be human. “Our hearts know that a more beautiful world is possible, but our minds do not know how it’s possible.” Charles Eisenstein Omtimes.com
As pioneering spirits, we love to enhance our lives with the exploration of what is possible. We explore with an underlying knowing that what we want can happen. If we envision and dream about it, we know that it can be realized somehow and somewhere. With the rapid growth of technology we also have an understanding that some things that we have considered impossible are inevitable in our lifetime. What if we embrace something that we think is impossible? What if we reach for a state of consciousness that allows us a new context of living, a context that is free of separation, greed, deceit, and war? While some are cynical about humans everchanging, simultaneously there is a growing number of leadingedge thinkers who are stretching their imagination for the possibility of a new humanity. The question becomes how we can make the transition from the old story of separation, competition and self-interest to a new story of connection, empowerment and caring? As the old continuity is breaking
down with the social and ecological crisis, how can we bring forth something new? One way is to stop trying to figure it all out. Creating space to allow new insights to appear on how we can change minds in subtle and empowering ways. A great example is when the United Nations called upon the leading edge transformational coach George Pransky for assistance in changing the minds of law officers who have been participating in horrific acts ofof abuse and torture. Also the many others such as Barbara Mark Hubbard and Jean Houston who are speakers, authors, and facilitators for changing the way we perceive and interact with our world, reminding us how each of us is a unique part of the impulse of creation. The following are tips on how we too can be part of the resolution in bringing forth a new way of being human in our world…. • Willingness to let go of trying, control and manipulation. Allowing ourselves to be guided to new insights, perception, and experiences. Letting go and Omtimes.com
Positive thinking can change your life. If you want to live longer, be happy, healthy and successful, all you have to do is think positive. More and more people (including Doctors and Scientists) are turning to positive thinking because it is a powerful tool for transforming your inner self into amazing
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health generating and selfhealing entity. Optimistic people have discovered that the human mind has the power to turn wishes into reality through positive thinking. Researchers continue to find increasing evidence pointing to the many benefits of positive thinking. According to a Stanford Research Institute study - success is 88 percent positive thinking, and only12 percent education. Positive thinking is an important factor in your ability to succeed in life. Positive thinking is an optimistic state of mind that always sees the bright side of life and focuses on the glass being half full instead of half empty. Positive thinking is a mental attitude that produces constructive results. Positive thinking brings inner satisfaction, happiness, peace and better health; improves relationships and attracts success into your life. While we all have this powerful tool, many of us are not aware of it. Some long-term studies on positive thinking and health have been conducted that confirms it strengthens the
immune system and assists in healing. The evidence so far affirms that it leads to positive outcomes. Perhaps the greatest contribution made by psychology and neuroscience is that positive thinking is linked with virtues like kindness and compassion, and in proving that positive thinking leads to “wealth� of mind, body, and soul. How does the power of positive thinking work? According to psychology, our mind controls our body. You can tap this capability by following a few simple steps. Each person is capable of programming their own mind to achieve what they desire. By learning to direct your thinking, you can change the way you behave and achieve a positive mindset. With a positive mindset, you always expect more joy, happiness, better health, a greater success which also helps you reduce your stress levels. Basically, whatever your mind thinks and believes is what you expect. Anticipate positive situations, and you’ll get positive outcomes. So, taking charge of your mind becomes a vital factor in keeping your body healthy. Omtimes.com
Integrating Our Fragmented Selves and Society by Shuddhaanandaa Brahmachari
It is first necessary to go within and integrate the fragmented parts of our self into a cohesive state of unity so that our mind, body, and spirit flow together in synergy. In such a state whatever Omtimes.com
we do is an act of worship, whatever we think is an act of compassion and love, and we are away from the grip of egotistical efforts. In this state of calm mind, we can then serve the world selflessly as the very embodiments of God. Soul by soul we will move towards unity and peace, and not live in pieces! Ego Splits and Rules Till the Soul Takes Over The most difficult spiritual journey is to first integrate the fragmented parts of our own self. The ego splits and rules till the soul takes over. This crowded state of mind is where the inner voice of conscience, or the divine, is feeble or is not heard at all. As such it is better to be less judgmental about others and be more analytical about one’s own self to walk the path to peace and happiness in life. Our ultimate goal is to heal our divided inner self-talk first through quiet contemplation
and positive affirmations, so the conflicting parts begin to work together with holistic harmony. Like our body’s trillions of cells work together in absolute harmony, so too the different voices of our mind need to be affirmed and guided into wholeness. This individual inner work is absolutely necessary before the fragmented parts of our society can begin to heal and integrate also. Bedtime Self Analysis At the end of the day, it is most important to look back at what we did throughout the day to observe the play of this split persona that constantly runs in our mind. Then we take a vow that the next day in similar situations when we are about to repeat the same mistake, we will be alert and mindful and remind ourselves of our determination not to repeat the mistake. Most of our thoughts and
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