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stephaniepizzo

Shambhala Mountain Center hosts “The Courageous Women and Fearless Living Retreat”

by stephaniepizzo on August 11, 2009

Shambhala Mountain Center, the name alone brings an air of peace and tranquility; a welcoming place where Buddhist spirituality is brought to our modern lives in hopes of conscious awakening and ultimate enlightenment. For close to forty years, this 600 acre Colorado mountain valley center has represented one of the basic truths of Buddhism: that people can be profoundly open to the wisdom of the present moment. In accordance with ancient tradition, Shambhala Mountain Center seeks to create an enlightened society where it is understood that humans inherently possess wisdom, compassion and goodness. The Center also boasts hundreds of expert led programs on Buddhist meditation, yoga, and contemplative disciplines.

Each year, Shambhala Mountain Center reaches out to a very special and beautiful group of people, women who have been touched by cancer. On August 26, 2009, women around the world are invited to the inspiring and life changing fourth annual Courageous Women and Fearless Living Retreat.

Shambhala Mountain Center’s team understands the burdens and hardships of cancer; it is an experience that can take the mind and body captive, leaving the victim feeling helpless. They know this invasive disease can be traumatic for earth’s nurturing life givers, so much so that it leads them to question their uniqueness as a woman and who they once knew to be.

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Inspiring Quotes: When Words can be More than Words

Inspiration

Most of us have life mottos that we like to live by, a sort of inspiration to be that better person, or maybe just a motto to get us through everyday life or tough times. Great thinkers before us have shared classic inspirational quotes that will resonate through time, a visionary quote that gives us all that glint of life. Gandhi, Ralph Waldo Emerson (a personal favorite of mine), Albert Einstein, Confucius, Thomas Jefferson, the list could go on for days of great thinkers that have given us words to live by.

Words of inspiration can take us many places. They can evoke in us an awakening to be a better person or enthuse a new direction in life; spark a change. They may help us get through times that seem like an unbearable slump we will never escape from or teach us to love, be happy with what we have, and just appreciate yourself and the earth that you came from. To be able to share a quote that you believe in, a quote that drives you and inspires positivity; to be able to share that with another person is something special, especially when it touches them in a way that births new thoughts or a new way of life.

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Anti-Up! A Quick View into Antioxidants, Free Radicals, and Your Body

Alternative Therapies

Recently there has been a ton of build up about antioxidants: drink green tea, eat pomegranates, try acai juice! All the hype is not totally overrated, evidence has been shown that antioxidants slow or reduce cancer and other diseases by fighting free radicals. Most of us already know that antioxidants are good cancer fighting agents, and free radicals are bad cancer causing molecules. What most of us don’t understand is what these guys actually do for… or to the body, and the science of it all. Let’s take a look and comprehend how antioxidants and free radicals work.

Antioxidants & Free Radicals

Free radicals (aka oxidants) are naturally found in our body as the by-product of cells that react with oxygen, called oxidation reactions. They are highly unstable and reactive. Before I get scientific, let’s kick it back to high school chemistry and see what we can remember through the note passing and drooling. Atoms have protons and neutrons which stay in the nucleus, and electrons which surround the atom in shells. Electrons are involved in chemical reactions and are the substance that bonds atoms together. The bonding and reactions occur when the outer shell of electrons is not full, causing the atom to be unstable. All atoms want out of life is to be stable, so they bond with fellow unstable atoms by giving, taking, or sharing an electron.

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Medical Marijuana: a sticky situation for Cancer Patients!

Alternative Therapies

*Photo Credit: NORML.org

For centuries, marijuana has been used as an herbal therapy to treat an array of ailments. It was seen as early as 2737 B.C. when the Chinese Emperor Shen Neng prescribed marijuana tea for the treatment of gout, malaria, rheumatism, and oddly enough… poor memory .The mysterious healing powers were a phenomenon in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and ancient Greece. It even made its way over to Jamaica where Bob Marley enjoyed the feel good effect! Today, marijuana has proven itself to assist in treatments and ease the symptoms of common diseases like cancer.

There are currently thirteen states that have legalized the use of medical marijuana and a handful of other states that are considering passing the bill. California is one of the biggest advocates for Medical Mary, and is the only state to utilize “dispensaries” to sell medical grade cannabis. However, most states won’t give medical marijuana a second glance due to the FDA’s claim that it has a high potential for abuse. So, why don’t we clear the smoke out of the room and weed out some facts.