In This Issue |
· Feature
· Green
· Bau-biologie and Ecology
· Conscious Design Tips
· Money Corner
· Product Spotlight
· Sacred Space
· Feng Shui
· Ask Conscious Design
· Nature Notes
· Stone Power
· Conscious Real Estate
· Astrology by June Crane
· Profile
· News Briefs
· The I-Ching Connection
· Essential Oils for Healing |
Home Therapy Workshop |
Toby Israel Consulting, Inc.
429 Walnut Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540
Session 1 April 14, 21 & 28, 2010 - Session B April 15, 22 & 29, 2010
Redecorating? Remodeling? Buying a new home OR Stuck? In transition? Not sure what move to make next?
In this series of three interactive workshops, Dr. Toby Israel will help you "design from within" to create a home that not only looks good, but supports your positive growth and change
Learn More: |
The Four Pillars of Destiny with Jon Sandifer & Gill Hale |
Hampton Wick
Surrey
UK
Sunday 11th April 2010
An opportunity to spend a day with two of the most experienced practitioners of Ba Zi in the UK. Gill and Jon have spent many years not only studying this topic, but also discussing case histories amongst themselves. Today is an opportunity for you to share and learn from their knowledge and insights of charts.
Essentially, they'll show you how to look into a Four Pillars chart and know how to look for the hot times when we can move forward without any concern, and the potential down times when we perhaps need to focus more on our health and wellbeing. Lots of examples. It is essential that you have a working knowledge of how to calculate a chart and know the combinations and clashes of the elements. Contact: jon@fengshui.co.uk
http://www.fengshui.co.uk/Workshops.php |
Green Building Tour |
Warren and Sussex County, NJ, USA
Starting point Vass Farmstead
White Lake
Hardwick, NJ
Saturday May 15th
1-5pm
A new take on the garden tour, this event is designed to provide the public with working examples of green design and sustainable building and resource use. The Green Building Tour is part of Sustainable Jersey Programs and funded by The Wal-Mart Foundation. This house tour features examples of many green designs including solar, wind, geothermal, green materials, and water conservation.
www.hardwick-nj-projectevergreen.us |
A Journey to the Sacred Sites of New Mexico with June Crane and Sam Tso |
June 3 - 7 2010
We invite you on a trip of both spiritual discovery & adventure in the "Land of Enchantment". Come be inspired by the power & mystery present in the "Four Corners" region, land of fire & water.
New Mexico is the South-Eastern corner of what is known to the Indigenous Cultures as the "Four-Corner" region, or the spiritual boundaries of their ancestral home. Your journey will take you into these lands of fire & water.
More Details |
Tree Whispering- Harmonize with Global Transformations by Being with Trees |
Omega Institute
Rhinebeck, NY
June 4,5, and 6, 2010
THIS CLASS DESIGNED FOR THE OMEGA INSTITUTE!! Trees are generous beings. We appreciate their gifts of oxygen, cooling, food and inspiration. Let's return the favor by becoming their healers and protectors.
www.treewhispering.com
www.eomega.org |
CLEARING YOUR WAY TO AN AMAZING LIFE |
The New England School of Feng Shui
Woodbury, CT
Friday, April 30 through Tuesday, May 4, 2010
CLEARING YOUR WAY TO AN AMAZING LIFE: A 5 Day Certificate-Optional Journey with Author and Renown Space Clearing Professional, STEPHANIE BENNETT VOGT
www.newenglandfengshui.com |
Retreat in Ireland - with Michael Rice |
Michael Rice's Sacred Geometry design retreat center
Ireland
JUNE 11-17
A chance for you to work first hand with Michael and his masterful builders who specialize in integrating curves, golden mean ratio's, and much more. You will build a sacred geometry meditation space as part of this retreat This live-in retreat focuses on the applications of sacred geometry to design, architecture, graphic, landscape and interior design. It is ideal for framers, builders, developers, architects, designers, Feng Shui and Sacred Geometry practitioners as well as interested folk who want to discover the fastest and most optimal methods of building sacred architecture and creating sacred space.
Bookings: info@fengshuiseminars.com |
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Dear Conscious Design friends,
Our April issue moves us officially into spring ! I know you will enjoy the stained glass feature by Diantha Harris, color expert and colleague from the Pyramid School of Feng Shui. We want to thank Aroon Ajmera for his great contributions. Check out the on-demand switch created by Safe Technologies to reduce our exposure to EMF fields.
With Gratitude,
Renae |
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 Feature
A Feng Shui Journey to Self-Transformation
By
Aroon Ajmera
Born in India, and after graduating from New York University in 1961 with a master's degree in Business administration, I was happily settled in London, with a nice consultancy job for a financial group of companies for 23 years. My family life was fulfilled with excellent relationship with my wife, children and elders and exciting creative hobbies such as photography and music. Life's Journey was smooth but at times I felt that in a sense there was something lacking in it. I did not know what.
It all began in 1995, when my wife decided to call a Feng Shui consultant to our home for advice, when I hardly understood the meaning of self-transformation. I am glad I did not scoff as after we made few changes; I found that things changed remarkably for better. Followers of Feng Shui believe that invisible cosmic energy forces called 'Chi' influence our lives and by using Feng Shui principles in your environment you can not only lift the energy of your home to make it harmonious and supportive but also fulfil your goals and aspirations.
The literal meaning of Feng Shui is wind water or in terms your own personal energy it can be compared to your blood and breath. When the quality of these in your body is imbalanced, you feel unwell, you see your doctor. He would prescribe some medication, diet, exercise regime and sleep timetable to rebalance the energy and your vitality. A Feng Shui consultant does the same thing by prescribing plants, colours, mirrors, crystals, water fountains, pictures, sculptures, wind chimes and so on in order that the energy in your environment is rebalanced and that your home or your office becomes supportive. In order to do this effectively, he even looks at your date of birth to see your heaven's energy or the energy of your time through your life's journey so that you take advantage of your auspicious time frames to be in the right place at the right time. In this entire process, a Feng Shui consultant needs to ask you to do some self-reflection analysis so that he can see what you wish to achieve or upgrade in your life to be happier. Image precedes reality and our creativity is limited only by our imagination and hence visualisation process is also important.
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 Green
A Safe and Green Nursery
Here are some guidelines for creating a healthy nursery for your beautiful newborn. Their environment needs top priority to keep them safe and happy. It is important to reduce their exposure to any toxic chemicals.
Wall Treatments:
Prepare the walls as far in advance as possible - a month would be ideal ! Be sure to choose a naturally-made or low-VOC paint.
"If your home was built before 1978 or if the paint in your house is cracking, chipping or peeling you may want to have a professional test for lead paint, which is hazardous to your child 's health. " For more information, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website at www.EPA.gov/lead or call the National Lead Information Center at (800) 424-5323.
Floor Treatments:
Avoid the standard "carpet sales", as they release toxins into the room. There are many great choices. If you are keeping the current flooring, clean it very well and well in advance of the baby's arrival.
Carpets can harbor dust mites and allergens, and new synthetic carpets can off-gas VOCs. Hardwood floors with comfortable area rugs are a healthier alternative, but the wood should come from sustainably managed forests and be finished with a natural or nontoxic sealer, unless it was finished years earlier
Read More:
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 Bau-biologie and Ecology
Is Your Morning Shower Dangerous to Your Health?
By
Melody Chan Graves
Ecodynamic Living Solutions
Most of us take for granted our morning shower.
We bathe to cleanse ourselves and prepare for the busy day ahead. But what most of us don't realize is that showering presents another chronic exposure to toxic chlorine.
Chlorine is used as part of most chemical disinfection processes at city water treatment plants and is a potent irritant when vapors are inhaled. Exposure to chlorinated water and its byproducts has been linked to asthma, eczema, bladder cancer, and heart disease.1
Perhaps the greatest risk of exposure to chlorine occurs in chlorinated swimming pools, but unless you swim every day, your greatest source of exposure is your drinking and bathing water. Many people purify their drinking water of chlorine with carbon-filter faucet attachments and filter pitchers; however, carbon filters aren't the best choice for bathing water. But there is another product on the market that works great on chlorinated water in the bathroom. It's called KDF, and it's a granulated brass alloy composed of copper and zinc. Installed in various types and sizes of shower attachments, KDF provides a great solution for eliminating the chlorine in your shower. Below is a list of some of the most important features of KDF, and why it works better than carbon.
This information is in agreement with the Institute for Bau-Biologie® & Ecology (IBE). IBE is a non-profit organization that promotes the holistic study of human health in relation to the built environment and the natural environment. The principles of Bau-Biologie®, or Building Biology, are based on the concept that buildings can and should function in harmony with nature and human life. To learn more, visit www.buildingbiology.net.
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 Conscious Design Tips
By
Robin Lennon
Inner Design by Robin Lennon
Want to make a great first impression?
Try this tip from Inner Design's Robin Lennon
We all want others we meet to feel comfortable with us, especially if we are meeting someone for the first time, seeing a client, making a presentation or giving a talk. One way to improve your chances of having others at ease is to utilize the Eye Extension Color technique. Just match a major part of your attire or an accessory like a scarf, necklace, top or jacket to the color of your eyes.
Studies have shown that doing so will influence others, put them more at ease than they might otherwise be, have them feel more trusting of you be more open to hearing what you have to say.
Of course, your people skills and especially your listening skills may play a larger role in your ability to persuade your audience but using the Eye Extension Color technique can be another fashion tool you will find useful in many aspects of your life.
www.innerdesigns.com
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 Money Corner
Bathroom Tips to Save Money
In Feng Shui, it is well known that bathrooms are considered an area of Financial drain, so what can we do to shift the financial drain and convert in into a money saving and enhancing space?
Along Feng Shui guidelines, always keep that lid closed. Paint colors, elemental enhancements, and proper placement are key in healthy bathroom design.
There are many more tips we can apply to make this space save us dollars! "From our toilets to our tubs, roughly 60 percent of a home's water consumption takes place in the bathroom, according to the California Urban Water Conservation Council."
Here are some tips to conserve water and money:
Showerheads
The very popular multi-head shower systems can send about 80 gallons per minute down the drain. Consider purchasing a low flow showerhead. They offer a variety of different types and different price ranges from $10.00 to $120.00. Look for a 2.5 Gallon per Minute showerhead.
Read More:
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 Product Spotlight
Demand Switches
Safe Living Technologies Inc. are leaders of EMF - electromagnetic fields- prevention technology in North America.
It is their mission is to provide knowledge and scientifically proven EMF technology to help detect, protect and prevent the negative effects of electromagnetic fields on the human body.
Many studies have proven that constant exposure to electrical and magnetic fields, emitted by all electrical wiring in the walls, can be detrimental to our health.
Sleeping areas are typically surrounded by a curtain of Electric Fields from live house wiring. The offending wiring is located inside the ceilings, walls and floors and is used to supply power to lights and receptacles in a particular room.
Their automatic demand switches work quite simply by shutting off the electricity at the fuse box. For example, if a switch is installed on a lighting circuit in the bedroom , the switch will automatically sense when the last light on that circuit is turned off at night. At this point the automatic switch has determined there is no demand for electricity and turns off the electricity at the fuse box. Therefore there is no voltage present in the wires beyond the fuse box, eliminating electric fields on this wiring circuit. This is a simple yet 100% effective method of protection from electric fields emitted by this lighting circuit. With the demand switch installed, our cells will be able to repair themselves naturally as we sleep.
In the morning, when you awake and switch on the lights, the automatic switch senses a demand for electricity and automatically restores electricity to this circuit for normal operation. In most cases, the demand switch is the most effective way of eliminating unwanted electric fields in the bedroom.
www.safelivingtechnologies.ca
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 Sacred Space
A Healing Tradition:Stained Glass
By
Diantha Harris, ASID, FSII, IAC
"Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways."
Oscar Wilde
When my husband and I were raising our children, the church we attended was blessed with several Louis Comfort Tiffany windows. Every Sunday we enjoyed their beauty and color along with the music and inspirational words we heard. It was always a wonderful experience for me.
And it seems that wonder and inspiration is shared by many. On my blog a reader mentioned the stained glass and music at her church in Dunedin, New Zealand: "One of the things I really love is the mix of gorgeous, soul-stirring music and the beauty of the light shining through the stained glass windows of the Cathedral."
It is no accident that our churches developed a tradition of combining stained glass with music. Color has been used for healing for centuries. Before Christ, the cultures of Egypt and Greece were known for their temples of healing, which had "stained glass windows" of each color. People would have a consultation and be placed in the room or rooms with the color that related to their issue(s). For example, if someone had depleted energy they would no doubt have been placed in the room with red windows, and if they had heart problems the destination would likely have been the room with green windows.
Read More:
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 Feng Shui
Feng Shui Secrets for Bedrooms
By
Aroon Ajmera
A bedroom is much more than a room at the end of the hall. It is where we spend close to a third of our lives; Sleeping, making love, worrying, laughing and also some of us pass it on to the next generation.
From the Feng Shui perspective, we need to arrange this room absolutely right. How do we achieve this? This article will give some simple steps and suggestions for implementation to create a sanctuary, which can create not only a physical union of two souls spending the life together but also an emotional bond. The success of love and life together depends on what kind of vibrations you can create in this most important space in your home.
There are a number of suggestions. Deal with them one at a time and do not expect the results overnight. We live in vibrational world and what we see, hear, smell, touch and feel in our environment influences us to create our ideal world, happiness and harmony.We have three layers, which affect our wellbeing. Our skin, our clothing and our space in the home.Bedroom in your home is your inner sanctum where you are at your most vulnerable while you sleep and recharge your ch'i. What you want in your bedroom is, it to be a place of quiet and refuge where the cares and concerns of the day can be left behind. Is it a yin filled quiet place or bursting with yang?
Check it out yourself-take this article with you in your bedroom and see how many things you need to readjust. Please bear in mind that this article uses the method used by Intuitive Feng Shui® practitioners and follows the 3-door gate system (not Compass) and also uses the advice from the form school.
Learn the secrets:
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 Ask Conscious Design
A home that says ME!
How do I create a home that is truly me?
CK
Morristown, NJ
We asked Pat MacKay of Interior Therapy, a NJ based Interior Design Consultation
Creating a home that suits you:
Good design starts not with asking what shade of blue goes with what, but rather by defining the function and parameters of what the design requires. And then having FUN determining your needs, the space requirements, traffic patterns, lighting sources, great color choices and more.
Budget : Working with your budget - It is important to clearly define the costs and fees once we determine, together, what your project scope is. Want to do the shopping yourself? That's OK. Want help with just color selection and layout? Fine and dandy. We respect you. You guide the process. Communication and clarity are the key.
Feng Shui : Feng Shui is an intricate part of a good design. Nothing too "out there" is going on. Based on the ancient eastern principles of proper placement to enhance the effect of our surroundings, Pyramid Feng Shui applies current, proven studies in behavioral science, neuro science, psychology of design and color, sociology and more to not only help you achieve the optimum surroundings, but to analyze effectively what YOU need.
Space Analysis: We are all in need of comfortable surroundings. And we have to walk, run, jump and play our way around them. Even at work. Free flow of traffic throughout your space is critical to your comfortable use of your home or office. Include a proper space analysis to make your home flow.
Pat MacKay is a New Jersey based Interior Designer educated at Rutgers University and Parsons School of Design.
Pyramid School of Feng Shui certified. Member of the Feng Shui Institute of America.
Phone 973-271-7398
www.interiortherapynj.com
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 Nature Notes
Witch Hazel
The Witch hazel shrub is a great addition to add fragrance and color to your winter garden. At a time when few plants are blooming, witch hazel adds sparkle to the landscape with bunches of yellow to cream flowers.
Plant your Witch hazel in a mixed shrub border or use it to add height in the back of a perennial border. It is great as a transitional plant between tended gardens and wilder natural areas. It has high wildlife value, providing seeds for birds.
Consider planting witch hazel where you can enjoy the fragrance mid-winter, such as in an entry garden or near a path or patio.
Witch hazel has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. It is still a common ingredient in soaps, face washes and shampoos. One of the first commercial products in the US was Pond's Extract, made from witch hazel.
Witch Hazel is associated with divining or dowsing for water, using a forked branch to locate underground springs. This was done with true hazel in Europe, and when settlers in North America found a similar looking plant, they used it for the same purpose.
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 Stone Power
An Olympian Gift : Moonstone
By
Deana Schimmenti
Deana is a Healer and Reiki Practitioner working primarily through the energy and vibrations of crystals, stones and the earth.
The Greeks called her Selene. The Romans called her Luna. By any name, she was a powerful Goddess. The Moon Goddess is the patron of the feminine. She could ease childbirth and inspire love. A powerful deity, she had the power to both mask reality and pierce illusions. She was also gifted with the power to awaken intuition and spark psychic visions. Since she reigned over the heavens at night, she had the ability to influence through dreams; when the conscious mind was at rest and the subconscious mind had a chance to process that which could not otherwise be acknowledged. It was for this reason that the Moon Goddess was often referred to as the patron of solutions. The Triple Moon Goddess in her new, full, and dark phases was a model for the feminine nature in her entirety as maiden, mother and crone.
Named for the Moon Goddess, Moonstone is used to call upon all of the same powers once bestowed upon her. Moonstone enhances intuition and will awaken psychic abilities. Placed under your pillow when you sleep, it will help you to remember your dreams and thereby help to decipher their meaning.
Read More:
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 Conscious Real Estate
Green Home in Virginia
TERRA CIELO - A Beautiful Conscious Design and holistic home in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Asking Price (US$): $549,000
Includes: Alternative finishes, energy efficient, feng shui design, ancient geometric principles and astral alignments, non toxic finishes and environment and alternative heat sources.
Terra Cielo has a maintenance free exterior, with colored stucco siding, copper roofing and downspouts and aluminum clad wood windows from Lincoln. The flooring is Bamboo, Cork and Stained concrete with radiant heating. Finishes include marble and granite counters, Maple and cherry cabinets and counter, and custom lighting. The home is situated to take advantage of passive solar gain, and has remote operable skylights to maintain air flow.
Listing on Green Homes for Sale:
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 Astrology by June Crane
Astrology for April 2010
June Crane is a professional astrologer, intuitive consultant and teacher with over 25 years experience. Specializing in personal, electional and relocation astrology she is a certified Astro*Carto*Graphy interpreter and Level III NCGR.
April 8, Saturn(SA) moves back into Virgo and makes its next to last opposition (conflict) to Uranus(UR) on 4/26, but it will certainly impact the whole month of April thru July 21.
This ongoing opp. has stimulated the many crises that we are dealing with on global, national and personal levels. Those most effected this month will have natal planets at the 27,28,29' of the mutable signs Gemini, Virgo**, Sagittarius, Pisces**.
President Obama has SA sitting on his progressed Sun at 29 Virgo, making it very hard for him to make headway in any programs until later in the summer. This combo started on election day 2008 and will finish 1st week August 2010.
Read more
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 Profile
Alayne Abrahams
Fairies, angels and the human figure permeate the fantastical, sometimes whimsical watercolors of award winning artist, Alayne Abrahams.
Ms. Abrahams was the recipient of the prestigious 2007 ARTV Muse award in the Drawing Category. This is an international competition and is considered to be the Grammy Awards of the Fine Arts.
Trained in art since childhood, Alayne completed a Certificate of Fine Arts degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Md., and a Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Maryland.
Ms. Abrahams has recently begun to accept private commissions for fairy portraits and spiritual/healing portraits. She works from photographs to create one of a kind paintings which can become family heirlooms handed down from generation to generation. Healing portraits are designed to honor those who have lost loved ones. These custom art works are a collaborative effort between artist and customer.
ARTIST statement: " I believe that looking at
something beautiful, colorful and ethereal has the power to elevate our consciousness and shift our energy to a level above the ordinary. Ultimately, if that higher level of 'Being' is maintained, I believe that we then have the potential to change our world for the better of all who inhabit it."
www.Alayneabrahams.com
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 News Briefs
New Super-Insulating Smart Roof From Cooking Oil
Scientists just announced that they've found a great new use for used cooking oil - and it doesn't have anything to do with a VW bus. They've figured out how to turn the waste from your favorite greasy foods into a "bio-coating" for roofs that regulates temperature in hot and cold weather. Previously, temperature control roofs only worked to cool buildings - paint your roof white and it doesn't absorb heat. The unique chemical properties of the new coating allow it to reflect light in the summer and then change roles in the winter to retain heat.
The lead scientist on the project, Ben Wen, Ph.D., is the vice-president of United Environment & Energy LLC in Horsehead, New York. The team manipulated used cooking oil into a non-toxic, unscented and non-flammable coating that can be created in any color from clear to black.
In addition, the substance can be manipulated so that it is in tune with different climates. The scientists are able to control the polymer so that it changes from reflection to insulation mode at different temperatures. Wen believes the coating could be ready for commercial use in 3 years. So don't grab a deep fryer and coat your shingles just yet - you should be able to get the real thing soon.
United Environment & Energy
Via TG Daily
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 The I-Ching Connection
By
Jon Sandifer
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times
The I Ching still remains unsurpassed as a blueprint for the universe. So, its longevity as the oldest book in continuous use is hardly surprising.
The universal laws embodied in the trigrams and hexagrams of the 5000 year old treatise have meant that its application has over the millennia embraced all fields of human endeavour, including medicine, philosophy, religion, and, of course, astrology.
The ancient Chinese regarded humans as elements of time - and as in western astrology the time of birth determines and reflects our character and personality. In I Ching Astrology, the astrological profile is built from the Birth, Inner and Outer stars which are all represented by a particular trigram.
See the I-Ching Video :
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 Essential Oils for Healing
Transformation Oil
Ready for a shift?
Try this powerful blend of Lemon (Citrus limon), peppermint (Mentha piperita), sandalwood (Santalum album), clary sage (Abies balsamea), frankincense (Bowswellia carteri), balsam fir (Idaho), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and cardamom (Elettaria cardmomum).
Transformation Oil empowers and upholds changes you want to make in your belief system. By replacing negative beliefs with revitalizing new thought patterns, a transformation in behaviors, emotions, and attitudes is possible.
www.youngliving.org/fengshuioils
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Aloha Fengshui of the Heart Journey and Retreat
Maui, Hawaii
April 18-24 2010
ALOHA- Our ability and willingness to forgive, to begin anew and to see the light before us Kumu Kawaikapu'ukalani Hewitt
A sacred journey into your self and your space to acknowledge, purify, and expand.
Create room for transformation and the manifestation of your Heart's Desires.
On the magical isle of Maui, on the sacred "aina" land of Hale' H'lomana retreat center.
http://fengshuioftheheart.wordpress.com/
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June Crane's Predictions 2010
June's Prediction 2010 Lecture is now available on 90 min. mp3 download, cost is $40.
Payment options: www.paypal.com to junec11@aol.com or check to:
June Crane 1212 H El Camino Real #251, San Bruno CA 94066
What do you need to know about 2010? Important information will be presented on the new reality of our economic, financial & real estate markets, the wave of new business & career frontiers, as well as, scientific & medical breakthroughs. Global events will be discussed with a highlight on politically & environmentally sensitive areas. We are entering into an extraordinary & dynamic year when many exciting opportunites lie ahead to rebuild and create a more authentic way of living & working, more supportive for ourselves, for our neighbors, for our planet.
June's past predictions have proven extremely accurate: In the USA election, a wildcard candidate will come from behind and overtake the 2 leading candidates w/ a campaign of 'putting America back to work', collapse of financial & corporate institutions, decline of real estate markets, extreme weather patterns (flooding @ Mississippi River, fires in CA), security issues, emerging job markets ...Her information was very specific and posted a red flag for the economy as early as 2005. Material is presented in a manner so that NO astrological knowledge is needed!
How will the dynamic planetary picture for 2010 affect you? The 2nd part of the lecture will provide valuable insight for each sign of the Zodiac. Which signs will be most impacted and how we all will be offered opportunities to share our special talents with the world. June will share dates of when each sign can expect important events to occur in the areas of love, money and career. |
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