Signs our Body is Giving us
“Never marry a person with bent toes” I heard many years ago. A bent toe always means the Chi-flow is somewhere in the body impeded. The cause can be physical or emotional. Over time that might have effects on our health. Two stories The first one was somebody I saw when I worked for Home Support. When I had spare time I rubbed her feet. The big toe was bent over the next one. I could feel something strange in the big toe and said to the daughter. “There is something not right on the left side of your mother’s brain”. “Yes, the brain is shrinking on that side” was her...
Read MoreThe Reason Why.
Gabriola Art Council and why I live here.Gabriola’s Art Council is the breath of live, of energy on this “Isle of the Arts” community. I’m proud to be a sponsor and member, and an artisan of sorts. I love to write. The late night seems to be my most creative vibe. Turn on a Brazilian rap, lilt the ivories and sink into my keyboard. The words flow. A little of Hemmingway, a little of Wolfe, a little of Martin, a lot of Gabriola. Why do I live here? This ramble has more to do with the isle d ’Gabriola than me. Back a ways, in July I recall of 2002 maybe it was, I...
Read MoreShould I update my logo?
This is a good question and it really depends on many factors. If you no longer feel that your logo reflects your business as you grow and expand then probably you should. On the flipside, if you have a strong logo brand right from the get-go then you might do more harm than good if you update your logo. You know that feeling when you’ve just put a fresh coat of paint in that special room in your home? We all love that crisp clean look, it makes us feel better. And the same thing applies for your logo. The rule of thumb if you want to rebrand your businesses is keep the changes to a...
Read MoreMaria Grant
Probably the first Canadian woman to vote, Maria Grant was the first to hold public office. Maria Heathfield Pollard (Grant) wasn’t the first female social reformer to fight for women’s rights in British Columbia but she was one of the earliest and, ultimately, one of the most influential. Born into an establishment family in Lower Canada in 1854, she moved to Victoria with her parents the year that B.C. joined Confederation, married marine engineer Gordon Grant three years later and promptly bore nine children. A founder of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, she sought to curb the...
Read MoreHandyDART survey results
BC’s Seniors Advocate released resultsof a province-wide survey of almost 7,500 HandyDART users in the province today. The survey highlights that while 91% of users are satisfied with the service when they receive it, almost 1/3 of respondents say it is not meeting, or only moderately meeting, their transportation needs. “Obviously there’s good news here,” said Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie. “People are telling us that across many aspects of this service, things are positive, however we are still concerned that there are a significant number of seniors whose transportation needs...
Read MoreOur P. M. is Playing It Right!
The differences of opinion between my older brother and I best characterize the growing philosophical division between Canada and America. Several years ago, my brother applied for a position with a U.S. company. His high-tech skill set and managerial experience, (and his Canadian-ness), made him an extremely attractive prospect, and he was snapped up. For decades, America’s educational system has fallen far short in training sufficient numbers of people for high tech jobs, and American companies have resorted to bringing in foreign workers to fill their needs. Canadians have always been...
Read Moreabide
In the moments between when we cannot feel the warmth of your hand in mine, the brush of skin on skin and we are open to the world alone unsafe exposed I know that somewhere you are thinking of me knowing that I am treasuring the memory of you, and we abide in our love as in a warm home in winter. by Sandra Leigh. ******************** The Years Have Stolen Everything. There was a time, wasn’t there? when your halting tender breath searching found and touched my diffident skin caught and held me silent held me silent astonished trembling with desire like sudden pain. Do...
Read MoreLife Insurance.
Women who don’t work outside the home do not need life insurance. Women should let men decide if and how much life insurance they need for themselves. Women should let their significant other handle all of the finances. Okay, I am certain some of you immediately realized I am saying the opposite of what is true, but, unfortunately the mindset that ‘women don’t need to worry their pretty little heads about that’ is still around, although not as prevalent as years ago. Too many families rely mainly on the male’s life insurance policy; this does not factor a woman’s contribution to...
Read MoreAging 101
Aging. We all do it. And we all do it differently. Let’s start with the very basics – you can spell it ‘aging’, or ‘ageing’ – either way it’s something you’re doing right this second! Every single reaction going off in every single cell in your body every micro second makes you a little wee bit older. Every single time you put food or beverage in your mouth, or every time you choose to be active or not, you’re making a choice about how you want to age. Let’s look at the major components of intelligent aging. In my mind the three primary pieces of...
Read MoreAre you Listening?
Hearing your Spirit Guides & Energy Beings. In these tumultuous times, many people are seeking answers to the bigger question – are you too? Are you feeling unsure and fearful of what the future holds, in the big picture of politics, economics, and other global events? Are big changes happening in your own life? For 10 years, I have been doing my work as a healer and now, more than ever, my clients are coming to me in fear of the unknown. Many of them are asking me to help them connect with and hear their Spirit Guides, in the hopes of receiving answers to their many questions. Over...
Read MoreIf Winter Comes …
January, the winter month with probably the most shivery feelings involved, this year being no exception, is a month with a dual personality. Even the harsh sound of the month’s name grates on one. But January took its name full of stern consonants from a two–faced god so it does have some redeeming features. The god Janus, supposedly adopted from the Greeks and given a Roman name, is sculpted, painted, and carved as a stern figure whose head looks in two opposite directions, backward and forward. He was known to preside over conflicts and wars; the gates of Roman cities were...
Read MoreRockin’ Risotto.
Nick Misura returned to his native Cowichan Valley a few years ago with a goal of settling down and enjoying his retirement. However, Nick’s love of cooking, good food and a restlessness to do something fun and creative soon took over. Rockin’ Risotto was born in 2015 and Nick has been converting customers to this delicious side-dish ever since! The idea to make packaged risotto came from Nick’s wife, an active member of the Duncan Farmers’ Market’s board of directors. Together, they started testing and tasting different ingredient mixes to come up with recipes which would later...
Read MoreCataracts
Cataracts are one of the most common problems affecting the eyes of the dog. There are many different forms and causes of cataract formation. They affect all breeds and ages of dogs, but certain types show up more commonly in certain breeds. Despite the fact that they are very common, there is still a lot that we do not know about canine cataracts. The only current treatment option is surgery, but with correct patient selection the outcome is very good. This article will explain some of the different forms of cataracts including their age of onset and their treatment options. What are...
Read MoreReflexology for Constipation
Constipation can be an embarrassing topic for some people to discuss, but so many of us can suffer from it, it’s an important conversation to have. How you are digesting and excreting food can also have a big impact on your energy levels and mood. Are you feeling lethargic and depressed? Constipation could be part of the problem. During the winter many of us do not intake the amount of fluids or fruit we need too. It’s natural not to feel the compulsion to intake these foods and fluids in the same way we do in the hot summer months. As a result however, this leads to reduced...
Read MoreCasual Style
The Art of Looking Put Together. Casual-cool is a style that’s been popping up all over the place, from Instagram to the runways of New York Fashion Week. It’s definitely one of my personal favourites, since I’m a lover of all things comfortable. The only problem with the style is it can go from cute to sloppy very quickly, so here are some tips on how to avoid that, and look carefree instead of careless. There are a few simple tricks that can really make all the difference when dressing casually. The t-shirt is a staple which is easy and fun to play up. One of my go-to...
Read MoreLiving In The Light
I have always had a burning desire to understand how the Universe works, what life is all about and the meaning and purpose for which I am here. This is a profound question I have often asked myself. I consider myself foremost a spiritual being. I have spent my life seeking my higher purpose. My faith has been tested many times. On my spiritual path I allow the mystical power of living with consciousness to help guide me through. I believe that each one of us has a true purpose and each one of us is a channel for the Universe. After we are born in the body we forget who we really are...
Read More