EASY SALAD DRESSINGS ~ TANGY AVOCADO BASIL
LIFE SAVING RECIPES: regenerateyourlife.org DAN #39;S DONATION LINK bit.ly INSIDERS CLUB: regenerateyourlife.org OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE: facebook.com SOPHIA #39;S BLOG: sophiaexisting.blogspot.com EAT RAW FOOD HEALTH WEALTH HAPPINESS BEAUTY LONGEVITY DIGESTION CANCER HEALING ENVIRONMENT ORGANIC FRUITS VEGETABLES SUCCESS ABUNDANCE HEALTHY FOODS KIDS WEIGHT LOSS TISSUE REGENERATION HOPE DETOXIFICATION FASTING SPIRITUALITY SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT HERBS SELF MASTERY ENERGY SKIN HAIR EYES NAILS SEXY TRIM SIX PACK ABS JUST PLAIN AWESOMENESSFrom:liferegeneratorViews:1921 378ratingsTime:10:35More inHowto Style

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EASY SALAD DRESSINGS ~ TANGY AVOCADO BASIL - Video

LEARN HOW TO INCREASE ENERGY, VITALITY AND HEALTH
LIFE SAVING RECIPES: regenerateyourlife.org DAN #39;S DONATION LINK bit.ly INSIDERS CLUB: regenerateyourlife.org OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE: facebook.com SOPHIA #39;S BLOG: sophiaexisting.blogspot.com EAT RAW FOOD HEALTH WEALTH HAPPINESS BEAUTY LONGEVITY DIGESTION CANCER HEALING ENVIRONMENT ORGANIC FRUITS VEGETABLES SUCCESS ABUNDANCE HEALTHY FOODS KIDS WEIGHT LOSS TISSUE REGENERATION HOPE DETOXIFICATION FASTING SPIRITUALITY SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT HERBS SELF MASTERY ENERGY SKIN HAIR EYES NAILS SEXY TRIM SIX PACK ABS JUST PLAIN AWESOMENESS ENERGY VITALITY MAKEUP HAIR NAILS BEAUTY SEXY LOVE HAPPINESS JOY PEACE LIFEFrom:liferegeneratorViews:2907 148ratingsTime:37:27More inHowto Style

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LEARN HOW TO INCREASE ENERGY, VITALITY AND HEALTH - Video

Welcome to New Dawn Transformation Ministries
Dr. Naazir Ra, founding visionary. New Dawn Transformation Ministries is a movement in higher spiritual awareness and scholarship that teaches an accelerated path to spiritual enlightenment and growth by marrying the sacred scriptures with the truths revealed through science and metaphysics. We believe that there is a new dawn rising on our planet, a world were spiritual enlightenment is the focus and all people are treated with the respect and honor that they deserve. We also believe very strongly in personal responsibility and encourage humanity to step up to their power! "The Universe is not a vast welfare system, you must EARN your wings, you MUST chart your course and YOU must take action! The savior you are looking for is reading these words now. The savior is YOU!" -Dr. Naazir Ra Please visit our website for more information: http://www.NewDawnTransformation.com new dawn transformation metaphysical church temple congregation hidden power university advanced metaphysics lectures education degree certification naazir raFrom:naazirraViews:6 1ratingsTime:10:14More inEducation

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Welcome to New Dawn Transformation Ministries - Video

Accoutrements Cat Buddha Statue
Special Price Link: http://www.demizzy.com Unique cat buddha statue stands 5 #39; (12.7 cm) tall Heavy polystone sculpture Fun gift for anyone seeking spiritual enlightenment A must have for the dog lover who has everythingFrom:MelissaRFaganCViews:0 0ratingsTime:00:42More inPeople Blogs

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Accoutrements Cat Buddha Statue - Video

Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing - Jed Mckenna
ll4.me Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing - Jed Mckenna Author, teacher and spiritual master Jed McKenna tells it like it #39;s never been told before. A true American original, Jed succeeds where countless others have failed by reducing this highest of attainments--Spiritual Enlightenment--to the simplest of terms. A must-read for anyone on the spiritual path. (The e-book version contains 20 pages of exclusive bonus content: A preview chapter from Jed #39;s next book and two interviews with Jed McKenna.)Author: McKenna, Jed Publisher: Wisefool Press Illustration: N Language: ENG Title: Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing Pages: 00000 (MicrosoftReader.lit) / 00000 (Encrypted PDF) On Sale: 2002-11-01 SKU-13/ISBN: 9780971435261 Category: Body, Mind Spirit : Spirituality - General Author, teacher and spiritual master Jed McKenna tells it like it #39;s never been told before. A true American original, Jed succeeds where countless others have failed by reducing this highest of attain jed mckenna, body, mind, spirit, spirituality, generalFrom:cherylbolles324Views:0 0ratingsTime:00:10More inPeople Blogs

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Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing - Jed Mckenna - Video

Amazing God
Under the directions of Sister Monica Bryant, The Spiritual Enlightenment Team AKA (SET) ministers to the young people in Plant City Florida. A ministry of American Sign LanguageFrom:GeraldineDavisViews:9 0ratingsTime:07:25More inPeople Blogs

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Amazing God - Video

SAVORY VEGGIE WRAPS ~ 60 SECONDS TO RAW VEGAN HEALTH FOOD
LIFE SAVING RECIPES: regenerateyourlife.org DAN #39;S DONATION LINK bit.ly INSIDERS CLUB: regenerateyourlife.org OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE: facebook.com SOPHIA #39;S BLOG: sophiaexisting.blogspot.com EAT RAW FOOD HEALTH WEALTH HAPPINESS BEAUTY LONGEVITY DIGESTION CANCER HEALING ENVIRONMENT ORGANIC FRUITS VEGETABLES SUCCESS ABUNDANCE HEALTHY FOODS KIDS WEIGHT LOSS TISSUE REGENERATION HOPE DETOXIFICATION FASTING SPIRITUALITY SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT HERBS SELF MASTERY ENERGY SKIN HAIR EYES NAILS SEXY TRIM SIX PACK ABS JUST PLAIN AWESOMENESSFrom:liferegeneratorViews:6277 316ratingsTime:01:08More inHowto Style

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SAVORY VEGGIE WRAPS ~ 60 SECONDS TO RAW VEGAN HEALTH FOOD - Video

AzTehnique- Lost in Ancient Land (Kromatic Instrumental)
The first verse on this amazing instrumental, enjoy. Lyrics; Verse one: Ive been sent with a wise intent of spiritual enlightenment, to silence men with righteousness rising to a hightend sense, allusively discrete so much so that you shouldn #39;t see me, truthfully i speak spinal shivers like a verbal Kundalini, but I #39;m sick of waiting stuck in this tomb like mummification, underrated but i stick to the path don #39;t peer into the unrelated, time is traded for life that #39;s basically fading inside the matrix, human race find and trace it back to an ancient Mayan script, then to Egypt to find secrets written in ancient hieroglyph, a voice with such power that heavens are shook when it #39;s said, and our history devoured like the Tibetan book of the dead, inside the giant pyramid blocks is were the famous art is kept, aligned up astronomically by and ancient architect, i reach different conscious states like hard hallucinogenics, finding insight and wisdom with calm and useful genetics, of the Annunaki knowledge of the past, the future and present.From:Adam wattsViews:41 1ratingsTime:01:25More inMusic

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AzTehnique- Lost in Ancient Land (Kromatic Instrumental) - Video

MVI 0292 mpeg2video
This is a sermon for people who are at the end of their rope and would like to start on the path of new life. The Greek word for "roadside" is "hodos" - it means two things, both a road and a path of spiritual enlightenment. This sermon, based on the Gospel lesson Mark 10:46-52, talks about a man at the end of his rope and how he started on a hodos with Jesus.From:fatherdavidmarshallViews:0 0ratingsTime:16:20More inPeople Blogs

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classical by swami chitanya swarup
Swami Shree Chaitanyaswarup had the inclination towards Bhakti Marg from his very childhood, and hence like his Guru Swami Shreevallabhdasji he also chose to lead an ascetic life which helped him to fulfil his yearning for making Hindustani Music as part of life for spiritual solace. He had the initial training in music under the Haveli Sangeetkar Shri Vithaldas Bapodra at Junagadh under whose guidance he completed Sangeet Visharad from the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. He was thereafter fortunate to find a Guru like Swami Shreevallabhdas, a disciple of Aftab -- E -- Mousiqui Ustad Faiyaz Hussain Khan of Agra Gharana, from whom he had the training in music under the traditional Guru -- Shishya Parampara and also the deeper spiritual enlightenment in the Bhakti Marg of Swaminarayan Sampradaya as he spent his life at the feet of his Guru till his death in 1972. Out of his love, reverence and loyalty to his Guru, Swami Chaitanyaswarup dedicated his entire life as a moral binding and obligation for continuing his Guru #39;s mission in propagating Education and Culture through Shreevallabh Sikshan Sangeet Ashram in Mumbai of which he is one of the Trustees. He also manages the smooth running of the Gurukul Ashram at Killa Pardi in Gujarat State which is an International Education and Cultural Centre After the death of his Guru Swami Shreevallabhdas, Swami Chaitanyaswarup had the fortune to learn music in the Guru -- Shishya Parampara under one of the most learned musicologist and ...From:chitanya SwamiViews:0 0ratingsTime:12:12More inMusic

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classical by swami chitanya swarup - Video

A self-proclaimed spiritual leader from Yelm won a legal victory in her attempt to keep politically damaging videos of her off the internet.

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Court order keeps spiritual leader's videos off the Internet

Acid Test: Solo show. By Lynne Kaufman. Directed by Joel Mullennix. Through Nov. 24. The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. 75 minutes. $15-$50. (415) 826-5750. http://www.themarsh.org.

Seeking spiritual enlightenment is a funny occupation in "Acid Test," the new play about Ram Dass at the Marsh Berkeley. That's funny as in peculiar as well as laugh-packed, neither of which should come as any surprise to longtime followers of the LSD, Hindu-and-other-paths enthusiast.

Anyone who ever attended any of his lectures, saw one of his talks in any form or isn't one of the few who survived the 1970s in the Bay Area without reading "Be Here Now" knows Ram Dass can be a very funny man. And the joy at the heart of Lynne Kaufman's new play - another Marsh world premiere - is the deftness with which she captures his playful dance on the edge of one illumination after another. That, and a pitch-perfect performance by Warren David Keith.

The short solo play doesn't attempt to give us a full biography. Though subtitled "The Many Incarnations of Ram Dass," it focuses on a few key, isolated episodes from his life.

"Acid" starts in the present, with Ram Dass crippled by the stroke he suffered in '97 and living on Maui. The bulk of the narrative flashes back to his days as Richard Alpert, psychology professor at Harvard; his partnership with Timothy Leary, their famed psilocybin experiments and their banishment from campus; and to his travels in India and chance meeting with his lifetime guru Maharaj-ji (Neem Karoli Baba), who gave him the name Ram Dass ("servant of Rama").

There's more, including the touching tale of caring for his dying father, reflections on his once very active bisexuality, his stroke, Leary's fierce disapproval of Alpert's gay relationships and hilarious stories about playing baseball in Mexico on LSD and about seeing Krishna in the form of a state trooper who's pulled him over for driving too slowly. There's nothing, however, about his Bay Area connections - as a doctoral student at Stanford, teacher at UC Berkeley or many years in Marin.

Kaufman, a San Francisco playwright who seems to specialize in historical figures (Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, James Joyce, Georgia O'Keeffe), hasn't so much written a play this time as an anecdotal meditation. It's a tale as might be told by its subject, full of self-deprecating humor, justifying a long-held grudge and perhaps a little unconscious of what could be seen as ethical lapses at Harvard and the advantages of having a wealthy, powerful father in your corner.

But it's beautifully embodied by Keith in Joel Mullennix's smooth, minimalist staging. Keith slips seductively from the crippled form and aphasic speech of post-stroke Ram Dass to his former conversational style amid tantalizing teeters on the brink of enlightenment. The ease of his transformations makes manifest the lessons of his tale: That we are all one. That the only answer is love. And why we need to be here now.

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'Acid Test' review: Solo show a trip

When I get to the point in the yoga class when the teacher tells us to close our eyes and say "om," I do neither. I peek to see who is closing their eyes. I scan the room to see who the true believers are. I'm in it just for the exercise.

Ram Dass is in it for the spiritual enlightenment and the higher consciousness. I am not the optimal audience, then, for ACID TEST: The Many Incarnations of Ram Dass, Lynne Kaufman's play about the enlightened life and high times of the Hindu spiritual leader.

The play, based on the writings of the hippie spiritualist who wrote Be Here Now, does disseminate a philosophy of yogic awareness and the pursuit of good vibrations. But while I was anticipating the urge to roll my eyes, Ram Dass or at least Warren David Keith, who plays Ram Dass in this one-man play is an appealing personality. As it turns out, outmoded relic from the Age of Aquarius that he is, Ram Dass is a thoroughly okay guy to listen to for ninety minutes.

The Ram Dass up on stage is not a self-important blowhard; he has a real sense of humor and true warmth. He refrains from spouting too much mystical mumbo jumbo; he hardly elicits a "sheesh." Moreover, as the character says, "you don't have to believe everything you think."

Before being Ram Dass, the disciple of Hindu guru, Neem Karoli Baba, Dass was Richard Alpert, a rich Jewish kid from suburban Boston. His father, a Boston lawyer, was one of the founders of Brandeis University and the president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The younger Alpert became a tenured professor at Harvard University at age 29 and went on to take 377 LSD trips and work with Timothy Leary in research with psychedelics at Harvard. He was kicked out of Harvard, thereafter.

Later in life, Dass founded several charitable organizations, including SEVA, an international health organization based in Berkeley. He suffered a debilitating stroke and has written about that. He now teaches via a website from his home in Hawaii.

So the title of Kaufman's play, The Many Incarnations of Ram Dass, is certainly an apt one. But the show, which is essentially a dramatic recreation of a greatest-hits lecture medley from an imitation of a secondary figure in the psychedelic movement, is, by its very nature, an inauthentic experience. Like a souvenir tie-dyed T-shirt sold on Telegraph Avenue or Haight Street.

It's to the credit of Warren David Keith that this recreation works as well as it does. Director Joel Mullennix's pacing keeps the production fluid and engaging. Kaufman has well consolidated an eclectic lifetime into an evening's entertainment. Still, the spiel is laden with aphorisms and pat wisdom about mystical pathways to out-of-body awareness, transcendence, and pure and unadulterated grooviness.

Ram Dass begins by thanking us for being here now. (Chuckle.) He speaks from a chair, his body and voice crippled from his stroke. His words are slow and labored so he soon steps out of his post-stroke condition. Through the magic of theater, he will make a full recovery for the purposes of storytelling.

He promises not to use too many "woo-woo words," and his manner is friendly and accessible. He translates his ideologies and spiritual pedagoguery into bite-sized, fun-sized pieces.

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God and Hippies Are Alive and Tripping with 'ACID TEST: The Many Incarnations of Ram Dass'

If Youre Lucky, Your Heart Will Break: Field Notes from a Zen Life. By James Ishmael Ford. Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2012. 183 pages. $16.95.

James Ishmael Ford is known to many as a Zen teacher, a founder of the Boundless Way Zen Network in New England and a Unitarian Universalist minister who has served in many U.S. cities. Hes now based near Providence, R.I., with strong ties to the Boston area. As his biography states, he is one of the foremost proponents of an emerging liberal Buddhism in the West.

His new book, If Youre Lucky, Your Heart Will Break: Field Notes from a Zen Life, is many things. Those interested in the spiritual journey of an inquisitive and compassionate man coming of age in the sixties can track a serious, rigorous effort. His path has been neither easy nor straightforward. It is in the nature of a journey to find yourself discovering tangential paths that ultimately unite to form a singularly curious and fascinating adventure. He does say that there is happiness along this path.

Fords investigations his years spent in a monastery, his experimentation with LSD, his Baptist upbringing, his countless hours of meditations fueled by a disappointing thin vegetable soup, his study with Zen masters make up the man that is Ford and inform the unique offerings Ford brings to the communities he serves.

The book can also be viewed as a spiritual text, something to read chapter by chapter over the span of a few weeks. This slow reading is probably the best way to absorb If Youre Lucky because Ford has a lot to share. He addresses a readership he imagines has a genuine desire for depth in their spiritual inquiries.

Ford tracks the emergence and shaping of the various Zen practices in the West. From his studies he derives his most essential message that we are one. Zen is a way to arrive at that understanding and to foster it. He writes about enlightenment or awakening. Dont expect to find a simple or quick path to awakening in this book. Though we are all part of a single world, each of us unique individuals must find our own ways to awaken.

Youll learn how Zen practitioners meditate, what to look for when searching for a Zen teacher (Zen teachers are not guruswe are not perfect masters) and something about the koans (help with awakening rather than tests that need to be passed) that Zen students grapple with.

When considering a moral code or the way to live, Ford discusses the precepts that Boundless Way makes use of as well as precepts derived from Hebrew scriptures and the Noahide code. Not stealing, for example, is really about finding contentment with who we are, which, among other things, relieves us from coveting things. Also, this precept reminds us to respect what Ford calls the thingness of the world. As for intoxicants, there are two kinds those that diminish us and those that expand us. Life is full of intoxicants. Ford warns: Be careful. The intoxicants that expand us can also diminish us.

Zen, writes Ford, is a religion though a religion with a twist in that it is not overly concerned with cosmologies and the workings of gods at least as practiced in the West. But Zen does concern itself with the same questions as other religions life and death, suffering and salvation.

Ford writes, Perhaps the heart of the spiritual quest is the search for anything that can provide generally helpful rules as we try to live lives of worth and dignity. Zen practices are growing here in this country and, according to recent surveys (not cited in Fords book), traditional religious practices are experiencing a decline. One does not necessarily follow the other, but as Ford makes clear, Zen can be a deep, long-lived and reliable spiritual path that offers a moral code and a loving community.

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NORTH SHORE BOOK NOTES: Field notes from a Zen life

After decades of teaching spiritual practice, Rohini Ralby, a student of legendary Indian teacher Swami Muktananda, is releasing her first book through Bancroft Press. Walking Home with Baba, available October 15, combines anecdotes and advice to guide readers through the practice of spirituality.

Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) October 15, 2012

As much as I mistrust the word, writing this book was a calling, says Ralby, who usually teaches from her home near Baltimore, MD. I prefer to avoid the limelight, but I felt an imperative to write this book and send what I have learned, and what I teach, out into the world.

Ralby spent eight years as head of security, appointments secretary, and personal assistant to Swami Muktananda, known affectionately as Baba. Its during this time, Ralby says, that Muktananda taught her, one on one, the essence of spiritual practice.

Mind and body are objects, Ralby explains. The spirit--the Self--is not. They are not equal. The mind and body are temporary vehicles. They are real in the sense that they exist, but they are not eternal. Any spiritual practice that focuses on the body is missing the mark.

While Walking Home with Baba promises to be an essential guide to spiritual enlightenment, according to publisher Bruce Bortz, it also holds appeal to those who have never tried to explore this world.

Im certainly no student of spiritual practice, says Bortz, whose Bancroft Press is publishing Ralbys book. But Walking Home with Baba is not only enlightening, but entertaining. Rohini alternates chapters about spiritual practice with anecdotes about her own experiences with Swami Muktanandaengaging, intimate, often funny, and sometimes moving stories that show how Rohini learned the lessons she now chooses to teach.

Walking Home with Baba, according to Bortz, covers a number of subjects, from the importance of teachers to the specific processes of practice, to perhaps the most clear and concise companion to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali available today.

But Ralby emphatically states that one does not have to subscribe to Indian beliefs in order to practice what she teaches. Spiritual practice is universal, she says. It isnt specific to one creed. If you go to the heart of any real spiritual tradition, you will find the same practice.

Early praise has been substantial. Ramesh Pattni, chair of Interfaith, the Hindu Forum of Britain, says that Rohini has not only given us fascinating and wonderful insights into what constitutes a spiritual journey, but done much to help others make a successful journey Home.

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Bancroft Press Releases Walking Home with Baba, a Groundbreaking Guide to Spiritual Practice

What happens in the past happens in the future. This was the message from Ofer Cohen at the September 30 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club. Ofer is an astrologer, tarot card reader, and healer.

Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg called on Karin Lohitnavy to introduce Ofer. Karin said that she met Ofer about 3 months ago and that he is all about awareness. Ofer comes from a family with over 200 years experience in understanding people and predicting the future. Ofer is a guest columnist for the famous celeb magazine HELLO and is currently involved in production of a spiritual film which is dedicated to a mission of awakening & enlightening people all over the world. He has recently moved to Thailand and he has a Thai wife and baby.

Karin Lohitnavy introduces PCEC guest speaker Ofer Cohen, astrologer, tarot card reader, and healer.

Ofer started his presentation by saying we are now in the Age of Aquarius. He displayed a sky map showing the planet Uranus is now in Aries. He said that when this occurs, it means there will be changes in the world; both strange and unexpected. Consequently, anyone born now will have unexpected changes during their life. He also said that changes are coming too fast and people are not ready for it. He mentioned the publicity surrounding the Mayan calendar that many said showed the world was coming to an end in 2012. In Ofers view there is nothing wrong with the Mayans calendar; but the prediction of the worlds end were misinterpretations.

Ofer then spoke about enlightenment. To illustrate his view, he mentioned the Greek philosopher Socrates. He was condemned by those who did not understand his views were based on enlightenment. Ofer said that Plato, a student of Socrates, used an allegory about a cave in his The Republic to illustrate this point. Ofer explained how this allegory about people shackled and facing only one direction believed that what they saw was the world they lived in. However, the allegory speaks of others who can move about and see the world for what it is. There is more to understanding than the knowledge one gains from universities or science. Even though science continues to search for smaller and smaller matter, there is more than that to existence. In their pursuit, they do not see that the world was created by something. Although some may call it god, it is life; a stream of light that functions like DNA and goes in a cycle. He then mentioned the impact of the classical elements (fire, air, water, earth, etc.), auras, and the existence of different dimensions. Ofer said that once you understand the elements and the cycle, it is easy to predict the future because what happens in the past happens in the future.

He also discussed how awareness is enlightenment. He has previously said that enlightenment is a state of mind and for some who are suffering, it will enhance the process of becoming enlightened, for others it is a natural inner wisdom which awakes, knowing you are light will heal you, experiencing it will enlighten you.

Ofer Cohen describes the traits and qualities of one of the PCEC members based on reading his astrological chart.

Ofer concluded by showing how astrology can predict a persons future. He had previously requested information from those interested in knowing more about themselves, but not their name, including their date of birth. Using a computer program that draws astrological charts, Ofer entered the information and the program drew their astral chart. Ofer then read the chart for the audience describing the person and what has occurred in their life. For more information about him, visit his website at http://www.ofercohen.info/.

PCEC member Hawaii Bob announces the drawing winners of discount certificates for Frugal Freddy member restaurants in Pattaya.

After Ofer answered several questions from the audience, Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg provided an update on upcoming events and called on Roy Albiston to conduct the Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about Expat living in Thailand, Pattaya in particular. You can learn more about the Club and its activities by visiting their website at http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com.

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Pattaya Mail

Anti-fracking film big draw on Day 2

People take their seats at the Woodstock Playhouse for the world premiere of the anti-fracking documentary Dear Governor Cuomo ... Thursday in Woodstock at the Woodstock Film Festival.KELLY MARSH/For the Times Herald-Record

Published: 2:00 AM - 10/12/12 Last updated: 9:45 AM - 10/12/12

WOODSTOCK At first glance, the films would seem to have almost nothing in common.

One, "First Winter," is about a bunch of privileged, young city folk stranded at a yoga retreat in a remote area during a blizzard. Another, "One Track Heart," is about a dude from Long Island who gives up his rock 'n' roll dreams and his name to seek spiritual enlightenment in India. The third, "Dear Governor Cuomo ...," chronicles an anti-fracking protest/concert in Albany in May.

But these three films, which were among the highlights of the 14 films that kicked off Thursday's official opening of the Woodstock Film Festival, are typical of what the festival is all about. It's about music in this town that has counted Bob Dylan, The Band and Jimi Hendrix among its residents and recording artists. Both "One Track Heart" which features that former almost-member of Blue Oyster Cult, Jeffrey Kagel/now Krishna Das and "Dear Governor Cuomo ... ," which features Woodstock-area stars like Natalie Merchant, Joan Osborne and John Sebastian, have lots of music.

It's about showcasing the bounty of films and filmmakers the Hudson Valley produces. "First Winter" was shot in Goshen and Campbell Hall. "Dear Governor Cuomo ..." was directed by Stone Ridge's Jon Bowermaster and features local actors Melissa Leo and Mark Ruffalo.

And the Woodstock Film Festival is about the local community a community that gathered in Albany to protest what it says is a grave threat to the Hudson Valley environment, the natural gas extraction method of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

Perhaps no festival film typifies what the Woodstock Film Festival is all about more than the official opener, "Dear Governor Cuomo ..." The documentary, which sold out the 300-plus seat Woodstock Playhouse Thursday evening, has everything that makes the festival what it is a locally produced film with national impact and an accent on one of the region's treasures: music.

"It's the perfect Woodstock film," said Bowermaster. "It's about music, the environment and community."

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Woodstock Film Festival highlights local issues, people

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Intuitives: Tom and Nancy Foley will join 12 other psychics at Theatre One's fundraiser, a psychic fair, on Oct. 20.

MIDDLEBORO Intuitives Tom and Nancy Foley with medium Deb Wallace join 12 other psychics at Theatre One Productions' psychic fair fundraiser on Saturday Oct. 20, from noon to 5 p.m. at the VFW Hall, 12 Station St.

Husband and wife intuitives Tom and Nancy Foley and spiritual medium Deborah Wallace will use their gifts to benefit Theatre One Productions, a non- profit theatre company established in 1982.

"Tom and Nancy's objective is to help you discover, through insight and symbolic imagery, the answers hidden in the collective unconscious," said a spokesperson. "Through their accurate psychic guidance, intuitive tarot readings, and spot on astrological consultations, you will gain awareness that brings personal enlightenment and a richer understanding of your life."

Deb Wallace, a spiritual medium, has studied with world renowned spirit artist Rev. Rita Berkowitz.

"Deb's intent is to empower others to heal themselves by discovering the special gifts they too possess," said the spokesperson. "Her reading sessions assist many who are feeling overwhelmed, confused, disconnected and simply need a bit of guidance to get back on track. Meet Tom, Nancy, Deb and 12 other gifted psychics while supporting theatre."

There is a cover charge of $2 and all 15-minute readings are $20. Everyone is encouraged to "join the fun with Theatre One, where we encourage people of all ages, to get into the 'act.'"

For more information, call 508-947-7716 or 617-840-1490.

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'Intuitives, spiritual medium to be among psychics at Oct. 20 fundraiser

Religious leaders can guide you to spiritual enlightenment, financial stability, better parenting and even a good doctor. But one thing that they're not supposed to do is tell you whom to vote for in November.

"I make sure that my congregants are well-informed and can make an intelligent decision," said the Rev. Airon Reynolds, pastor of Borden Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Beaumont. "I make it known that the church cannot endorse a candidate, but I am voting for Barack Obama."

Reynolds skirts the boundary of what he, as a pastor, can legally do more so than other religious leaders in the area.

According to the IRS tax exempt policy 501(c)(3), churches are prohibited from "directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign" or they will lose their tax exemption.

As fervent as the debate about who would make the better president - at least among religious leaders in Southeast Texas - is how much of an influence should religion have in one's vote.

Rabbi Joshua Taub from Temple Emanuel in Beaumont takes a stricter interpretation of the IRS law, defining it as a religious figure should not even talk about how candidates stand on an issue.

"It is highly inappropriate for any clergy minister to open up a Bible and show how stuff is reflected in the Bible," Taub said. "In reality, you can't offer that type of sermon without offering some type of opinion."

The legality

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How much influence do churches have in voting booths?

7:13 p.m. EDT, October 8, 2012

Webster Bank has hired a chief of human resources who came up through General Electric, later led HR at CB Richard Ellis, and has been active in a group dedicated to transforming organizations through a holistic approach to "abundance, wellness and enlightenment."

Jennifer Buchholz joins Webster Financial Corp., the parent of Webster Bank, as executive vice president and chief human resources officer. She worked at GE from 1996 to 2007, with ranking positions in Mexico and Japan, and at CB Richard Ellis from 2007 to 2010.

While Buchholz was at GE, the Fairfield-based conglomerate was known for ranking employees and firing some of the bottom 10 percent every year, under CEO Jack Welch, who retired in 2001. The company also had some of the more forward-thinking team-building techniques under Welch, and has expanded that under CEO Jeffrey Immelt.

Buchholz, of Stamford, earned a Black Belt in the company's Six Sigma management methods, in which processes and manufacturing systems are designed to root out errors with fervor.

Buchholz, a University of Massachusetts graduate with an MBA from Pace University, is listed as an officer on the web site of the AWE Institute, a group that describes her as "a conduit between the spirit world and the corporate world," and a certified yoga instructor and ordained inter-spiritual minister.

Dan Haar

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GE Veteran To Head Human Resources At Webster Bank