Using Your Pain to Help Others

Using Your Pain to Help Others

BY MADISYN TAYLOR You can channel your pain into helping others, and spreading a tide of curative energy throughout the world. Pain is a fact of being and one that permeates all of our lives to some degree. Since the hurt we feel may be a part of the experiences that have touched us most deeply, we are often loathe to let it go. It is frequently easier to keep our pain at our sides, where it acts as a shield that shelters us from others and gives us an identity--that of victim--from which we can draw bitter strength. However, pain's universality can also empower us to use our hurt to help others heal. Since no pain is any greater or more profound than any other, what you feel can give you the ability to help bring about the recovery of individuals whose hurts are both similar to and vastly different from your own. You can channel your pain into transformative and healing love that aids you in helping individuals on a one-to-one basis and spreading a tide of curative energy throughout the world. The capacity to heal others evolves naturally within those who are ready to disassociate themselves from their identity as victims. In fact, the simple decision to put aside the pain we have carried is what grants us the strength to redeem that pain through service. There are many ways to use the hurt you feel to help others. Your pain gives you a unique insight into the minds of people who have experienced trauma and heartache. You can draw from the wellspring of strength that allowed you to emerge on the other side of a painful experience and pass that strength to individuals still suffering from their wounds. You may be able to council individuals in need by showing them the coping methods that have helped you survive or simply by offering sympathy. A kinship can develop that allows you to relate more closely with those you are trying to aid and comfort. Helping others can be a restorative experience that makes your own heart grow stronger. In channeling your pain into compassionate service and watching others successfully recover, you may feel a sense of euphoria that leads to increased feelings of self-worth and optimism. Your courageous decision to reach out to others can be the best way to declare to yourself and the world that your pain didn't defeat you, and in fact it helped you heal.

The Negative Effects of Spoiling Children

The Negative Effects of Spoiling Children

BY MADISYN TAYLOR When children are spoiled we do them a great disservice because they are not being allowed to earn and learn. Parents are moved by instinct to love, nurture, and provide for their offspring. Because our children are so much a part of us, we want to see them blissfully happy. Also, our own desire to be liked, materialist pressures, and a fervent wish that our children have everything we lacked as youngsters can prompt us to spoil them. However, while it might seem that buying your child expensive gifts will give them fond memories of childhood or that you can heal your emotional wounds by doting on your sons and daughters, you may be unconsciously interfering with your children's evolutional development. One of the most precious gifts you can grant your children is the true independence they gain when they learn to earn what they covet and become stewards of their own happiness. Try allowing your children to experience life to the fullest. Let them work and earn what they want. When the time comes for them to go to college and enter the workforce, you will have the confidence that you have raised a child that can both enter and contribute to society confidently. When children are not afforded the opportunity to explore self-reliance, to understand that with possession comes price, and to fulfill their own needs, they develop a sense of entitlement that blinds them to the necessity of hard work and the needs of others. We may spoil children because giving them gifts is pleasurable. Or we may want to avoid conflict out of fear that our children won't love us. Yet children who are given acceptance, love, and affection in abundance are often kinder, more charitable, and more responsible than those whose parents accede to their every material demand. They develop a strong sense of self that stretches beyond possessions and the approval of their peers, and as adults they understand that each individual is responsible for building the life they desire. If you find yourself giving in to your child's every whim, ask yourself why. You may discover that you are trying to answer for what you feel is lacking in your own life. Rearing your children to respect the value of money and self-sufficiency as they grow from infants to young adults is a challenging but rewarding process. It can be difficult to watch a child struggle to meet a personal goal yet wonderful to be by their side as they achieve it. Your choice not to spoil your children will bless you with more opportunities to show them understanding and compassion and to be fully present with them as they journey toward adulthood.

Happy Easter & Passover

4/8 Zinc and your immune system

4/8 Zinc and your immune system 

Zinc is involved in:

 • Genes and making DNA

 • Many different enzymes

 • Protein synthesis 

 • Wound healing 

 • Heart health 

 • Joint health 

 • Insulin 

 • Thymus function

 • Gonads

What can happen in relation to your immune system if you have a zinc deficiency:

 • Thymic atrophy 

 • Decreased lymphocytes 

 • Defective white blood cell response 

 • Low recovery rate 

 • Increased duration of infections 

 • Increased inflammation 

 • Increased oxidative stress

 • Decreased capacity to fight off infections

 • Increased susceptibility to viruses and infections

Foods high in zinc:

 • Oysters

 • Red meat 

 • Seafood/fish

 • Pumpkin seeds

If you want to take zinc supplements, I think a good choice is zinc bisglycinate chelate. 

Talismans

Talismans

BY MADISYN TAYLOR Having a talisman imbued with your intention is yet another tool you can use to assist you in your journey. For millennia, mankind has found peace and solace in objects of significance. When cleansed and consecrated through ritual, such objects--be they gems, amulets, herbs, or written words--become talismans. A talisman is any item imbued with a specific power by its bearer to serve a specific intention. Ancient Egyptians used massive stone tablets as healing talismans while the Greeks and Romans used lead talismans to communicate with the spirit realm. Traditionally, a talisman acts to anchor energy in the physical plane. That energy may be protective in nature or may be intended to draw abundance, wealth, or a wide variety of blessings to its user. Today, a talisman may be made of wood, metal, paper, stone, or natural elements such as plants. Often, talismans are small enough to be easily worn or carried, and they may be marked with words or symbols that the talisman's owner deems meaningful. Creating and owning a talisman can reassure you and also serve to aide you in attracting what you want in life. You may use your talisman to help you attain health, security, or good luck. Or you may simply want to carry an object with you that will remind you of your search for soulful tranquility. In order to create a talisman, you must first determine its physical properties. This can be as innocuous as a strip of paper bearing the word "Love" and carried in a wooden box or cloth sack. You may prefer a more visible talisman, such as a metal amulet or a gemstone worn as jewelry. Before your object becomes a talisman, however, it must be charged. This can be done by cleansing the object--with water or with incense--and holding a ritual of your own making. Or, you can leave the object in moonlight or sunlight or bury it in the earth for a time. To preserve its effectiveness, talismans should be reconsecrated regularly. Almost any object can be transformed into a talisman of protection, good fortune, health, love, or serenity. It may be strung on a cord and hung around the neck, worn on a belt, or carried in a purse or pocket. But the physical properties of the talisman are not as important as the intention of its bearer. If you are grounded in your desires, your talisman will give you a focal point that you can concentrate on to affirm your intention and help you achieve your goals.

March 2020 Highlights

Sharing Your Gift with Others

Sharing Your Gift with Others

BY MADISYN TAYLOR Your earthly existence provides you with ample opportunity to explore your purpose and use your gifts. The gifts we are born with and those that we work to develop throughout our lives vary in form and function. Some we find use for every day while others are only useful in specific circumstances. Yet many times we overlook opportunities to share our unique gifts with others. It may be fear of criticism that holds us back or the paralyzing weight of uncertainty. Ultimately, we doubt that our innate talents and practiced skills can truly add value to others' lives. But it is the world as a whole that benefits when we willingly share our gifts. Whether you have been blessed with the ability to awaken beautiful emotions in others through art or industry, or your aptitudes transmit more practical advantages, your gifts are a part of who you are. As you make use of those gifts as best you can, be assured that your contribution to worldly well-being will not be overlooked. Your personal power is defined in part by your gifts. To use your talents is to demonstrate to the world that you understand yourself and are truly attuned to your capabilities. Your earthly existence provides you with ample opportunity to explore your purpose, to utilize your skills in a life-affirming way, and to positively touch the lives of others while doing so. Yet you may feel that your gifts are not as valuable or worthy of attention as those of others and thus hide them away. However, every gift lying dormant in your soul has the potential to fill a void in someone else's life. Just as your existence is made richer by the love, support, friendship, aid, and compassion of others, so, too, can you add richness to their lives. Your natural ability to soothe hurt, inspire compassion, bake, dance, knit, organize, or think outside the box can be a boon to someone in need. As you embrace your gifts and allow their light to shine, you will discover that more and more opportunities to make use of them arise. This is because your gifts are a channel through which the universe operates. By simply doing what you are good at and also love to do, you make a positive difference. The recognition you receive for your efforts will pale in comparison to the satisfaction you feel when fulfilling your innate potential.

Staying True to Your Word

Staying True to Your Word

BY MADISYN TAYLOR Your honest word is one of your most precious and powerful possessions. Promises are easily made. Keeping them often proves more difficult because when we are pressured to strive always for perfection, we find it simpler to agree to undertake impossible tasks than to say no. Likewise, there is an infinite array of circumstances that conspire to goad us into telling falsehoods, even when we hold a great reverence for truth. When you endeavor to consistently keep your word, however, you protect your reputation and promote yourself as someone who can be trusted to be unfailingly truthful. Though your honesty may not always endear you to others--for there will always be those who fear the truth--you can nonetheless be certain that your integrity is never tarnished by the patina of deceit. Since frankness and sincerity form the basis of all life-enriching relationships, your word is one of your most precious and powerful possessions. When we promise more than we can deliver, hide from the consequences of our actions through falsehoods, or deny our true selves to others, we hurt those who were counting on us by proving that their faith was wrongly given. We are also hurt by the lies we tell and the promises we break. Integrity is the foundation of civilization, allowing people to live, work, and play side by side without fear or apprehension. As you cultivate honesty within yourself, you will find that your honor and reliability put people at ease. Others will feel comfortable seeking out your friendship and collaborating with you on projects of great importance, certain that their positive expectations will be met. If you do catch yourself in a lie, ask yourself what you wanted to hide and why you felt you couldn't be truthful. And if life's surprises prevent you from keeping your word, simply admit your error apologetically and make amends quickly. Since the path of truth frequently represents the more difficult journey, embarking upon it builds character. You can harness the power of your word when you do your best to live a life of honesty and understand what motivates dishonesty. In keeping your agreements and embodying sincerity, you prove that you are worthy of trust and perceive values as something to be incorporated into your daily existence.

Understanding All Sides

Understanding All Sides

BY MADISYN TAYLOR Looking at only one side of our life can make us blind to the many other ways of looking at our situation. Whenever we examine our lives, we examine them from a particular side or angle. Most of us tend to favor one side over the others. For example, we may tend to look at things from an emotional perspective rather than a financial perspective, or we may prefer to think in terms of details rather than the big picture, or vice versa. To a certain degree, this is not a problem, and these tendencies add color to our individual personalities. However, they can also make us one-sided, blind to the many other ways of looking at our situation. Even if we have decided that we are most happy when we focus on one particular side of things, it is always worth exploring the other sides. When we do, we become well rounded, more understanding of other viewpoints, and even more solid in our own. Perhaps you are a person who tends to see your life in terms of your spiritual well-being. As a result, other concerns such as financial comfort or social standing may not be prominent in your mind as you make decisions. However, taking just a moment to consider those angles will help you in several ways. One, it will enable you to see more clearly what your priorities are and how they influence your life situation. Two, it will enhance your sense of confidence, because you will see your situation from all sides, even as you choose one. And three, it will help you communicate with others about who you are and what you are doing, because you will come from a place of understanding that your own biases and tendencies are unique as are theirs. Most of us instinctively come at things from a particular angle, and in many cases this is the right way for us. Still, understanding the other angles only strengthens us. When we look at our lives from all sides, we shed light on the big picture, giving ourselves access to many points of view and highlighting more clearly the one we have chosen to take.

Why Turmeric?

Article written by Kauai Farmacy

The roots of Turmeric are deeply intertwined with human survival. Thousands of years of use and reverence have warranted its worth. Celebrated in India as a holy spice, Turmeric was discovered by westerners and debuted along the Silk Road, seeding its legacy as an extraordinary healing herb. Today, the presence of this golden superherb on shelves across America beckons the question, “Why Turmeric?”

There are few herbs capable of enhancing life as directly and dynamically as Turmeric. Starting with the essentials of existence, Turmeric supports the basic needs for survival: circulation of oxygen, assimilation of food and water and energy to exist. Once stabilized in a state of health, Turmeric works above and beyond the call of duty, imparting its infamous golden glow unto its user via elevated performance, resilience and perseverance.

The question soon becomes, “Why NOT Turmeric?”

And the answer is quite simple. Turmeric supports the body’s exquisite ability to live life.

The responsibility to “show up” on a daily basis is a reality we all live, regardless of environment or lifestyle. How we perform, express ourselves and interact with the world takes energy. And that energy comes from nutrients, from oxygen, and from water. In turn, our bodies must be able to digest, assimilate, store and utilize these elements.

Curcumin, the most famous of Turmeric’s constituents, notably increases circulation within the body. Circulation is key. It is responsible for the harmonious exchange of our outer environment with our inner environment. Uninhibited circulation enables proper blood flow to the gut, stimulating metabolism and the digestion of nutrients. As food is broken down to fundamental nutrients, our body is able to use them as the building blocks for blood, hormones, tissues and energy. Proper circulation delivers these nutrients to the applicable systems of the body, then encourages appropriate elimination. By enhancing circulation, Turmeric enables efficient functioning, thereby maximizing energy and elevating our ability to perform.

Each day that we awake, we show up, and we are exposed to information to process. This daily cycle is, in large part, what propels us through life: taking things in, digesting, developing, learning, evolving. However, sometimes, we ingest “information” that may not sit so well. Whether this be rancid food, too much food, unexpected traffic or unfortunate news. So, we must have a way to process. We need a certain level of resilience to survive in our ever-changing and challenging environment.

Our bodies are ingeniously prepared for the full spectrum of life possibilities. We have mechanisms to digest, cleanse, purify and detoxify that which does not serve our overall health. Working together in an effort to maintain homeostasis, these mechanisms comprise our immunity. Once again, Turmeric and circulation play a big role here. By maintaining fluent circulation, the immune system is able to recognize, target and “dispose of” toxins in a rapid manner. Turmeric also supports the liver, our foremost filtration organ. A well-known liver tonic, Turmeric helps flush toxins from the liver, re-stabilize the liver post-toxicity and stimulate the production of bile, aiding in proper digestion of hard-to-process elements. Turmeric not only elevates our immune system, it contributes its own array of adaptive techniques.

Full of antioxidants, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, Turmeric fortifies our immune systems with the very compounds it uses to protect itself in nature. Antioxidants keep its valuable volatile oils from oxidizing. Antibacterials ward off prevalent bacteria in the soil, where this root spends its entire growing life. And curcumin, the anti-inflammatory compound, keeps Turmeric from swelling and deteriorating in the heavy tropical humidity. Furthermore, Turmeric imposes these same qualities into our bodies when consumed. As Turmeric has evolved to thrive, wearing its radiant golden glow as a symbol of its resilience, it so offers the same quality unto us.

The result of elevated resilience is invaluable. Direct links have been made between the consumption of Turmeric and a decrease in tissue degeneration, diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease, cancer and all diseases of inflammation. By nature, Turmeric removes stagnation and restores balance. It helps the body rid of blockages and realize vitality. With uninhibited circulation and exchange of elements, performance peaks and resilience rises. In essence, taking Turmeric leads to longevity.

The more efficiently our bodies are able to to perform and resist disease, the more vital energy is available to persevere. Life is not merely about living, it is about thriving. But thriving is an expression that supersedes surviving. So, we must start with the basics, find our balance, and stay centered. The balancing nature of Turmeric helps guide us to that sweet spot. And, as it is “life-giving in mind, body and spirit”, according to Ayurvedic principles, Turmeric bestows more than just balance.

There is no question in the East when it comes to Turmeric. Temples, ceremonies, curries and cures are saturated in the golden, life-giving dust. Turmeric pastes are applied to the forehead for purity, prosperity and protection. It is added to food for proper assimilation and preservation. Turmeric dyes are used to color the robes of monks. And it is a pillar ingredient in most Ayurvedic remedies. In India, and other areas of the East, Turmeric is a food, a medicine, an offering and symbol of enlightened life.

Allowing Turmeric to grow alongside allied medicinal plants, we at Kauai Farmacy have established a healthy and diverse herbal ecosystem. The rich volcanic soil, closed-loop organic system and unwavering intention create unparalleled medicine. Upon our 4 acres of inter-planted herbs, Turmeric is a staple member, making its way into almost all of our blends of teas, salves and superfoods. At Kauai Farmacy, we understand the importance of balance. This can be seen in the vibrancy of our gardens and felt within the freshness of our medicine. While some companies sell Turmeric that is merely able to survive, we offer Turmeric that has been encouraged to thrive.

As intention resonates from soil to plant to person, the quality of our medicine impacts the quality of our health.

Thousands of years ago, when Turmeric began its journey across the world, a wave of admiration followed. The color, the array of applications and the remarkable health benefits were all reason. Emerging from the sacred soils of India, Turmeric carried a torch of tenacity. Today, we are seeing a resurgence of Turmeric in a new light. Industry sets the standard and soils have been stripped of nutrients. The world has modernized and scenarios of survival have changed. However, our basic needs are the same. Our exquisite ability to live life is the same. And Turmeric’s innate faculty to elevate life is the same. So, regardless of time-frame or lifestyle, wisely-chosen Turmeric is a worthy ally in living, surviving and thriving.