Several weeks ago I caught a doozy of a cold, leaving me with a stuffed head, chronically runny nose, sore throat and a bit of a cough. Bad enough for the first few days, weeks later it seemed like it just wouldn’t go away. I didn’t have the flu or strep throat or bronchitis, but the symptoms lingered. Finally, after weeks of getting more rest and watching my diet, it passed. During that time I ate lightly, (when I wasn’t sleeping,) but found myself throwing handfuls of thyme and garlic into virtually everything – from scrambled eggs to soup. It was a little bizarre, actually.

Bentov says: “I am attempting in this book to build a model of the universe that will satisfy the need for a comprehensive picture of ‘what our existence is all about.’ In other words, a holistic model that encompasses not only the physical, observable universe that is our immediate environment and the distant universe observed by our astronomers but also other ‘realities’ as well.”

Healing Visualizations – Creating Health Through Imagery is a powerful, practical tool for restoring mental, emotional, and physical health. The author, Gerald Epstein, MD, has combined 30 years of clinical science and anecdotal data to develop a series of simple exercises to help a variety of ailments. These exercises are truly effective, and leave the patient empowered to participate in their own healing.

Robert Moss is the creator of Active Dreaming, an original method of dreamwork and healing through the imagination. A former professor of ancient history, Robert Moss is also a novelist, journalist, and independent scholar. He has eight books on dreaming, shamanism and imagination including the newly-published Active Dreaming: Journeying Beyond Self Limitation to a Life of Wild Freedom (New World Library). In this podcast, Merryn Jose discusses with Robert Moss his latest book Active Dreaming, the meaning of the phrase, “Active dreamers are choosers”, waking up and dreaming, the three modes of active dreaming, dream groups as models for a new community, breaking a dream drought, and more!

The eyes and the brain are more closely linked than you might realize. Amyloid-beta plaque, the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, starts building up in the eyes for a long time before obvious symptoms of dementia appear. Early detection of this brain disease is crucial for slowing its progression. Doctors can screen for Alzheimer’s disease by running a retinal scan. Why? The eyes are neural tissue. Therefore, what is good for the eyes is also good for the brain.

There is a growing movement to recognize what every pet owner and animal lover has known for years: that animals are capable of feeling most everything that humans feel. This, in turn, is part of what is driving the movement to a plant based diet, or more ethical treatment of animals raised for food consumption. In this model, the labels “organic,” “free range,” or “grass fed” are as much about the quality of life for these animals as it is about nutritional quality.

For those searching for a way to improve their health without medicine, or intrusive measures, The Humming Effect really rewards the reader. This slim book covers a lot of ground showing how humming can make a difference to one’s well being. The authors build a strong case through research and anecdotal data that humming can lead to increased oxygen levels, lowered blood pressure and heart rate, increased nitric oxide, release of endorphins, enhanced lymphatic circulation, and more.

Mental imagery, or visualization, has long been known as an effective method for creating change for one’s mental state, emotional or physical health. Whether it’s counting sheep to fall asleep, or imagining a peaceful scene to relax, we’ve all employed our own version of guided imagery. At its best, mental imagery can promote healing in a way that avoids medications and surgery, and empowers the patient with life long skills to heal themselves.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. An estimated seven to 10 million people worldwide have Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is not just an issue of lack of dopamine production but in fact a multi-faceted neurological disease with many factors contributing to or causing PD. This applies as well to other brain diseases resulting in dementia and Alzheimer’s.