Well, it’s that time of year again, the one that kids dread and parents anticipate: back to school. I don’t know about you, but it seems like this summer has just flown right by, hardly even stopping to say hello. I think this might have something to do with the weather: it seems like we went right from wind season to monsoon season, without the usual month interval in between where it’s dry, hot, and summery. Well, whether it should be or not (I’m voting for not), summer is almost over, and depending on the time you get this, shopping for school supplies may not be some hazy notion on the bottom of your mental to-do list but a necessity becoming more urgent by the day. But most of the time, getting ready for school materially isn’t the biggest problem, it’s the mentally and sometimes physically that gets most people. Wondering how to beat Jell-O brain and the stamina of a slug in time for the school year? Here are some tactics I’ve found useful:

The Kid About Town School Preparation Technique Essentials

*Mental sit-ups. If you’re really, really, really bored, start going over stuff you learned last year, like subclassifications of rocks or the rules for nega­tive numbers. If you do this whenever you don’t have anything to do, you’ll be refreshed on last year’s entire curriculum by the end of the month. Just be sure not to go over the same thing over and over again, unless you really need help with it. If you keep quizzing yourself on something you’ve had memorized since the middle of last semester, chances are it’s safe to move on to something else.

*Start running. I usually start walking up my road and running back about a month before school starts to get ready for P.E. You can do this in the morn­ing or the evening, just so long as it’s not a hundred degrees in the shade like it is smack in the middle of the day. The only time running when it’s this hot is even remotely a good idea is if (a: you have an indoor track that’s air con­ditioned to within an inch of its life or (b: if someone or something is chasing you. Under any other circumstances, this is still a fine idea if you want to get heatstroke. Which I really don’t recommend. At all.

*Ditch the calculator. If you have to figure out something like if you have enough money to take three of your friends to the movies (allowing for pop­corn and other goodies, of course), try doing it on a piece of paper or in your head instead of digging out your calculator. Considering that some, if not most math classes won’t let you use a calculator anyway, this is good practice es­pecially for the higher math classes like algebra. This is also a good idea if district testing, AIMS or SATs are coming up, because guess what? No cal­culators allowed.

*Educational games. If you’re going to be on the computer, you might as well put your brain to good use instead of IMing so much it falls out of your ears. One good website is coolmath4kids.com. Tons of great games, puzzles, and a bunch of math lessons too. Freerice.com is even better, because you can do really easy or really hard problems, and for every right answer the website donates ten grains of rice to hungry people in developing countries. It may not sound like much, but I think when we played it in my pre-algebra class on the last day of school we got up to three thousand and something. That’s approximately enough to feed three people one meal each, or one person for a day. So if everyone who reads this article went on freerice.com and played for as long as my pre-algebra class… let’s see. Print run of 10,000 copies,

let’s say each gets read by four different people (I’m being modest here), so 40,000, times 3,500 (approximately)… that’s 140 million grains of rice. Enough to feed approximately 140,000 people one meal each, or 4,666 people for a day. Help starv­ing people and your brain! What’s not to like? (All right, yes, I used a calculator. Hey, those were some big numbers!)

I hope now that you’re equipped with these strat­egies and techniques, you will be not only ready for school, but once it starts you can amaze ev­eryone by not having the dreaded “summer brain.” No more scrambling to reboot your brain, no more feeling as if you’re about to collapse after you run the mile, and no more wishing you hadn’t made last year’s notes into origami. (Believe it or not, old notes are pretty useful. If you want to test the Japanese superstition that folding a thousand flap­ping origami cranes will grant you your wish with old graded assignments, however, go right ahead. You won’t have to look too hard for more paper, either.) You, too, can be confidently on top of ev­erything and not have to wait until Thanksgiving break to get there. Everything will be much easier at the beginning of the year, and subsequently the rest of it, if you just keep your brain and body in shape all summer long.

–Ashly Wintersmith (P.S. Homework is a necessary evil.)

by Judy Todd

It’s August and that means it’s time once again for the spirited return of Happy Tails Food Festival, Raffle & Auction. This is the most important fund­raising party of the year for the Humane Society of the White Mountains. Simply put, all the homeless and abused animals count on this community to help rescue them that day, Saturday, August 21st. They bet all their dog and kitty chips on it. Most of the shelters in our county and surrounding coun­ties are closing, and all strays from Apache and Navajo counties are brought to the shelter on Por­ter Mountain Road.

The shelter here in the White Mountains is aver­aging an intake of 36 dogs and cats each day and is doing more than ever to reach its goal of being a No-Kill shelter. There have been great strides made since 2009 and, with the help of the com­munity again this year, it will reach those goals by 2012. The space problem is alleviated by families willing to foster animals until they are adopted or, if too young or sick, well enough or old enough for adoption.

There are many changes this year, but it is still “all about the animals.” The new site of the Happy Tails event will be the Art Barn (Adjacent to and behind Frank M. Smith Realtyon Buck Springs

Road) in Pinetop. They made an offer the animals could not refuse. That means the food will be mobile and catered and will offer quite a variety – something to please everyone’s palate. Chow Hound Catering service and Maverick Corral de­liver the well-rounded menu. Coke will be avail­able in the Humane Society’s Hot Dog Booth and Golden Eagle Distributors are furnishing the beer.

The shelter is grateful to Mark Sterling, Michelle and High5 Design for the huge contribution they have made for the past four years to this annual event. Heading up Happy Tails this year are Co-Chairs Karen Frailing, Kathleen Norton and Ivan Clement. The Event Coordinator is Chris Chiesl, who is the Economic Development Planner for Apache County and owner of a consulting busi­ness she named Circle of Friends. It enables her to help non-profit organizations. The Humane

Society is one of those organizations. Chris’ in­

volvement with animals goes even deeper. She has a Rescue for Animals in her home. It seems the busiest people do all the work and volunteer their time most often.

The Big Raffle Prize this year is an ATV donated by Show Low Motor Sports. Tickets are $20 each and only 750 will be sold….that gives you a great chance to win. There will be entertainment, a Blitz Raffle that is fast and fun, a Dessert Raffle, and topping off this fun filled, festive event is the Live Auction where cakes sometimes sell for $1000. It’s all about the spirit of giving. And it’s all about the animals. Some good bargains can be found at the Silent Auction and the DOGhouse Thrift Shop table.

Sponsors are always welcome and the sooner you come aboard, the more promotional materials your logo will appear on….tickets, posters, banner, et al.. Volunteers are needed, always.

It is an old-time social. See old friends and make new ones. The Entrance Fee is $25 or $15 (That in­cludes admission, 5 or 10 food tickets, auction sign up and door prize drawing) or $5 for the Auction only. Advance tickets are available at The Humane Society, The DOGhouse Thrift Shop, DOGhouse Too, Mountain Mutts and The Pet Food Ware­house. Call the Humane Society, 358-5295 for further information

by Dr. Elizabeth Ellis

Dogs and cats often love kids, but it may be a ma­jor adjustment, particu­larly if you are just wel­coming a new child in to your household. All of the excitement and anxiety can affect your pet and it is often difficult to predict how your cat or dog will react. It is important to consider how your pet has responded to babies and children in the past as a starting point. For ex­ample, have they been exposed and had positive experiences? Have they displayed fearful or ag­gressive tendencies? Have they shown dominance or erratic behavior? Past experiences are a helpful predictor of how your pet may handle a new child and allow you to better prepare your pet for kids.

What can you do to prepare your pet and ensure that your pet and child will enjoy years of com­panionship? In the case of dogs, ensure your pet is current on obedience skills and able to follow simple commands such as sit, stay, and come in all situations and with multiple distractions. Next, get your pet accustomed to new sounds, sights, and smells such as crying, mobiles, and strollers. Be sure to create a positive association with all things

that will be related to your child, using treats, pet­ting, and positive reassurance. Work to introduce your pet to the expected schedule changes prior to the arrival of the child. This should include new walking times or places, the introduction of walk­ing next to a stroller, etc. Additionally, pets should be shown the new off-limits areas such as the nurs­ery or crib, and cats should definitely be prevented from marking these areas. It is important to watch your pet for signs of anxiety or aggression with these introductions and reward only calm, obedi­ent behavior.

When you first bring a newborn or child in to your home, it is vital to create a first-time positive association. If you are bringing home a newborn, a spouse or family member should first take a blan­ket that’s been used to wrap the baby in the hospi­tal and show it to the pets. This should be done in a calm manner, rewarding relaxed behavior from your pets with treats and attention. The day that you bring your baby or child home, you should en­ter with arms free to greet your pets. Spend a few minutes giving them your undivided attention prior to introducing them to their new family member. If your pet becomes too excited, remove the baby from the room, ask your pet to be calm and try again. These first interactions are extremely im­portant! Ensure your pet feels this new addition

is positive and whenever the baby is around, your pet is receiving extra cookies, love and attention. Keep your pet’s nails well trimmed and closely su­pervise all interactions between the pet and baby or child. Keep the pet out of the baby’s room dur­ing nap and sleeping times and ensure your dog is well controlled and responsive to obedience train­ing commands. The goal is to teach your pet that positives or “good things” are most likely to hap­pen in the presence of the child and to avoid any negative association with the child.

Lastly, your pet should be up to date on routine wellness care. A veterinarian should examine your pet and ensure vaccines are current and he is free from parasites. Our companion cats and dogs often carry intestinal parasites. These parasites usually don’t cause clinical signs in pets, but can be passed to humans, particularly very young, very old, or immune-compromised individuals. In babies and children, these parasites can cause devastating ill­ness, including liver disease, blindness, and brain problems. This can be prevented with routine vet­erinary care for your pets- including fecal testing and deworming. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends regular deworming and other preventative measures to ensure your entire house­hold stays healthy.

Just as it is important to teach your pet how to behave around children, it is important to teach children how to treat pets. Kids should always be supervised around pets and taught how to properly approach, pet, and play with pets in a manner that is non-threatening. Pets are animals and regardless of past tendencies may react unpredictably. Kids should be taught not to put their faces near that of their pets and not to pull on their pets’ body parts or collars. Children should be taught NEVER to approach a pet that is not their own without explic­it permission. If your child receives permission, and they do approach, they should go slow and not toward the face. Pets can respond out of fear and seriously injure children.

Pets and kids can develop a life-long respect and appreciation for each other if the foundation is ap­propriately built and both are properly prepared. These steps are well worth the investment and re­ward.

A native of the White Mountains of Arizona, Dr. Ellis is a graduate of Colorado State University’s Professional Veterinary Program. She can be reached at Aspen Ridge Animal Hospital at 928-537-4000.

by Barbara Bruce, Talk Show Host

Enabling, for the purpose of this article, with relation to drugs or alcohol, is defined as a dysfunctional approach by a person close to the ad­dict/alcoholic, usually moti­vated by love or fear, to help or protect the addicted per­son from undesirable conse­quences. Regardless of the motive, the perceived “help” usually exacerbates the problem. Why? Because it is not really help…it is a “cover up” or ma­nipulation which allows the addicted person to continue in their undesirable behavior. One example of enabling would be a wife calling her husband’s employer to report him out sick – though he is actually hung over or under the influence. The enabler’s goal is to protect her husband’s job and to keep the employer from learning about his undesirable behavior. Another example might be a mother covering for the delinquency of her child from school, when in fact she did not know the child was “skipping” school though she sus­pects that he is drinking/drugging. The enabler actually takes responsibility or blame for the addicted person’s conduct; the result: the addict/alcoholic does not have to face the consequences of his/her actions. The addicted person, regardless of being under the influence, reads the message of the enabler loud and clear: “I will always bail you out of trouble.” With that kind of commit­ment, why should the addict or alcoholic bother to change their behavior?

The foregoing examples clearly show that enabling does not help the ad­dict or alcoholic. Enabling prevents psychological growth in the person be­ing enabled and often contributes to negative symptoms in the enabler. Why would someone who loves someone enable them? Enablers do not have clear­ly defined boundaries and most always have very low self esteem. They are definitely not assertive persons – they frequently manipulate situations just so they can be in control of the situation. They have not learned that they cannot control other people.

One must be clear with regard to offering help to someone vs. enabling – there is such a fine line between the two. Of course you should give help to someone who needs it; however, if you exhibit several of the following be­haviors, you should find your way to the nearest ALANON Meeting or seek the help of a therapist:

1. Are you consumed with worry over your loved one?

2. Do you try to solve his/her problems?

3. Do you feel you must take control of this person’s life because you fear they will not be handle things properly or follow through?

4. Do you make excuses for this person? Even lie for them?

5. Do you feel responsible for getting help for this person?

6. Do you believe that your relationship with this person is unlike any other – that it is “meant to be?”; that no one else can understand this person like you?

7. Do you put this person’s needs above your own, even when it is injurious to your personal or financial status?

8. Do you manipulate situations to be in control of this person?

9. Do you stay with this person because you have thrown away so much for them, hoping they will CLEAN UP just for you?

10. Have you given up friends and withdrawn from activities you once en­joyed for this person?

Again, there is a fine line between helping and enabling. Enablers often do not know that they are enabling. If you are involved with an addict or alcoholic, your mantra should be: Enabling is disabling. ALANON can help. Getting help for yourself will allow you to change your life, and it will allow the addict/alcoholic to accept the consequences of his/her actions – and hope­fully lead them to the road of recovery. If you are an enabler, you are not a “bad person.” Your energy should be on you to make your life better, not on someone else who is responsible for his/her own actions. Remember, Shake­speare said it best, “to thine own self be true.”

DRUGNET is a weekly talk show produced by White Mountain Radio and sponsored by Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center and The Maverick Magazine. DRUGNET is The White Mountain’s Radio Source for information on Drugs, Alcohol and Recovery. DRUGNET offers a weekly update with “The Coalition Minute” which highlights the activities of The Navajo County Coalition Against Drug Abuse. For information on drugs, alcohol, and recov­ery, join Talk Show Host Barbara Bruce for DRUGNET each Tuesday night at 6pm on KSNX 93.5, and streaming at www.935KSNX.com. You may ask questions during or prior to the show at drugnetlive@gmail.com, or call in at 928 368-8100, Option No.5 during the show. The show can be downloaded at the end of the week following the show by going to www.barbarabruce.com. DRUGNET’s mission is to provide an avenue of hope for all those still suffering from addiction and co-dependency. If you have a recovery story you would like to share, contact Barbara at 928 368-8100, Ext. 202, or via her website, which also highlights guest information.

by E. Kevin Mar, M.D.

Firstly- is all stress bad? And how does your body deal with stress? Stress keeps your mind and body in-tune and “on its toes.” We possess an army of protective hormones to respond to events that arouse immediate attention to any emergency or non-threatening event, which sharpens overall focus, ener­gy, strength and awareness. For example, while it provides the extra strength to defend yourself in a bodily assault and gives you a quick response in turn­ing the steering wheel to avoid a deer in the road, it also sharpens your con­centration when taking an exam and releases endorphins to give you that light, euphoric feeling and mental clarity during exercise (physical stress).

However, “bad” stress is an excessive amount of any type of stress that results in ruining your health, relationships, productivity and overall quality of life.

What are the effects of bad stress?

There are effects on every part of your body: high blood pressure, suppres­sion of the immune system (making the body highly susceptible to colds, flu and even cancer), depression, anxiety, heart disease, digestive problems (e.g., ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome) and skin problems- the list goes on. The following are different types of symptoms to look for:

The Psychological Symptoms: Memory/concentration problems, Poor judg­ment, Pessimism, Having anxious or racing thoughts, Constant worrying, Having a short temper, Feeling overwhelmed, Being depressed and agitated, Procrastination, Isolation, Mood swings, Excessive use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs for escapism.

Physical Symptoms: Aches and pains, Diarrhea and/or constipation, Nausea, Dizziness, Chest pain, Increase heart beat, Low libido, Frequent colds, Loss of appetite, Nail biting…

What are the causes?

High work demands (self-imposed or not) which consistently force you to re-adjust a routine, financial problems, major life changes (e.g., divorce, a dif­ficult personal relationship, turbulent family dynamics, a move), pessimism, perfectionism and lack of assertiveness.

When things get “ugly”, try these suggestions: (The following suggestions are not fool-proof and results do vary.)

1) The Obvious- Relax and recharge through meditation, hypnosis, listening to soothing music, reading, vacations, taking hot baths, drinking chamomile tea before bed; massaging the temples of your head, back and neck; or fol­lowing a regimen of herbology, naturopathy, homeopathy and acupuncture. Remember to consult a qualified health professional before beginning any herbal remedy- especially if you are on western medications.

2) Move! At least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise/physical activity, 3 times a week, increases endogenous endorphin levels to induce calmness.

3) Have a supportive social network: A group of friends and family members you can talk to, who sincerely want the best for you, is very helpful. Avoid jealous and negative people, who are draining.

4) Have a strong sense of self: Self-confidence is a motivator to overcome life challenges. Low self-esteem exacerbates anxiety, making life hurdles over­whelming

Stress:

The “Good”, The “Bad” And How to Deal When Things Gets “Ugly”.

5) Take on a positive perspective (with a sense of humor): Let’s face it- you have a choice! If you choose a light, positive attitude, your ability to face life’s “gifts” won’t be seen as challenges anymore. A pessimistic individual only sees life challenges as such- challenges. For example, a daily route to work in bumper to bumper traffic can be taken as a time for listening to music, catching up on your favorite book on CD, or a mental recharge before gear­ing up for a full day’s work. For the sake of your sanity and blood pressure, wouldn’t this be a better choice than viewing it with angst? Just leave early enough to avoid the anxiety of lateness.

6) Prioritize and Management: There are only 24 hours in a day. Pick the most important tasks that need to be done first and save the least important for last. There’s also nothing wrong in asking for help. Delegate responsibilities to household members in cleaning the house; or at work, ask colleagues for their advice in how to tackle a task.

7) Anticipate and have a plan: Prepare for a given crisis scenario, and (if necessary) include your loved ones in the discussion. The more you know about what to expect (e.g., the emotions that may arise and a plan to diffuse those emotions) and how long it will last, the better you are able to control stress levels. Extreme stress is over­whelming when an individual cannot be positive, flexible and focused in the bad as well as the good times. It is how we deal with our emotions in a difficult situation that can determine whether we experience a nervous breakdown or not.

Other ways to make “bad” stress manageable: See your doctor for a com­plete evaluation to rule out other diseases or illnesses. Blood tests and pre­scription medications may be necessary to assess and treat stress-related ill­ness. Remember that all medications (allopathic and holistic) must be taken with supervision. They may be addictive and have some negative side effects. Taken in conjunction with other prescribed drugs, illicit substances or alco­hol, they can also be dangerous. Those who are successful in alleviating the adverse effects of stress are resilient in all situations. But it takes time, energy and discipline to maintain good emotional health; and it will not happen over­night. The key is prevention! Have a relaxing summer!

E. Kevin Mar M.D. appears courtesy of Pinetop-Lakeside Integrative & Phys­ical Medicine LLC where he specializes in Pain Management, Acupuncture, Musculoskeletal Injury & Sports Medicine. He can be reached at 928-358-1648 or plintegrativephysicalmedicine@yahoo.com. (This article is intended for informational purposes only. The author’s information is intended to be accurate; however inaccuracies may occur. It is advised that the reader con­sult a knowledgeable health professional before beginning any herbal regi­men- especially if one is taking western medication. In rare cases, herb-west­ern medication interactions can be harmful.)

Addendum: Dehydration!

By E. Kevin Mar, M.D.

Here is an important excerpt that was omitted in my article entitled “Dehydra­tion!” from the July, 2010 issue of The Maverick Magazine.

“In an emergency situation, when you are mild to moderately dehydrated and there is no prepared solution available or medical facility around; here is a recipe for a crude oral hydration fluid:

¼ to ½ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of baking soda

2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar

1 liter of safe drinking water

Remember, ingredients should be accurately measured; otherwise the solu­tion can be ineffective or harmful.

Mix vigorously until completely dissolved; then drink.

As always, in cases of severe dehydration, it is strongly recommended that you go to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible for evaluation and treat­ment. Enjoy your summer! Go out and play, but do so safely!”

When thunderstorms roll across the state, are you hiding under the bed? Do you have sleepless nights before giving a speech? Thunderstorms, giving pre­sentations, riding a roller coaster and taking exami­nations: all of these events can be anxiety producing events. Contrary to popular belief, anxiety does not come from dangerous or painful situations. Anxi­ety actually arises out of your thoughts. In a given situation, it’s the thought of the potential danger, not the danger itself that creates the symptoms of anxiety.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE MY NEMESIS!

Let’s take the example of a fear of thunderstorms. While the monsoon season is a force to be reckoned with, it can be truly a problem if you are immobi­lized by the sound of thunder and crack of light­ning. This thought process can be narrowed down to the ABCs of anxiety. The situation (A), gives rise to the thought (B), which in turn triggers the feeling of anxiety (C). As we have all experienced at some time, this ABC sequence can be escalated by means of a feedback loop. The feeling of the anxiety it­self becomes the stimulus for further catastrophic thoughts. Perhaps a second prediction is made (“I feel scared. This is really dangerous”), which mag­nifies this feeling, and on it goes.

At times, these feelings can be fun. Some of us enjoy the thrill of a roller coaster ride, or scary mov­ie. However, this kind of emotional roller coaster is particularly difficult to stop when you’re in a situa­tion that you can’t avoid: a party at work, an upcom­ing presentation, or feeling physical pain. In these

situations, you may feel that you are not in con­trol, which further complicates the process. How much better to return to your authentic self, the you before this situation happened in your life.

I WANT MY LIFE BACK

Do you want a new life with a positive perspec­tive immediately at hand? Rather than seeing the gathering of thunderclouds and dreading the upcoming storm, would you prefer to enjoy the wonder of nature? Being confident when taking a test, rather than going blank? Look forward to giving a speech?

Fortunately, there is a way to move into this better frame of mind. After all, these problem­atic feelings are simply signs of a “bad trance”. Through your interpretation of prior experiences, these negative associations were created as part of your world. With a few sessions of hypnotherapy you can develop a new strategy, one which gives you options and opens up your world to new pos­sibilities. Some outcomes for hypnotherapy in this type of situation are: reminding the body and mind how to relax, replacing irrational beliefs with new, positive responses, and using new strat­egies to reduce and eliminate anxious feelings in­stead of intensifying them.

A reminder that even breathing deeply when these feelings begin can serve to reset your mind and lead you on the path of a stress free life. Easy to do, and this technique works well to move you toward positive goals. Wishing you the best of the season!

Having over 25 years of experience, JOAN COURTNEY is a Certified Clinical Hypnothera­pist and an NLP Practitioner. She is affiliated with three major hypnotherapy associations, and has specialized training in phobia release. TRANS­FORMATION HYPNOTHERAPY is located at 163 White Mountain Bl, Pinetop/Lakeside, AZ. She can be contacted at (928) 367-8208 or trans­formationhypnotherapy@frontiernet.net.

by Ken Hosie

“Meditation Hour” is a public program held each Sunday from 9-10 am at Open Spaces Yoga Center, Ponderosa Village, Lakeside.

Meditation is a spiritual practice. (A “spiritual practice” might best be defined as “a means by which one comes to know oneself.”) To talk about meditation that has as its context something other than a spiritual practice is to not be talking about meditation at all. In the West, meditation is most often confused with relaxation, de-stressing and letting go of the day, but this orientation is a distant cousin that pales in comparison to “meditation” that has a dynamic and all-inclusive impact on the way in which we engage with the world we live in. And no one has a patent on meditation – no religion, no institution, no individual. Meditation is universally ours. The only variable is the means by which we approach it.

So, meditation cannot be accomplished in casual resting states. Medita­tion’s benefits are realized by training the mind to “stay” in one place for an extended period of time and then to release one’s effort into the clarity that that ability to stay has created.

Meditation practices come in many forms: mindfulness practices, attention on the breath, visualizations, mantra, guided imagery, resting the mind on an object, contemplation … and numerous other forms as well. The approach to meditation is first to develop keen concentration (to be able to hold one’s attention – without effort – on the object of meditation) and, by effectively do­ing so, to release attention on the object and to become that which is aware of being aware. Meditation Master Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche says it this way: “Once stability of mind is developed through concentration, the unwanted movement of the mind slows and stops.” (Reference: Healing With Form, Energy and Light, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Snow Lion Press, 2002)

Strengthening the ability to remain one-pointed without effort helps reorient

our perception of the life experience from (a) the “I” we experience as an isolated entity within the uni­verse bent on survival to (b) being that which is intimately engaged in the creation of the entire universe, moment by moment.

The value of investing time and energy in meditation is discovered in the way we interface with life. Less reactive, more receptive; less fearful, more spacious; we begin to uncover an authentically lived interpretation of what life is … not by being told, not by “believing” but through direct experience. Unwanted habits fall away. Undesirable thoughts and negative emotions dissipate. We become calm and self-reliant … not just during a meditation practice but in the thick of things, in those circumstance and events in life that we would customarily prefer to avoid. We become, in short, genuinely and without affectation peaceful.

“Meditation Hour” at Open Spaces Yoga Center is an opportunity to engage with the meditation experience, to practice a variety of meditation forms with others who have a curiosity about meditation (both Eastern and Western meditation approaches are explored), as well as those who already have an established meditation practice but also find they benefit from a “group” meditation environment. (Many participants report feeling empowered and enlivened by sharing the meditation experience with others. In some ways, a group practice “amps up” the degree by which one is able to recognize those remarkably still and illuminating spaces a maturing meditation practice provides.)

“Meditation Hour” is designed to give participants a range of meditation experiences in order for each individual to self-discover the forms of meditation that resonate most directly with them. Practicing alone alternated with practicing in a group seems to be an extremely beneficial and rewarding way to grow one’s stability of mind and to experience progressing along this ages-old discipline leading toward self-discovery and self-mastery.

Ken Hosie, M.A., is a Certified Meditation Teacher and has been practicing and teaching meditation for over thirty years. Private sessions with Ken are also available by calling Open Spaces Yoga Center (928) 367-4636 or by email at info@OpenSpacesYoga.com. As with all other classes, seminars, workshops and special events at Open Spaces, visit www.OpenSpacesYoga.com for up-to-the-minute programming.

Navajo County Public Health Services District would like to remind residents to be vigilant against mosquitoes. With the arrival of the monsoon season it is likely to increase West Nile Virus (WNV) activity because mosquitoes breed in standing water. “We are working closely with Arizona Department of Health Services to ensure proper surveillance and detection of the WNV in the community,” said Navajo County Health Director Dr. Wade Kartchner “but we need residents to do their part in and around their homes.”

Mosquito Proof Your Home: Remove all standing water

• Turn over plastic containers, ceramic pots, tin cans, and other similar water-holding containers.

• Remove discarded tires from your property (used tires are one of the most common mosquito breeding sites).

• Turn over plastic pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.

• Change the water in the bird baths, pet dishes and flower pots at least twice a week.

• Check window screens for holes.

During the summer months, many residents schedule their outdoor activities during the early morning and evening hours in order to avoid the heat. Unfor­tunately, this is when mosquitoes are at their most active. “If you’re going out for an early morning round of golf or an evening walk, remember to prevent WNV by keeping mosquitoes off of you,” said Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Don Walker, “use insect repellant that contains DEET, and wear long sleeves and pants if possible.”

Diabetic Discussion Group –

Lauren Barnert-Hosie of Open Spaces Yoga to Speak

If you are an adult with diabetes or are interested in learning more about dia­betes, you are welcome to attend our monthly diabetic education discussion and support group, held the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Conference Room 2.

At our August 4 meeting, Lauren Barnert-Hosie, the owner of Open Spaces Yoga Center, will be speaking. Lauren is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor with 14 years experience. She has studied with some of the foremost yoga teachers of our time. She holds a Certificate of Psychomotor Therapy from New York Medical College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Univer­sity of Florida. Lauren will discuss and show us adaptive moves and positions to improve our health and fitness. No sign up is necessary and there is no fee. Call (928) 537-6548 for more information.