Daniel Woo is a Seattle lawyer who deals with screaming people. . . in litigation, in road rage, in any time and place. Here he reveals his personal method for not taking it personally.

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Zimbabwe’s modern Jews with ancient roots

Proving that the world is a much smaller place than we thought, and how interconnected we all are, DNA tests have confirmed that a tribe in Zimbabwe has Jewish roots. While the Lemba tribe shares many things in common with Jews (wearing skullcap head coverings, circumcision, avoidance of eating pork), the relationship is more than skin deep.  British scientists have confirmed that members of the Lemba are genetically descended from semitic ancestors, probably a small group of Jewish men immigrating from Syria-Palestine over a thousand years ago. Not to mention the Lemba hold a sacred artifact believed to be part of the Ark of the Covenant.

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A meditation teacher views the Academy Awards ceremony as a showcase for techniques that the rich and famous use to keep their cool. A short-list of spiritual and psychological tips for overcoming performance-anxiety:

War of the poses: Ex's Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron have their eyes on the same 2010 Academy Award prize

GUEST COLUMN: REID PETERSON — The Oscar statue’s familiar gold form emblazoned everywhere in the media lets us know that it is once again time for the show that is watched by one billion viewers worldwide.

As the awards unfold much of our planet will be gathered in front of their TV screens for a few hours as actors, directors, and writers gather to receive praise, prestige, and paparazzi for the degree of excellence that they have achieved in their industry during calendar-year 2009.

We all know that the 2010 Oscars are a huge deal because the event has an uncanny ability to hook us emotionally.

But what quality of emotion do we view in the people who are in front of the camera for this event?  Is this reality-TV that exposes how nervous the nominees really are? Or is it a real-time acting lab?

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New York theatre critic Retta Blaney discovered the spirituality of film stars when she interviewed Vanessa Williams, Liam Neeson and Kristen Chenoweth (Hey, she was on Glee!)

GUEST COLUMN: RETTA BLANEY —  As I researched and wrote my book, Working On The Inside: The Spiritual Life Through The Eyes Of Actors, I found that my personal faith was greatly influenced.  The wisdom of the actors I interviewed brought me a great deal of growth, healing and transformation —  and I pray it will do so for others who want to work on the “inside.”

The idea for the book came from my many years of interviewing stage actors like Kristen Chenoweth.  Time and again they brought up the need for a spiritual life.  I have covered many beats in my life — politics, education and business to name three — but I never encountered anyone in those fields who spoke about spiritual matters in relationship to their careers.

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The reality show raises awareness of addiction by televising celebrities like Dennis Rodman, Tom Sizemore and Heidi Fleiss in treatment. Does it have lessons for addicts in America at large, or is it voyuerism?

The cast of Celeb Rehab 3

BY DAVID RICKEY — One only has to watch the intake interviews for Celebrity Rehab, the reality show on the VH1 cable channel hosted by Pasadena-based Dr. Drew Pinsky, to see that cast members like Dennis Rodman, Tom Sizemore and Heidi Fleiss have more issues going on than just addiction, either to drugs and alcohol, or certain patterns of behavior. (Exhibit: country singer Cindy McCready, who was addicted to an abusive boyfriend).

This points, then, to the major drawback of Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab — and rehab in general. Continue Reading »

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Michelle Obama is sans tattoos because “polite society” still frowns upon them. But body-art has a long, sacred tradition. A Boomer’s tattoo confession.

Photo by Paul Clark RGD

GUEST COLUMN: MARY GIUFFRE —I wear two tattoos.  The top of my left arm hosts an OM symbol, which, to my mind, reinforces my commitment to a spiritual path.  In the same spot on my right arm (that’s me, stage left) is an icon of an energetic spiral, a reflection of our very galaxy.

I love body art! And talk about an archetype, the first tattoo I ever remember seeing was on the forearm of a wrinkled, unassuming sailor.  It was a bell, faded by time but I loved the way it shifted and melted when his aged muscle flexed.

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Purim: how a Jewish queen of Persia prevented genocide

The Jewish holiday of Purim is celebrated this week, commemorating Queen Esther’s saving her people from certain destruction.  During the festival Jews read from Megilat Esther (the book of Esther from the Bible), which is named after the fifth century BC Jewish heroine who helped protect her people and father Mordecai from the evil schemes of the story’s chief villain, Haman.  During the festival men and women comically cross dress as characters from Esther, and are commanded by Jewish law to drink until they cannot recognize Haman from Mordecai, i.e., evil from good (which would imply that much drinking is required).

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My first “faith”: Catholic guilt, playing Purgatory, Priests who molested, and kissing cousins

BY MARINA GIULLIANI — Read part 1 and part 2 of this Soul’s Code exclusive from the book, Sins of my Faith

Outsiders would say I’m a serial victim of sexual abuse. I reject the word victim because I consider myself a champion and I resist being labelled at all, as such a complex experience can’t possibly be generalized. 

Having said that, when I realized my stolen innocence created the havoc that became my future,
my mind raged with the minute details of experiences long forgotten. . .

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A Soul’s Code insider asked herself, “Can enlightenment happen through meditation or practice?” Drawing on examples like Eckhart Tolle, her personal experience and science, the answer is: Yes

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Highly effective and happy people are courageously honest with themselves. Here is a checklist of 15 questions to ask yourself

GUEST COLUMN: SHARON COHEN — Most people believe that if they just had more money, the things that make them unhappy would disappear, and their lives would be better.

The truth is that your life can be better without more money. It can be better today, but you need to make some decisions and take action.

You don’t need me to tell you what will make you happy — only you know that truth. My aim here is to help you discover that truth.

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Katie Davis is a female mystic, fellow traveler of Eckhart Tolle’s and teacher of the kind of love that makes relationships last

GUEST COLUMN: KATIE DAVIS author of Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment — All love is one Love and when we fall in love with one another, it is said that we are experiencing the divine. Rumi, a thirteenth-century Sufi poet, defines love as a mystical moment, when two spiritually-connected individuals meet.

We call it love at first sight.

In this meeting of eyes, Rumi romantically writes, we not only experience the union of two loving souls but also the Love that is the crux of the universe.

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In the second part of a Soul’s Code exclusive from the book Sins of My Faith, Marina explains that what seems like denial is self-protection

BY MARINA GIULLIANI (read part one) : “It hit me like a cold slap. That’s when it all started!” I made the connection on a chilly February afternoon, but didn’t realize the impact it made on the last forty-four years until two days later.  I’d been in Vancouver, with my best friend of over twenty years, trying to get perspective on my life. We had shared a lot of memories, but this particular piece of my life story never surfaced until after I returned home.

“I never told you this before. . .” I stated bluntly in an e-mail conversation with her, “. . . because it was never a concern and because it wasn’t traumatic, but, when I was a little girl, my grandfather used to touch my genitals. I loved the way it felt, so I never thought much about it.”

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Mawlid, birthday of Muhammad

This Friday Sunni Muslims across the world will celebrate Mawlid, the birthday of the prophet Muhammad.  Though the celebration is centuries old, historically Muslims were divided over the issue of permiting the holiday and how it should be celebrated (maybe it appeared too similar to that religious birthday among Christian neighbors: Christmas).  Festive processions and parties can be found in several nations, particularly in India, and though Mawlid is celebrated in nearly all Muslim nations, Saudia Arabia (the birth place of Islam) has not made Mawlid an official holiday.

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Scientists at the Human Consciousness Project are studying what happens when we die. It’s not as bad as you might expect

BY DAVID RICKEY — When Time magazine wants to engage with its readers, they do articles like, “What Happens When We Die? Their take:

A fellow at New York’s Weill Cornell Medical Center, Dr. Sam Parnia … and his colleagues at the Human Consciousness Project announced their first major undertaking: a 3-year exploration of the biology behind “out-of-body” experiences.

The Soul’s Code take:  please don’t ignore the spirit. Continue Reading »

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Psychotherapist Dr. Nancy Irwin shows how you can reprogram your subconscious mind and make it work for you — in every facet of your life

GUEST COLUMN: DR. NANCY B. IRWIN — As a doctor of psychology and a therapeutic hypnotist, I know for a fact that we are all born to win.

By “win” I don’t mean necessarily winning an Olympic medal or having major achievements.  You win by being the best you possible, however you define that.  Whether you subscribe to a spiritual or intellectual theory, we are all here to learn, and thus we are all here to win.  In psychology we call it the tabula rasa theory — the blank slate.

We learn to lose, and what we learn, we can un-learn.

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A priest and psychotherapist finds answers in Genesis, the work of Carl Jung and the science of meditation

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Confessions from a job management coach on how to use surrender, service and grace to make your next career move

GUEST COLUMN: JEFF ROBINSON — From July 2005 until approximately April 2006, I began a spiritual transformation that changed the course of my life in some amazing and often difficult ways, and which continues to this day.

After more than 20 years of seeking a spiritual path that made sense to me, a friend introduced me to one of the best selling books on spirituality ever written: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda.

Yogananda-ji came to the U.S. in the 1920’s and stayed until the time of his death in 1952, introducing hundreds of thousands to the spiritual path of Kriya Yoga.   He is widely credited as being the driving force in bringing yoga to the west.

I couldn’t put the book down, and literally fell in love with both Yogananda and his teachings.

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When people like Tiger Woods are treated for destructive behaviors, they often slip into new ones. An addiction specialist shares her spiritual insights into the causes and cures of addiction

GUEST COLUMN BY MARY COOK, M.A. — Addiction is death.

It is the death of dreams and hope, of the real self and self-esteem, of genuine relationships with others, and of the motivation, courage and ability to create a full, healthy, spiritual life.

We run from ourselves in pursuit of whatever works when we’re in a sick environment.

This is understandable if we know of no other options.

The greater problem is when we lie to ourselves when we believe that sickness is acceptable.

The emptiness and depression that result from these deaths and their denial, leave desperate longings to connect with something or someone that can save us from absolute destruction.

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A heart-breaking work of staggering honesty: Sins of My Faith. In this Soul’s Code exclusive, a woman who lost her innocence to incest explains why she did not “out” her abuser

BY MARINA GIULLIANI: It’s commonly understood that incest refers to “sexual acts between close relatives”, but I know from first-hand experience that incest is a heinous act that no dictionary definition could possibly prepare you for.

Fondled by a respected member of our family, from the time I was much too young to know what havoc the guilt of sexual pleasure would bestow on my future, I lost my innocence to incest.

At one time I would have agreed with those who claim that rape is a far more serious abuse than touching. But now that I’ve put all the pieces together, it’s apparent that my subconscious made no such distinction.

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