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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Internationally recognized InterPlay comes to Racine in July


Cynthia Winton-Henry plays like her life depended on it. One day she heard a voice: "These are the directives: Clarity of Vision, Efficiency of Energy, Courage to Love."

Out of these experiences, she and Phil Porter developed InterPlay during the last 20 years and it has spread around the world. Now it comes to Racine.

InterPlay, an internationally known organization that has ignited a global social movement that promotes fun, movement, storytelling and play as a route to health, community building and spiritual growth, will come to Racine in mid-July with a variety of workshops and special programs at three separate locations..

The events include a free program and book signing on July 12, a low-cost participatory evening program on July 13 and a two-day intensive with Cynthia Winton-Henry, the co-founder of InterPlay.

InterPlay is great for anyone interested in reintegrating body mind heart and spirit in an elegant, creative manner. It also has great applications for spiritual directors, psychotherapists and clergy.

The schedule includes:

“The Five Great Freedoms,” a free public workshop and book signing from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, July 12, at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 40 Ohio St.,

Come experience your Five Great Freedoms: move, vocalize, tell, connect, be. Cynthia Winton-Henry, co-founder of InterPlay, will demonstrate InterPlay's surprisingly simple steps to help you notice and welcome body wisdom that you may not be using fully. She will read from her new books “Chasing the Dance of Life and Dance” and “The Sacred Art: The Joy of Movement as Spiritual Practice” and sign books at the end of the evening.

The program is free but persons who reserve with JoAnn Hansen, local organizer, at jhansen120@wi.rr.com by, July 7 and attend the event you'll be entered to win a special prize.

“InterPlay Basics: It's All About Rediscovering The Connection” from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, at the Lake House Health & Learning Center, 932 Lake Ave., Racine, with Georgia Jane Kaftan and Jane Siarny. Siarny, a longtime teacher for children and adults, has been a Chicago InterPlay leader since 1995; Kaftan is a retired attorney who has been leading InterPlay groups since 2003.

Suggested donation is $5 to $10. For questions and registration please contact Georgia Jane at gkaftan45@yahoo.com or (920) 743-6265.

"Praying the Body” is a two-day intensive workshop on July13 and 14 at the DeKoven Center, 600 21st St., Racine, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Leader will be Cynthia Winton-Henry, the co-founders of InterPlay. She is a teacher, performer, writer, and organizer. With Phil Porter she provides leadership to InterPlayers around the world and others interested in reintegrating body wisdom in their life and community practices. Her books include “What the Body Wants,” “Dance: A Sacred Art: Discovering the Joy of Movement as Spiritual Practice,” “Chasing the Dance of Life: A Faith Journey, “ and Having It All: Body, Mind, Heart & Spirit Together Again at Last.”

July 13 will focus on “InterPlay as Soulwork” Too many words? Seeking peace? Want a practice that aims for joy? Wondering about body and soul?

Come for a soulful place to welcome the wisdom of the body through movement, voice, stillness, and sharing stories. Beginning with easy, doable tasks—one-hand dances, one-breath songs, hand-to-hand movement with partners and thirty-second stories about light- hearted topics—you will discover new ways to do the work of the soul. You will discover the direct relationships between InterPlay's practices and traditional prayer as well as learning many new ways to do soulwork.

July 14 will focus on “Deepening Our Body Wisdom.”

This is what she plays with everyday. What are you playing with? If you are ready to move, breathe, give expression to your dreams, go deeper, claim your truth or just play because it gives you joy, this day is for you!

Tuition is $200 or $100 per day. Lodging and meals are also available for persons who wish those services. A commuter rate of $30 includes up to two meals.

To register, contact Stephanie Pile at (510) 465.2797; Questions should be directed to Harriet Platts, event organizer, at 206-227-6107 or harriet@interplay.org.

For more about the InterPlay program and for information on the Monday book signing and the two-day intensive, see InterPlay at http://www.interplay.org.

For more information about the program at Lake House Health & Learning Center and directions, see http://www.lakehousecenter.com/calendar.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Local Reiki Master practices 'pure' healing energy

By Mila Dechant


Love is the purest form of energy and any form of pure energy is healing energy. Reiki is one of the commonly known forms of pure healing energy.

Reiki practitioners and participants experience clarity, peace, wellbeing and are often in a state of ease. When carrying out Reiki, the practitioner places their hands over the participant’s particular areas of the body. Then the practitioner lets the universal flow of energy does it work with ease over a length of time.

Reiki is not a religion but spiritual in nature. I have personally experienced Reiki and it does wonders to the state of mind and well-being. More and more people are getting into this wholistic healing art form. I had the humble opportunity to speak with a Reiki practitioner.

Karuna Krinsky (right) is a Reiki Master and has been practising this healing art form since 1999. Karuna shares that Reiki has changed her life tremendously. After taken the reiki classes, she had experienced an epiphany. She experienced that she was aware of what she was holding back. Reiki allowed her to overcome her physical issues. Karuna’s Reiki teacher even noticed a change in her. Karuna’s disciplined practise of Reiki made her calm and composed.

Although Karuna was never interested to teach Reiki, she felt obligated to make this art available to others to improve their well-being. She started teaching in the summer of 2002 and has not stopped sharing and teaching ever since. Karuna shared that Reiki can be used for mental afflictions.  She also shared that it can create turbulence when you force it. Reiki can be practised on yourself or on someone else. When Reiki is carried out, you experience comfort and ease through your body. Karuna has been a lacto Vegetarian for 33 years. She became a vegetarian for personal reasons.  She did not want to subject herself to the pain and depression of an animal being slaughtered. Being a vegetarian has helped her practise reiki more efficiently but she does not recommend anyone to become a vegetarian for the sake of it. Each person has to have an epiphany in order follow a vegetarian diet.

Karuna is a board member of Institute for Wholistic Education, a non-profit organization. She carries out 4 classes a year for Reiki. Each class takes place during each season. More information is obtainable on her website www.reikiteacher.org

Energy is what moves matter. Everyone of us posses the healing art form when attuned in the right manner.

Relay participants remember cancer victims -- and do something to fight the disease

Applause for cancer survivors taking the first lap around the Relay track

As track meets go, the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, now under way at Case High School's Hammes Field, is unique.

Men and women participate; young and old; healthy and ailing; some with a full head of hair, others with a bald pate signifying chemo and radiation treatment. They started walking around the track shortly after 6 p.m. Friday night, and won't finish until about 10 a.m. Saturday morning. Some walk; some are in wheelchairs; some shuffle along in walkers. 

Before the Relay started, there were 93 teams registered; 957 individuals. Between them, they had already raised $68,010.88 for the fight against cancer. (Update: They raised $205,000.) Every team promises to have at least one member on the track throughout the night, "because cancer never sleeps."

First around the track Friday night were cancer survivors, many of them wearing purple t-shirts proclaiming their own personal victories: "Had it. Fought it. Survived it." The survivors' lap was followed by a second group, the care-givers, followed by everyone else, all present to fight back against the disease. They marched to bouncy rock 'n roll; the more energetic taking time out for an hour of Zumba.

The track was lined with luminaries celebrating the lives of people who have battled cancer, and remembering loved ones lost. At dusk, candles were lit within each hand-decorated bag bearing the name of a person touched by cancer; participants then walked a lap in silence. 




Luminaries celebrated the victories ... and remembered those who lost
Zumba drew scores with boundless energy to spare


Here are three photos taken by Dan White, after the luminaries were lit at 9 p.m.

  

Racine gives world something to chew on...

Bite me! say two former Racinians!


Racine native Alex Seidel is on the cover of Food & Wine (that's him in the center of the back row), making an appearance in the magazine's 10 Best New Chefs issue. 

A 1991 graduate of Park High School, Seidel was nominated this year as a James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist for Best Chef Southwest. Later this week, he will participate in Aspen's annual Food & Wine Classic.

He owns Fruition, a 52-seat, award-winning restaurant in Denver that has been featured in Bon Appetit, Gourmet and USA Today.

And where does he like to eat when he's back in Wisconsin? Seidel cites Kopp's custard and Wells Brothers pizza.

Go here for Food & Wine's article about Seidel -- and also for one of his recipes.  

Read more about him here in the Journal Sentinel.

The city's second taste of fame this morning comes via a different sort -- thanks to Kristin Bauer, who plays the vampire Pam in HBO's series True Blood, which opened its third season on Sunday. 

Pam co-owns the vampire bar Fangtasia in the series, and this is going to be her year to take charge.

Kristin's career began in 1994 with an episode of L.A. Law, and she spent a year on the Fox comedy, The Crew.  But her most memorable character -- until now! --  was as "Man-Hands Gillian," Jerry's girlfriend on Seinfeld. 

The Journal Sentinel profiled her this weekend, and there's more about Kristin and the sexy character she plays on HBO's website here.

Free health care power of attorneys given away at Kortendick's

Over 300 free health care power of attorneys were given away at Kortendick’s Ace Hardware on Douglas Avenue during each Saturday in the month of May, according to Elder Law Attorney Timothy P. Crawford.

Free health care power of attorneys will be distributed in the future at other area locations throughout the year. Everyone needs a Health Care Power of Attorney. Once a person becomes 18 years old they are considered an adult and the parents lose their right to make a decision for their child unless the child has a health care power of attorney.

Signing a health care power of attorney can be more important to your personal well being than signing a will. This power of attorney allows you to pick someone you trust to handle your medical affairs if you cannot make decisions for yourself. It can provide peace of mind to know that someone you choose will have the authority to act for you when you can’t act for yourself. If you don't have a power of attorney and you are suddenly incapacitated, your family may have to go through an expensive and time-consuming court proceeding to appoint a guardian to make decisions for you.