Get to know your local practitioners! Check back in with Ojai Healers regularly for interviews with some of our members, and visit OjaiHealing.com for their insight into all things Health!

Lola's work, Divine Openings, gained international acclaim, quietly spreading to over 100 countries by word of mouth and on the internet, quite simply because it works. Rather than processing and working on yourself one issue at a time, Divine Openings impacts your whole life globally and rapidly, causing many people to say, "I don't even recognize my life from a year ago, and it wasn't hard work!" Issues fade away and limitations dissolve as your "pipes are opened." Life moves beyond endless issues, incessant healing, and solving problems.

Most people begin Divine Openings through Lola's book, Things Are Going Great In My Absence: How To Let Go And Let The Divine Do The Heavy Lifting, and by taking the multi-media-rich online retreats at www.DivineOpenings.com.

After people have read the book, Lola will give 1 on 1 sessions in person or by phone. For most people, three sessions changes their lives dramatically and permanently. One woman got happy, landed the resistant man of her dreams and now doesn't need to work, her entire circle transformed due to her new radiance, and she's living happily ever after. She was a realtor, but is now being sought out as a coach and spiritual counselor because her friends saw the changes and "want some of what she has."

People come from all over the world to the 5 Day Silent Retreats, where, without talking, revealing private details, or processing, enlightenment is initiated, blissful states are attained, and stunning results are experienced immediately. It continues to expand once people go home: in relationships, finances, careers, inner peace, security, quieter mind, hearts desires fulfilled, and in every area of life. Profound physical headings occur as well. The 5 Day Retreat in Ojai February 7-11, 2012 is already registering, and fills rapidly.

All details are at www.DivineOpenings.com

The book: www.DivineOpenings.com/books
The retreats: www.DivineOpenings.com/5-day
The online retreats: www.DivineOpenings.com/courses

Ojai Healing Movement is now collaborating with a variety of local practitioners. We are sharing our space, offering such treatments as art therapy with Renate Collins and Katie VanHorne, spiritual coaching with Jennifer Wilson, life coaching with Katherine McClelland, aromatherapy and myofascial release with Stacey Moss, a therapy called "Radical Undoing" with Garrett Daun, and massage therapy with my extraordinary friend David Johnson whose practice extends from Florida to Hawaii and Malibu.

Ojai Healing Movement hosted a booth at the Lavender Festival and delivered a signature treatment called the Lavender Chill. It was SO well received that we were giving treatments nonstop from 11-6pm! We have decided to offer this service all summer for a mere $22/treatment! People raved about it and we agree, it's the real deal, complete relaxation. Here's the scoop: Lavender Chill:
After being seated, you are automatically transported into zero gravity at the touch of a button. You are then handed a square of terry cloth that has been Infused with lavender essential oil and chilled. Whether you choose to lay it on your face, decollate or neck the aroma reaches and activates the relaxation centers of your brain allowing your whole body to respond by easing and letting go of tension. Another cloth is laid over one hand and squeezed and massaged into further relaxation followed by the other hand. Then, attention is given to the feet. Each receives the cold cloth and massage until you haven't an ounce of tension left.
After the chair is gently returned to the upright position, you receive a lavender hydrosol mist to the face hands and feet. Following this revitalizing shower, you are allowed to rest until ready to return to the hustle and bustle of life refreshed. Time: approx. 20 mins. Price: $22

This is a summer special.

In the winter the treatment includes hot towels and the immune boosting essential oil blend of cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon, rosemary, and clove.

Every Tuesday @ 9, Ronelle Wood leads a walking clinic outside. You think you already know how to walk? Let me show you how to do it with the best body mechanics possible so that you don't wear out your joints and you INCREASE the health benefits. It's $15/ drop-in, $10/ 6 or more class pass. The weather is beautiful and you will never forget what you learn here!

There is an epidemic on the rise. . . men and women suffering from pelvic floor disorder (PFD). It includes such problems as urinary incontinence, uterine prolapse, prostate disease, and many varieties of pelvic pain. On Wednesday, July 20th @ 6:30pm I will be giving an educational lecture about why this is becoming so prevalent right now and what you can do to counteract and reverse these disorders. Once you understand the structure and function of the pelvic floor, you can easily make adjustments to the daily habits and body mechanics that are causing this malfunction on such a grand scale. This will be a package offer that includes the lecture and handouts, one myofascial release massage therapy session and a 6 class pass for Restorative ExerciseTM to help you learn and practice your new body mechanics all for only $99.

On a personal note, Ronelle shares what she loves about Ojai: "What I love about Ojai??? What's not to love? I love the Ojai weather (a 5th generation Californian, I served 10 years in Massachusetts as a youngster) I know how to appreciate Ojai weather. The cradle of the mountains takes my breath away every time I look up. There is so much variety in the way the mist and sunlight and clouds drape themselves over the landscape, it looks like a painting. The people are seekers of the truth. Many locals do not abide shallow conversation, but share themselves deeply and authentically. I love the slow growth. Ojai does not suffer overgrowth and it isn't long before you realize how easy it is to find somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody you know. I am so grateful to have found my way here and I plan to stay."

For more about Ojai Healing Movement, click here.

Ojai Healers: What brought you to Ojai?

Lisa West: My partner was offered a job here. We were surprised at how ideal the valley was for my interests and focus as well, so we stayed.

Ojai Healers: What brought you to your present career/modality?

I have always wanted to work in medicine, from the time I was 3 or 4. A fortunate injury in high school led me to a physical therapist and I clicked immediately with the profession. As time went on, I began learning more about the body, mind and spirit and became fascinated with the interconnectedness of these parts of us. These interests led (and continue to lead) me into exploring more holistic modalities, especially areas that focus on the connective tissue of the body (things like craniosacral, myofascial release and visceral mobilization).

I am finding a lot of joy lately in teaching others about some of the things I have learned, primarily through yoga classes and courses.

Ojai Healers: Tell us what you do in your free time.

Lisa West: My free time is spent reading, sometimes fiction, but embarrassingly more often I am reading books about the body/mind/spirit. I really love my work and am usually trying to explore it in one way or another most of the time. I am an eternal yoga student and spend time trying to "be Yoga", be in the moment, as much as I can remember to. I love the ocean and being outdoors, though I don't bring myself to nature often enough.

Ojai Healers: If you weren't doing what you do, what would you be doing? One practical answer, one dream....

Lisa West: I love what I do, and think I will always do my work in one capacity or another. Perhaps I will be led to write more in the future. I mostly just want to create the time and space in my life to meditate, center and increase my capacity for listening so that I can give as much as possible during my sessions and in my teachings.

Deon first discovered “Nuad Bo Rarn”, Traditional Thai Massage, while traveling in Thailand on vacation in the year 2000. It brought forth sensations of emotional and spiritual well-being, similar to those related to periods of deep meditation. He also experienced a profound sense of Bliss and connection to his body, previously only felt after vigorous exercise.

Since then, he has completed several training courses and obtained certification as an Advanced Thai Yoga Practitioner (by Saul David Raye in the USA and Pichest Boonthumme in Thailand); Hatha Yoga Teacher (Anusara-style) and Massage Therapy Practitioner (Institute of Psycho Structural Balancing).

He has always been deeply committed to providing the utmost in care and compassion to his clients and students. As a result, he has integrated techniques and wisdom obtained from his ongoing personal practice of Hatha Yoga and Meditation as well as from the many other mind/body healing traditions experienced along the way.

To date, he has trained massage and skin-care therapists, yoga practitioners and instructors, couples, friends and family all over the USA, in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa. As a professional instructor, he has been certified as an approved provider of continuing education credits (CEC’s) by the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).

For contact information, visit Deon de Wet's profile

If you could offer your services to anyone in the news today - celebrity or politician or criminal or victim of a crime or anyone else, who would it be and why?

I can't think of a specific individual but there is a passion in me to help the 'movers and shakers' of this world to understand that now is the time to change our old mindset of might makes right with a new more enlightened mindset of unity, compassion and cooperation not only to each other and all nations but towards the earth as well. It is time for our specsis to finally grow up.

Read more about Sandra's work, her personal story, and her favorite foods after the break or contact Rev. Sandra Foster.

I love to oil paint and to dance. I am an avid reader and I like to garden. I am intensely interested in metaphysics and science as well ( as a child I wanted to be an astronomer or maybe a geologist). I will be taking classes this winter in doing voice over work- it is SO much fun (and potentially profitable too). I am also in the process of putting together a series of workshops on finding the Joy in life. They will be entitled Awakening to Joy. I see these once a month workshops (six of them) being useful for people who feel like they have hit their own personal brick wall- a way for them to begin a spiritual path that leads to greater inner balance and well being. More on that after the first of the year.

What has been the most rewarding part of your work - a specific person you've helped or a specific modality that you feel is most beneficial or some situation where you were able to alter the outcome....?

It is extremely rewarding to me to be able help others find that 'aha' place that changes their lives. People come to me for all kinds of different reasons, physical, emotional, and spiritual. I saw one client who had just gotten rid of a parasite he had had in his body for 10 years and his body was run down and he was very thin. We worked together one time and then I didn't see him for two months or so and he looked like a completely different person. He had gained weight, (at least 10 pounds) and he was happier and able to asimulate food better and more balanced in every way.

I worked with a woman who had a brother who was always running the family and intimidating everyone. Working with the energetic 'cordings' between them and grounding connections, the woman was able to easily stand up to him and not be bowled over with his aggressive posturing. I have worked with people who have boundary issues with their spouse to help them stand up for their personal truth. One of my chair massage clients fell on her wrist and sprained it badly- something which usually takes a month or more to heal. I worked on the wrist for abut five minutes and then when I saw her the next week, she indicated to me that the wrist went through all the healing stages in one night and was fine by the next morning. (However, it hurt like crazy that night.) Another massage client had a painful lump on the side of her leg which her doctor's couldn't seem to help her with. After working with her, it went away by the next time I saw her. From my perspective she was carrying some energy from a past (?) life experience and I removed it. I have worked with people who are depressed and seen positive change. And sometimes it is just as simple as they need their energy system cleared, charged and balanced for greater energy and well being.

And finally...
Cats or Dogs? Dogs, although cats are nice too
Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla, except for brownies of course
Italian or Japanese food? Japanese
Football or opera? Football occasionally, some operas
Mac or PC? Mac, I never have to worry about viruses!

I lived in Ojai about 7 years ago while working with the Indian Health Services in Santa Barbara and loved it. The Valley has been calling me ever since and I promised myself to return one day and establish a permanent residence as well as a holistic integrative medicine practice. My family and I feel blessed and grateful to call Ojai our home now.
I opened a holistic integrative medicine practice where I provide the understanding, tools and a highly specific and individualized treatment plan to assist patients in their journey towards achieving and maintaining the state of health, well being and fitness they desire.
Today I am confident that I truly help any patient that comes into my practice.

It wasn’t until I discovered the natural universal laws of health and disease that I completely turned my life around. The course I find myself on today was set and helped me make a real difference with my patients.

Through the system I developed, I helped hundreds of patients regain the state of health they desire and heal many ailments including acute and chronic pain syndrome, neuro-muskulo-skeletal injuries and trauma, acute and chronic infectious and degenerative disorders, common visual, auditory and dental disturbances and pediatric problems.
Our treatments are also designed to increase athletic performance, decrease frequency of injuries, accelerate the recovery time after injuries and also for general preventative care and improvement of well being.

Mid-Valley Chiropractic
Dr. Dave Clemens
805.649.9994
11400 N. Ventura Ave., Mira Monte/Ojai

One person who was delighted with the decision was Dr. Michael Shannon, pediatrician with Children's Hospital Boston and professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical: "I think they are neither safe nor effective," "The problem is the risk-benefit ratio," he said.The benefits are non-existant "These drugs are not effective. They do not work to relieve the symptoms of a cold." Meanwhile the risks are real, more than 500 million doses are administered annually and the two primary problems are overdosing and ill effects from mixing different medications.

Read the rest of this article at OjaiHealing.com.

One of the things I find myself saying over and over is, "Relax your...."

Read the rest of this article at OjaiHealing.com

Probiotics are microscopic organisms, generally bacteria but some fungi as well, who live in the human digestive tract and help us out. We inherit them from our mothers. Estimates say we have somewhere between a few teaspoons and a few pounds of them in our guts. They are available in supplement form and in some foods.

Digestive enzymes are chemicals produced by our bodies. They are complex molecules and as we age (in this case, once we hit our thirties) our internal production starts to slow down. Again, they are available in supplement form, mostly derived from plants.

For a more detailed look at each, follow the link....

Digestive enzymes are found in our saliva, in our stomachs and in our small intestines. (There are also many other enzymes that serve other functions in our bodies.) As we age, in this case by about age 30, we decrease our internal production of enzymes. To boost your digestive powers, you can take a digestive enzyme supplement. Look for a "full spectrum" product, which will contain many different enzymes for digestion of many different foods. If you get one that contains at least 4 words ending in "ase," it will cover the major food groups.

Many people find that taking enzymes helps decrease gas and bloating. You can take them when you eat foods you don't typically eat. About once a year, some people take one with every meal for a couple weeks, just to keep stocked up on them! People say they are less tired after eating when they take digestive enzymes.

Probiotics:
There is a lot of media attention focused on probiotics right now. Yogurt companies are cashing in on the latest "magic bullet." Probiotics are simply "good" or "friendly" bacteria that live in our guts. What are they good for? They help keep our internal environments working right. They keep our pH levels conducive to digestion and absorbtion, and out of the acidic range that many less friendly bacteria and yeast thrive in. They also support peristalsis, the muscular contraction that moves food and waste through our digestive systems. Medical evidence suggests that Probiotics boost the immune system.

The most commonly known probiotics are acidophilus and bifidus, although there are many, many others and in fact many strains of each of these two. Probiotics are found in miso (the paste, not the powder - and don't boil it or you'll kill the little guys!), fermented (not canned) saurkraut, fermented kimchee and yogurt and kefir. I'm not sold on the yogurts advertised as containing Probiotics. The Probiotics may be good, but the yogurts also contain non-organic dairy, artificial color and flavor and sweeteners. You can do better!

One of the most powerful probiotics on the market is a Japanese import called Dr. Ohhira's. Users report improvement in overall digestion, decrease in gas and bloating and fuller, easier bowel movements.

Probiotics are particularly important after a course of antibiotics or during treatment for candida or other intestinal invaders.

What I've come to see are the other choices that can help keep my body, mind and spirit in balance. Hiking in the mountains around this little valley. Acupuncture. Cranio-Sacral therapy. Massage. Colon hydrotherapy, believe it or not. Connection with a spiritual community. Healthy food and limited exposure to foods I am allergic or sensitive to. Yoga. And then there are all the avenues I haven't yet tried - hypnosis, aromatherapy, art therapy....The list goes on and on. You'll find all of these and more throughout this site. Why not try something new this month?

This year, why not enlist the help of someone who really understands the human body (and mind)? Take some yoga classes, or even hire a private yoga tutor. Visit with a nutritional consultant or someone who specializes in understanding the secrets that lead us to eat what we know we shouldn't eat. Detox or cleanse with the support of someone who has walked countless people through the process. Join a gym and hire a life coach to motivate you to actually go. And don't forget the sunblock!