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newsbriefs Despacho Workshop
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The Garden Robin Mead Robin Mead sees her whimsical, colorful art as an “expression of joy,” translated onto paper, canvas and the digital screen. “My creations are highly stylized, and working with subjects like birds and flowers gives me artistic freedom. I can go wherever I want with them and still have them seem believable,” she says. The Garden was created adapting a coloring book technique; Mead outlines her piece in black ink, wets the paper and then drops different colors into the outlined sections to create an organic, dappled effect. Mead’s work spans media and subject matter from acrylic and mixed media paintings of birds and flowers to watercolor landscapes and gardens. She also likes to hand-make multicolored crocheted afghans and art journals as joyful creations for everyday use. Mead was a full-time social worker before attending art school on Long Island, New York, turning her lifelong passion into a career. Her work can be found in homes around the world, as well as album covers, books and art tutorials. Mead and her husband recently relocated from New York to a small farm in Elberton, Georgia, where the family will raise cows, chickens, bees, vegetables and flowers. View the artist’s portfolio at RobinMead.ArtistWebsites.com or her blog at InsightsAndBellyLaughs.com.
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Denver/Boulder Mile High Edition
day-long Despacho workshop will be held in Boulder April 5. In the High Andes of Peru, indigenous cultures practice the ancient Despacho Ceremony, offering prayers of gratitude to Earth and heavens. Literally meaning “to gift,” a despacho is a symbolic offering of love composed of seeds, flowers, shells and candies colorfully bundled. While some elements are common to all despachos, the particular healing intention of the individual ceremony -- such as bringing harmony and balance to the earth, honoring new beginnings, or overcoming illness -- determines the unique design of the offering, its contents and even the way it is assembled. Naya Devi and Kitty Edwards, experienced shamanic practitioners, will teach participants three traditional despachos: an Ayni Despacho, for celebrating balance, harmony and right relationship; a Kutti Despacho, for times of great transition and that which needs to be turned over; and an Aya Despacho, celebrating and bringing to energetic closure the life of someone dying or recently passed. Therese Wells of Indigenous Alchemy can be reached at indigenous. alchemy@gmail.com. See Save the Date page 25.
New Online Directory for Lightworkers
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ightworkerlocator.com is a new online directory dedicated to the community of lightworkers and their gift of uplifting humanity, explains Nancy McCleary, creator. “This will be the world’s premier online directory for lightworkers. Colorado is the launch pad and our mission is to list every single lightworker in Colorado and help them be more successful reaching their customer base.” Lightworkerlocator.com is a resource that people seeking spiritual and/or healing practitioners can trust to provide them with a wide variety of modalities to help move them forward on their life journey. Lightworkers can create their own personal mini-website with detailed information about what they do, as well as add pictures, videos, post events and more. Info Nancy McCleary 303-519-0355. See listing page 30.
Network of Resources for Medical Cannabis
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annabis Patient Network Institute (CPNI) was founded by Mark Pedersen and Regina Nelson in order to provide science-based education to the general public about the medical uses of cannabis and to help patients, advocates and caregivers connect with services and professionals to receive treatment and further education. Based in Thornton, they are awaiting approval of their Colorado Non-Profit status (501c3), but are actively seeking volunteers and donations to support education and research. Nelson points out that cannabis holds great promise as understanding of the Endocannabinoid System grows. Researchers are currently looking at cannabis for treating a wide range of conditions and diseases - inflammation, analgesia, neurotoxicity, appetite, blood pressure, bone formation, body temperature, gastrointestinal functioning and both physical and psychological responses to stress and trauma. Additionally, she says, researchers are exploring the use of cannabis as an exit drug to help patients with alcohol, cocaine, heroin and prescription drug dependencies improve recidivism. For more information, contact ReginaNelson.CPN@gmail.com.
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