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March/April 2009 NW Newsmakers
NW Newsmakers

Supporting Abuse Survivors

Three years ago, Lauren Simon found out her daughter was being sexually abused by Simon's step-father. Simon's mother urged her to keep quiet. She did not.

"Together my daughter and I took the steps to place him in jail," says Simon, a therapist and certified hypnotist based near Portland. "In doing so, I lost my mother and many other family members whom I thought would love and support us."

Her daughter's courage led to the rediscovery of Simon's own past sexual abuse.

"In sharing our story with friends, new acquaintances, family members and neighbors, I discovered that many souls share this dark thread woven into the tapestry of their lives," says Simon.

To support other survivors of sexual abuse, Simon offers a free teleseminar support group by phone the first Wednesday of the month. For details, visit www.spiritoflivingwell.com.

Quantum Card Readings

Do you want someone to predict your future or do you want to create it yourself?

Quantum Messages for Everyday Life is an original card deck created by Dr. Gloria Burrell, owner of Creative Insights near Portland. The cards are based on her 30 years of quantum physics and subconscious mind work and research.

Using an encoding process, each card is alive with quantum bits of information that instruct the subconscious mind how to change, resolve or initiate a new dynamic into your life.

"Science has shown, as well as movies like What the Bleep and The Secret, that 90 percent of our life is directed by our subconscious mind," says Burrell.

Burrell debuts these original cards at New Renaissance Bookshop on March 3 and April 14. Visit www.creativeinsights4u.com.

Sacred Man Flower

The flower essence of balsamroot, the sunflower-like wildflower that grows abundantly in the Columbia River Gorge, can infuse you with a mature male resonance and strength of presence, according to Camilla Blossom, author of Listening to the Wildflowers

Balsamroot can be seen filling hillsides with their radiant yellow petals during April and May in the gorge. The deep roots of the plant are strong and resinous, hence its name. It takes 10 years to bloom its first flower. Each flower lives to 60 years, a contrast to its cousin, the annual sunflower.

"The balsamroot wildflower holds strong solar energy," says Blossom, owner of the Hood River-based 3 Flowers Healing. This large, bright yellow, warmly radiant flower offers its healing gifts in the form of a flower essence, or simply by asking for its plant spirit medicine. It instills deep confidence and self esteem to the third solar plexus chakra, the masculine personal power center.

Blossom presents a flower essence intensive and nature retreat on April 24-26. Visit www.3flowershealing.com.