To be effective we need to know how to put into practice our communication skills. 1. Inner Knowing What are you interested in? Are you building your self-esteem and confidence. What are your personal skills that you’ve developed. They don’t need to be academic or athletic skills, they can be being a good friend, mother, father or liking pets. 2. Sincerity Connect with others when they are speaking. Your mind takes breathes, so you don’t always hear everything someone is saying to you. It’s easier in life if you are kind and leave everyone with a smile or appreciation. 3. Consistency We don’t do any favors to anyone if we can’t keep our word, pull our weight and practice what we preach. Emotional Consistency is a key ingredient to lasting happiness. Integrity to your family and those you love are important. 4. Compromise Knowing how to share. 5. Listening Building a bond 6. Be Polite Everyone deserves respect. 7. Ask & Receive Effectively ask questions. The Answers might not always be from the person you asked but if we are patient the answer will not elude us. 8. Sharing When we help and support others. Others help and support us. 9. Teaching When we contribute what we know, we allow others to create a way to take care of themselves. Everyone interprets their way of doing things. 10. Do not interrupt Listen more than talk 11. Ask questions Be interested about others and our world 12. Curiosity Don’t lose your curiosity, stimulate your mind by learning new things. Its considered one of the key things to staying youthful. http://www.tarainsight.com
Tara Sutphen CHt & Jason D McKean CHt will interview Mark Plotkin – Author & Ethnobotanist. Dr. Mark Plotkin, President of the non-profit Amazon Conservation Team (www.amazonteam.org), is partnering with indigenous people to conserve biodiversity, health, and culture in South American rainforests. Plotkin, a renowned ethnobotanist and accomplished author (Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice, Medicine Quest) who was named one of Time Magazine’s environmental “Heroes for the Planet,” has spent parts of the past 40 years living and working with shamans or witch doctors of the Amazon region. Their knowledge of healing plants may hold the cure to some of today’s most devastating diseases. “We’ve been practicing Western medicine essentially for 200 years,” he says. “These people have been practicing their shamanic medicine for 50,000 years, so certainly there’s something we can learn from them. He also has a new podcast called “Plants of the Gods”.
Come Join Us on FB LIVE “Tara Sutphen” Page 9am PST/Noon EST
“In the world’s audience hall, the simple blade of grass sits on the same carpet with the sunbeams, and the stars of midnight” – Rabindranath Tagore (Indian Poet, Playwright and Essayist, Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, 1861-1941)
Summer Solstice marks the end of the waxing year. And the rays of the sun directly strike one of the two tropical latitude lines. June 21 marks the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere, as winter begins in the southern hemisphere. On this day, the earth’s “circle of luminescence” will be from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle. The equator receives twelve hours of daylight, as there will be 24 hours of daylight at the North Pole and 24 hours of darkness at the South Pole.
gAll over the world people honor this day as an important reminder of the apex of light and to cast away evil and their problems. Northern Hemisphere inhabitants use June 21 as the day of celebration, but the splendor of light lasts from new moon to full moon.
Worshipping the Sun’s great power, all cultures celebrate in some way. Celts and Slavs dance around bonfires while Chinese marked the day honoring Li, the Goddess of Light. The celebrants of modern and ancient ceremonies tune in that life comes from the sun. It is life giving and life supporting. We’ve recently had the good fortune to have electricity, greenhouses, and shipment suppliers. How will you celebrate? We all may not get a chance to dance around the bonfire but it’s a time to bask in the light, sit in the sun, cast our worries away and awaken to our lives.
Recipes:
Summer Pasta Salad
2 cucumbers chopped
2 big tomatoes chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
5 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp cilantro (coriander)
2+ tbsp honey
salt/pepper
2 cups shell macaroni (optional: gluten free)
Directions
Cook pasta, drain.
Combine lime juice, cilantro, honey, salt & pepper in small bowl.
In a large bowl, combine pasta vegetables. Toss gently in lime dressing.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
1 (16 oz) pkg large shell pasta (optional: gluten free), ½ c. dill pickle juice plus 4 tbsp. pickle juice (divided), 2/3 c. mayonnaise (optional: veganaise), 1/3 c. sour cream (optional: plain yogurt), Salt & Pepper to taste, ¾ c. sliced or diced dill pickles, ¼ c. onion, 2 tbsp. minced fresh or dry dill spice, (optional: 2/3 c. diced or grated cheddar or almond cheese)
Directions: Cook pasta to pkg specifications. Rinse & drain cold water, add ½ c dill pickle juice, set aside, In another bowl, add 4 tbsp dill pickle juice , mayo, sour cream, salt & pepper (optional: dash of cayenne), Drain off excess pickle juice from pasta and mix with dressing, chill one hour and serve.
Spinach-Strawberry Salad
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1/2 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1-1/2 teaspoons minced onion 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 bag (10 ounces) fresh spinach 1 pint strawberries, sliced thin In a blender, combine the sugar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, oil, and vinegar. Blend well. If the dressing seems thick, add a few drops of water.
Remove the stems from the spinach and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Arrange them on individual salad plates or in a salad bowl. Arrange the strawberries on top. Drizzle the dressing over the strawberries and serve.
Bonnie Brae Strawberry Pie
A mixture of cooked and fresh berries helped make this pie a family favorite.
1 quart strawberries or 1 large package frozen strawberries, thawed and drained 3/4 cup water 4 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cup sliced berries, fresh or frozen, thawed and drained whipped cream whole berries for garnish Combine strawberries and water in saucepan. Cook until just softened, about 4 or 5 minutes. (Let frozen berries thaw; heat but don’t cook them.) Mix together cornstarch, sugar, and water until smooth; add to hot berries. Cook over medium heat until clear. Add lemon juice; immediately remove from heat and let cool. Place sliced berries in cooked pie shell. To assemble pie, pour cooked mixture over berries, top with whipped cream, and garnish with whole berries.
Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Wedding Cake
Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings.
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened 3 cups sugar 4 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 6 egg whites Preheat over to 350° F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pour in buttermilk and begin mixing slowly. Continue to mix until well blended. Add flavorings and stir. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes at 350° F, then lower heat to 300°F and bake for about 25 minutes longer, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and cool on racks. After 10 minutes, remove from pans and continue cooling on racks.
Cream Cheese Frosting 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 3 cups confectioners’ sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract No wedding needed to have this cake
The Druids celebrated with “The Wedding of Heaven and Earth”.
Two people represent Mother Earth and the Sun King. Create a Bonfire, dancers adorned in garlands and flowers, and young men jumping through the tall flames. A time of cleansing and renewal. The participants playing Mother Earth and the Sun King go to each participant, and speak to each person as though planting seeds of growth, imparting words of love, wisdom, thankfulness and prosperity.
Candle or Bonfire Ritual
With a candle or your bonfire – Give blessings in the 4 directions. Cast a blessing for yourself, a blessing for the harvest, a blessing for your loved ones, and a blessing for the earth. (make this blessing 3-5 sentences long for each subject) A Call to Love
Single women are to sleep with 4 flowers under their pillow Flowers:
Flowers blooming in your area, also daisies, roses, lilyof the valley, calendulas, marigolds
Decorations:
daisy chains, lavender wreaths, rosemary garlands Head wreath
Circle base, thin gauge wire, or vines and tie or wire on flowers of your choice Symbols:
Fire to celebrate the power of the sun, Sun Wheels, Medicine Wheels, Stone Circles, Candle Circles, Mother Goddess, Ripening fruits, Sun Dials, Feathers, and Swords/Blades. Candles:
Green & Blue representing the earth White representing God light
I want to start out with where you were born, where you grew up. What was your life like?
I grew up in two states, Alaska and California. My mother, Marianne grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. She was born in a tent in Palmer and grew up on a homestead. When I was conceived, she was a nurse in Hollywood. She went back to Alaska to work in a Native Hospital for most of her pregnancy before moving to Seattle, Washington where I was born. Birth itself was a struggle for me. I immediately had to have an emergency surgery that lasted almost eight hours. The hospital Chaplin had little hope in my recovery. He read me my last rites and sent my mother home. It was my first near death experience. As a baby, I remembered everything. I could recount details of my everyday life with my parents and great-grandparents. There was a heightened awareness of how my family was feeling about things and how to act accordingly.
My father, Richard was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. We moved between states because of his projects. He was an engineer, and I was born in Seattle because of his work on the Space Needle for the World Fair. My parents influence inspired my innovative work ethic and desire to help others. I was already considered a different child, spiritually aligned with people and things. My second near death experience was when I was eight years old. I was in a bicycle accident and began to hemorrhage. My father drove me to the hospital and the doctors wheeled me straight into emergency surgery. When I was moved from the gurney to the operating table, I took my last gasp and experienced my soul gravitating towards the light. This second NDE awakened a deeper connection to my intuition that would only grow stronger as I explored the intricacies of spiritual connection.
When I became a teenager people of a higher vibration would gravitate to my energy. Such as shamans, psychics and the masterful seers of the world. Wherever I was they would seek me and read me without payment or prompting. These spiritual guides were from Asia, the Philippines, Australia, Brazil, India, Native American Tribes, Russia, Africa and local. It was as though they were drawn to me from the light within us all, guiding us on our life paths. From birth I have been guided and tested in my ability to walk with my feet in both this reality and the one beyond the veil. My true purpose is to heal and secure the confidence of the mind, body, and spirit connection. The power of the mind has experiential potential. Our perspectives define the limits of our human experience. With practice and patience I believe everyone has the ability to expand their psychic awareness.
What drew you to Astrology?
I was 18 when I went to work on the Alaska pipeline, which is deep in the Arctic. Up in the vast frozen wasteland, I met a security guard for BP and an astrologer, Sharva Venta. His dad was a famous deceased Beatnik Krishna Venta, who was a big tadoo in Box Canyon back in the late 1950s. Sharva asked if I would like my astrology done. I didn’t know what he meant really, as it was before all the computer technology. He wrote out my chart by hand, and it was about 50 pages of this small handwriting. It was inspirational and eye opening as it depicted the very essence of my character. After encountering Sharva Venta, I became fascinated with astrology and have studied it all these years. Mastering the mathematics and star blueprints that define the complexity of human personalities.
Who influenced you to go public with your work?
I had many teachers, although It wasn’t until I moved from Anchorage, Alaska to Ojai, California at the age of twenty one, that I met my mentors and spiritual partner. I have a great deal of affection and gratitude to my dear friend, Jess Stearn. We met at Sarno”s restaurant in Hollywood. The owners Alberto and Savannah had this big table where they would sit 12 or 14 people, but it was bench style so you could get locked in the middle. Jess had been seated by me and we were “stuck”. Alberto says, “tell something psychic to Tara”. He took my hand and raised it to his forehead, he guessed the month I was born. I said “yes”, he then did the same thing to the date of my birthday, I said “yes” and then he said the year. Right then and there I think we were sealed. But then he asked me, if I wanted to come to a seance’ at his house that next week. For whatever reason, I declined and yet a few weeks later our paths crossed again at the same restaurant. He invited me to dinner in Malibu and our friendship bloomed. Jess Stearn was a great author and became one of my dearest friends of my life.
In the beginning, I didn’t know his books but he covered Eastern thought for the Western World. Primarily through one of his NY Bestsellers “Yoga, Youth & Reincarnation” (1965). Jess introduced me to Dick Sutphen, whom I married on Jess’ deck in the early eighties. Jess and I were so divinely connected that later Dick and I had our daughter, Cheyenne on Jess’s Birthday April 27th. Between those two men, psychic phenomena and hypnotherapy became my everyday life and obsession. I became a certified hypnotherapist and penned a column called “Cause & Effect” where I used automatic writing and my psychic ability to answer readers personal problems with supernatural solutions.
Did you have to go to college for that?
During my youth there wasn’t metaphysical schools on the west coast as there are today. I went to traditional college for equine science. I’ve always had a soft spot for animals and believe we can connect with them by using concentrated energy and tone. I really wanted to be a veterinarian. I studied for three years at Equine Science School, but I had three kids to raise. I was trying to find balance with being a mother, running a non-profit organization and traveling to seminars on the weekend. So, I switched gears and attended Art school for another three plus years to give myself a creative outlet for the chaos of parenthood and psychic exploration. I asked my husband if we could open a bookstore and I called it “Malibu Shaman” which is still in Malibu, California today owned and run by Dick’s oldest son, Scott. I was able to order any book, I studied the Psychic Sciences: Automatic Writing, Hypnotism, Channeling, Sorcing, Palmistry, Psychometry, Handwriting Analysis, Esoteric Astrology, Shamanism, & Mysticism, etc. My dedication to metaphysics lead to teaching seminars all over the planet and away from merchant life.
Why were you nominated for Grammys?
I was nominated for Grammy’s when I began writing meditations and recording them. I was grouped with all the inspirational speakers and comedians where they give awards before the music awards. Looking back, it was a beautiful experience. It was fun to dress up and go to the Grammys to see if I was going to win or not. I was rather shy but had to be ready to accept an award, so I composed myself accordingly. I wore black velvet. and another year a long beautiful blue gown. There were pretty people everywhere, and amazingly dressed, certainly moments that I will never forget. I felt very honored to be nominated for my work.
How many books have you written?
I’ve written four books and am currently writing my fifth book right now. The books I’ve written are Blame It On Your Past Lives, Soul Agreements, Abenda Chronicles, and the Abenda Writings. Abenda is my spirit guide, I met her when I had my near death experiences. She said she’d work with me one day, but I didn’t really know what she meant at the time. When I began the books, she would come through and give such great advice. If I wanted to know something about you, I would ask Abenda. I’d call to my guide and she’d converse with your spirit guide or someone who loves you very much and then they write through my hand. I did that for many years. People loved those letters. The book I’m writing now is a little different, I’ve taken people I know who have died and they are telling us what it is like on the other side.
What’s something different you are doing in your industry?
I have an IHypnoTherapy app, a radio show and am doing Equine Therapy. The radio show is called “Transformations with Tara” you can hear me on iHeart and Spotify. I’ve been a radio host for 13 years and recommend it to anyone who wants to be a conscious voice in the world. My show is aired Friday mornings at nine a.m. Pacific time. We start out with a FB Live, I bring on special guests or my brother, Jason D. McKean AKA Om Tarot Wizard as a co-host to discuss topics and phenomena. Jason is a wise wizard and spiritual teacher, he ran Dick and my company Valley of the Sun for thirty years, he has sold over a million copies of OM recordings throughout the world and written a successful book on Tarot you can find on Amazon called “Magic Channel Tarot Reading with the Tarot Wizard”. He is a master of Tarot and does many classes including on-going teachings for Japan.
I conduct many seminars all over the globe and do in person or remote private sessions. I’ve led a variety of workshops on many metaphysical subjects and psychic development. Currently the most unusual class I am offering is therapy with horses for healing peoples inability to connect or bond due to traumatic experiences on their life path. They’ve been incredible appointments. I mostly lead these sessions in Los Angeles, but I’m always open to travel. I work with suggested imagery, shamanic techniques and visualization, I have 12 horses to choose from and they click in right away to the work. I show up and they can’t wait to be chosen. I should say, most of the people who book the horse therapy appointments have never been around horses.
Any last minute words of encouragement?
The power of your mind is a fantastic tool and even more phenomenal when we learn some psychic abilities, meditation or visualizations to enhance our human experience. We all come up against problems, but there is always a way out. It’s very important that we take steps in building a life that nurtures your mind, body and spirit. Environments and influences can always be changed with the right form of motivation and discipline. We create our reality, it’s that simple.
Well, this has been wonderful and I can’t wait to see you again!
Tara Sutphen lives in Los Angeles, California with her two Horses and two Dogs.