Seek Help
Receive Love
Heal Within
The heart is a door to everything. . .
By Kathleen
Author, June Ariano-Jakes,
and Making Cards for Our Homeless
Recently the John Volken Academy women and I heard a talk from June Ariano-Jakes who has written a book called, Addiction: A Mother’s Story.
We listened spell-bound as this amazing woman, in a very soft voice, explained that she is incapable of anger and how that influenced her relationship with her son and his devastating addiction issues.
I highly recommend her book. It is an incredible look at the mean streets of Vancouver, the fall-out from the horrific life of an addict, and the gang activity.
John Volken Academy Graduation, January 5th, 2020
Congratulations to Brek, Lucas, Tylor, Tiernan, and Ellie!
John Volken Academy is a live-in therapeutic community in Surrey, BC, for recovery from addiction. Their excellent program focusses on life skills, striving to instil in each student the desire align with core values of self-worth, forgiveness, and humility.
For more details see here: https://www.volken.org/program/
Assisting Women and Children,
Cabos San Lucas, Mexico
December 3-10th, 2019, a group of us travelled with Kelly Oswald, owner of The Oracle, and her husband, James, to the tip of the Baja Peninsula, Cabos San Lucas, Mexico.
Kelly’s friend, Adriana, helped chaperone us as we visited foundations assisting beautiful women and children living in poverty and often violence.
We participated in sharing a simple drawstring back pack pattern for the ladies to sew and sell, lunch-time feeding and clean-up at a local school, lots of playing, and handing out requested gifts of crayons and colouring books.
It was hard to witness the dichotomy of rich and poor — I knew it was there having visited Cabos before — but not to the extent I saw it this time. There is a marina full of million dollar yachts and a few miles away dirt roads, not enough food, violence and abuse. . .
Bless the ones born into the physical poverty with the possibility of violence and abuse.
We are here to lift everyone up,
for gender equality to be reality here Now.
Civello Aveda Salon Robson Street Staff
Hair Day with the Women from
John Volken Academy
November 10th 2019, Hair Day, Aveda Civello on Robson
Another amazing, wonderful day with Civello Aveda hair staff, November 10th, 2019.
Sharon and Rachel
We are so grateful for the care and attention
given to the women in recovery from the John Volken Academy.
Another Visit to Wisteria Acres,
Because of Romeo’s Dream!
Madison and Mae
Thank You to Krista, Linda,
Rayne, Cricket, Cassie and Mae!
July 2019, Krista Brown of Wisteria Acres, created Romeo’s Dream Adult Community Outreach Program, a non-profit that allows those in need to experience the wisdom of the horses.
From the gift of these beautiful books (above) by award winning Canadian author Claire Hitchon, to an amazing meditation where we became horses, to an obstacle course in tandem with the horses, it was another beautiful day with Krista Brown, owner of Wisteria Acres and Linda, shaman/assistant extraordinaire, and the women in recovery from John Volken Academy.
Shai, McKenna, Amber, Madison, Rachel, Kathleen, Stephinah
Canvasing with Jody Wilson-Raybould
Jody Wilson-Raybould is running as an Independent in my riding.
I can see her new campaign office from my apartment window and I’m super excited to be out canvasing for her!
We are meeting wonderful people in the neighbourhood who really appreciate Jody’s values, her dedication to our nation’s right alignment.
CANVASING WITH JODY, GRANVILLE STREET, JULY 2019
Embodying the ways of the higher realms, Jody speaks freely about how she would like everyone working together in politics, as a circle, for the betterment of our country, Canada.
A Visit to Wisteria Acres’ Therapeutic Horses
with the Women from John Volken Academy
Rayne, Brek, Madison, Krista, McKenna, Linda, Ellie, Kathleen
A HUGE Thank You to Krista, Linda, Cassie, Cricket, and Rayne
for an amazing day at Wisteria Acres in Langley, BC.
From enjoyable clean-up work in the barn to energetically meeting the horses out in a paddock — a process called ‘Con Su Permiso’ — then lunch, and a peaceful meditation, we LOVED everything!
Krista Brown, owner of Wisteria Acres, recently created Romeo’s Dream Adult Community Outreach Program when her beloved horse passed unexpectedly in the prime of his life.
She is continuing his legacy of LOVE, JOY and LAUGHTER, extending the opportunity for those in need to experience the wisdom of horses.
The women from John Volken Academy were her inaugural group, July 21st.
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Wisteria Acres is a wonderful place, lush with greenery and gentle birdsong, about an hour’s drive from Vancouver.
‘Con Su Permiso’ means “with your permission,” and is a beautiful way of greeting, introducing oneself to a horse, an invitation to honour them as the sentient beings they are with awareness of energy fields.
What we are holding within becomes apparent in the presence of Krista’s therapeutic horses.
Are we in sync with the same unconditional Love of self the horses are?
After lunch we did a meditation with Rayne, appreciating how good it feels to hear a horse chomping grass as we let our cares float away, enjoying the precious moments.
Here is the Wisteria Acres website: https://wisteriaacres.com/ and photos below of our amazing day!
Brek and Cassie
Erin, Stylists, and Staff
at Civello Aveda Salon Robson Street
Hair Day with the Women from
John Volken Academy
Enormous gratitude to Erin, Lesley, Kayleigh, Samantha, Cynthia
for their gift of a Sunday to do this for the women in recovery
from John Volken Academy. Many many thanks. . .
June 9th, 2019
In Civello Aveda Salon — Erin, Lesley, McKenna, Kathleen, Lyric, Ellie, Cassie, Rachel, Samantha, Kayleigh
Ellie outside the Civello Aveda Salon, 1228 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC
Wise Woman, Alannah Atley,
and Her Art Show
Wise Woman, Alannah Atley (front row, far right),
at her art show with students from John Volken Academy,
May 11, 2019.
Sacred Sweat Lodge Ceremony
Yesterday I was with the women I teach at John Volken Academy
in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction
in sacred Sweat Lodge ceremony.
The Sweat Lodge, pictured partly unfinished above, is connected to Phoenix Society located in Surrey, BC, and was built in partnership with their residents and aboriginal Elders, Old Hands, and Alannah Atley (Wise Woman).
It is on the Raven Healing Grounds at the rear of the Phoenix Centre property under tall evergreen trees.
I had difficulty getting there with some unexpected road closures, and felt emotional before and at the beginning of the teachings, but am so glad I was able to participate in this insightful, heartfelt ceremony.