Nearly two years ago, America elected its first African-American president. Observers by the score commented on the significance of a biracial president, and wondered whether it finally signaled that race relations had improved in America.
So have the intervening months proved anything about prejudice? Do minorities now feel that all things are possible in America? Do whites feel free of their own prejudices?
How one Napa stay is giving mobile homes a good name
A visit to a region of world-class wine and indulgence doesn’t have to mean stuffy hotels with cramped elevators and fancy rooms packed as tightly as a patron’s overly chic set of Versace luggage. Enter the RiverPointe Napa Valley. Transforming small mobile homes into quaint cottage-style getaways with private wooden decks nestled along the Napa River, RiverPointe has taken a unique approach to pampered living. And it works.
You know that saying, “You can never be too rich or too thin?” I would like to take this opportunity to tack on the addendum, “or have too many cashmere sweaters.” My personal obsession with cashmere began six years ago. In preparation for my first trip to dank and dreary London, I purchased a pair of cashmere-lined gloves to protect my digits from the elements. Little did I know how the spun-soft, wooly feeling against my skin would prove to be my hidden, secret addiction for years to come.
Stars shine in fresh, perceptive family comedy ‘Kids Are All Right’
Nic and Jules are a devoted, long-married couple raising their two kids in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Their family has its quirks and issues, but the kids respect their parents, each other, and themselves. That the movie in which they all appear, The Kids Are All Right, is not about the fact that Nic and Jules are a lesbian couple, is just one of the things that make Lisa Cholodenko’s family comedy so fresh, fun, and appealing. These kids may have two moms, but this perceptive tale of family dynamics should resonate with anyone who’s ever been a parent, a spouse or a child.
The possibility of an affair between fashion designer Coco Chanel and Russian composer Igor Stravinsky,1920, inspires this hothouse rhapsody from director Jan Kounen, based on the novel by Chris Greenhalgh. The era is irresistible, a period of astonishing artistic, political and cultural ferment. The personalities are fascinating (the designer who freed women from corsets; the composer who invented a new musical language). The project is redolent with possibilities, but few are realized in this artfully posed but static and disappointing film. It begins well at the 1913 Paris premiere of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” recreated in lavish detail (the corps de ballet in animal skins and tribal costumes; Nijinsky’s ecstatic choreography to Stravinsky’s relentless rhythms), followed by the famous rioting of the scandalized audience. Jump to 1920: with Paris full of Russian expats after the Revolution, Chanel (Anna Mouglalis), head of her own elegant Paris fashion house, moves Stravinsky (Mads Mikkelsen) and his enormous family to her severely chic black-and-white country house in the South of France so he can work.
Plus Letters to Good Times
Desal: Another Look
Not Worth the Trip?
Death, deadlines and desire. It sounds like the title of a summer read, but, no, the three Ds have been alive and kicking—at least in my circles—lately. Let’s work our way in from the back. Desire. One of the more memorable outings I had in college (ASU) was playing a drunk sailor, as well as being in the chorus of “Cabaret.” I also played a Nazi guard in another scene, to which my concerned Polish mother, having been through a bit of drama during WW II herself, moaned: “Oh, do you have to wear that damn uniform?” Well, at the time I had to. The play’s the thing, right, and if you know anything about the musical, “Cabaret,” then you already know how well it mixes the emotional intensities and desires of its characters with the haunting political changes happening in Germany in the ’30s.
People who are passionate about what they do are truly magnetic. Seemingly lit from within, they emanate an intrinsic confidence and undaunted fortitude that draws others directly into their orbits. Like the sun at the center of its own universe, John Amaral, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) is one of those people.
“I believe that more people need to experience what it feels like when they’re not trying to be someone else or be somewhere else, to just experience who they are, why they’re here and what they’re made of without self-judgment or striving,” Amaral says of his dedication to helping others attain a higher quality of living.
He does just that as co-founder and co-owner of The Well Being Center with his wife Christina Amaral D.C. Here, Amaral specializes in a clinical chiropractic system called Network Spinal Analysis (NSA), a system that, as he puts it, “helps the body, brain and nervous system do something totally unique and new, that’s never, ever been demonstrated before.
“I guess you can call it predictable transformation or a new form of human evolution,” he adds.
Used to helping people experience dramatically greater levels of well being, NSA works by advancing the way the nervous system processes information. This concept may sound like it’s been taken straight from the pages of the latest sci-fi novel, but as Amaral can demonstrate, first-hand, it really works.
The method of connecting the body and mind was developed by Amaral’s mentor Donald Epstein, D.C., a well-respected wellness, human evolution and personal systems developer. The NSA process initiated by Epstein creates substantial alterations in the functionality between body and mind. Considered revolutionary, it’s currently being studied by some of the world’s more prestigious scientists.
But most people may have never heard of NSA, although it has been evolving as a system for decades. In fact, the first NSA seminar was taught in the early ’90s. Before that, Amaral says, it was called Network Chiropractic, noting that there are close to 500 NSA practitioners worldwide. A chiropractic license is the “jumping off point” for the practice but an NSA practitioner is “really looking at a person’s overall development as a human being, not just the mechanics of their body.”
There are practitioners throughout the United States, Europe and Australia and a handful in Asia and South America.
But how does it work?
During a session Amaral works on people’s spines with just a few ounces of pressure. “This causes a ‘wave’ of movement and energy to release through the spine,” he says. “The body learns to create this wave on its own, and the wave is associated with a new type of learning in the nervous system that we’ve tied to quality-of-life changes in virtually every category of human experience.”
In a nutshell, it’s chiropractic but it can also be a life-altering transformation.
It also mirrors Amaral’s mission in life, which is to help people awaken to what’s really possible in their lives and in the world. “Everybody has unique talents, gifts and capabilities as well as challenges,” he muses. “What I’m passionate about is helping people discover the patterns that hold them back so that they can get unstuck, so that they can tap into their inner-strength and power, and do what they know somewhere deep inside they were made to do in the world.”
Not only does Amaral practice NSA out of The Well Being Center in Santa Cruz, but he has also worked with people from more than 50 countries, teaching individuals, organizations and corporations the key insights that create optimal body/mind health. In fact, seeking and working with groups is one of his greatest passions.
“When it is a keynote event, the theme is typically about how to create well being, how the body/mind really works, and new research and breakthroughs in the body/mind consciousness field that change the way we not only view, but also achieve, wellness in all domains: physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, cultural,” he says. “Whether I’m facilitating through individual hands-on sessions, working with a team or speaking to a whole company or student body, I’m always looking for ways to help people discover, tap into and experience the benefit of the resources and possibilities within themselves and their communities.”
Amaral never intended to become a chiropractor, a public speaker or a teacher at all, but life seemed to have this career path in store for him. A philanthropist at heart, he did know that he always wanted to inspire people. “I originally wanted to be a visual artist,” he says. “My parents inspired me to think creatively from the start. We didn’t have a television until I was 8 years old so I would read or draw and create for hours on end.
“When I was in high school I had a wrestling coach named Gary Garcia. Gary taught me the power of focus, discipline, practice, self-reliance and follow-through early on.”
But he credits NSA developer Epstein as his “greatest mentor.”
“He is totally outside the box in the way he perceives reality,” Amaral says. “Donny is always demonstrating to me that success in life is about constant change and innovation in a way that benefits humanity.”
Through various circumstances, Amaral eventually wound up in an anatomy course studying the human body. From there, he says, his curiosity just spiraled and the next thing he knew, he was in chiropractic college where he met his wife. They’ve been together for 17 years. In fact, she introduced him to NSA and inspired him to discover a more conscious and passionate way to live in the world.
“I owe most of my success and fulfillment in life to what I’ve learned from my wife,” he says.
The dynamic duo has since provided chiropractic care and other wellness programs for individuals using the NSA process at The Well Being Center.
But the work Amaral does has a deep impact not only on people’s bodies, but also on their entire worldview. “I’m passionate about helping people ‘reorganize’ their lives rather than just try to ‘restore’ function and return to where they were at before an injury or challenge,” he says. “So many times, people feel like an injury, disease or condition is the cause of their suffering. The reality is, we’re all going to experience pain and discomfort at times in life, but how we respond to our challenges and difficulties is the key. Pain is a given but suffering is optional.”
Amaral shares a story about a woman in one of his workshops who had shattered her foot two years prior. “She’d had multiple surgeries and therapies after the fracture,” he says, “and after two years she was limited to 20 percent function in her foot and told that her foot was stable and that there was nothing else that could be done. She’d just have to live with it.”
Luckily, the woman had the good fortune of being in the workshop with Amaral, who tapped into the body/mind connection using NSA. He began to physically work with her foot and continued to talk with her. Suddenly, she started feeling energy and heat moving up her leg, and began to sob. As the waves of emotion released through her, her foot unlocked and the range of motion instantly began to return.
“Within 15 minutes she had regained 80 percent of her range of motion and the pain was totally gone,” he says.
Too good to be true?
NSA is based on methods that have consistently been proven effective. It has been determined that over time, the gentle pressure NSA places on different areas of the spine encourages the body to correct itself and be more self reliant in the future.
“We’re creatures of habit and we like predictability and sameness more than we’d like to admit,” Amaral notes. “The more we try to keep things the same, the more we’re going to suffer. The more we realize that life is constantly giving us circumstances to catalyze our growth, the more enjoyable life becomes. We become more open to what the future may bring instead of looking over our shoulders and trying to recreate the past in the same way.”
Having had the opportunity to study with distinguished teachers and mentors in various fields, Amaral has also cared for some of the most successful people in the world, such as self-help king Tony Robbins, Hollywood producer Robert Weiss—he created The Blues Brothers, Naked Gun and dozens of other hit movies and television show—artist/sculptor Richard MacDonald and robotics wizard Dean Kamen (who founded the organization For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), to note but a few.
“What I’ve found is that everybody, no matter how easy they seem to have it from an outside vantage point, has their struggles and challenges,” he says. “The key to wellness and happiness seems to be somehow learning and growing from what we can’t control, and taking decisive action and clearly focusing on what we want in life.”
We’ve all heard the catch phrase “be here now,” but many of us have difficulty putting it into actual practice. Instead we focus on our trouble-ridden pasts or on struggles that we may encounter in the future. Amaral notes that the work he’s doing helps people “get in touch with their core, with the energy, the emotion and the knowing that they are valuable and that what they have to offer is needed somewhere, somehow.”
“I love working with people,”he adds. “I’m interested in people. I’m curious about them. I want to know what they’re all about, what inspires them and what they’re aspiring to be, do or create. I want to know what wisdom I can learn from them. I’m a perpetual learner and by working with so many people from so many different walks of life over the years, I’ve been able to recognize how interconnected we all are. Regardless of culture, ethnicity, or class we all share a similar biology; Our brains and bodies are made of the same ‘stuff.’
Fortunately, that “stuff” has been giving Amaral an opportunity to help others find new health and wellness possibilities, where none existed before, in the hopes of providing new solutions to any number of life’s challenges.
“I love that no matter how good or how bad life seems to be for someone, there’s always an opportunity for them to improve their situation,” he says. “It’s often like giving somebody a 64-pack of crayons after they’ve been coloring with the eight-pack for decades.
“What’s possible for somebody versus what they think is possible is often very, very different. And I love to help people become aware of that ‘next level,’ that more compelling future or even just the perfection of the moment right now.”
For more information about John Amaral D.C., The Well Being Center and Network Spinal Analysis visit wellbeingcenter.org.
Time to Get Well
The Well Being Center of Santa Cruz was founded by husband-and-wife team John Amaral, D.C. and Christina Amaral, D.C. in the late 1990s. Both chiropractors by trade, “We wanted to create a practice that provided people with superior tools and skills to thrive in the world,” John Amaral says. “Too many people are just dragging themselves through the day.” Using the Network Spinal Analysis (NSA) method of chiropractic, the Amarals strive to create a space that is welcoming, relaxing and, above all, promotes the well being of both body and mind. “We set up The Well Being Center as a community ‘hub’ where people can come to de-stress, resolve injuries and reset their bodies and minds,” says Amaral. “The effect of the NSA sessions (called entrainments) on the nervous system is profound.” Amaral likens entrainments to the feeling that you get a few days into a much-anticipated vacation. It takes your body some time to de-stress and relax. Amaral says that the same process occurs with entrainments. “They create a radical shift in the physiology from stress to ease, within minutes. Visits to The Well Being Center are like mini-vacations for the body and brain,” he says.
The center offers various programs depending on the outcome each individual desires. “We measure both what is changing in a person’s body and what is changing on the inside, in their subjective experience of their life and their health,” Amaral says. There are three distinct programs to choose from. “Body Revitalization” is a four- to eight-week program designed to rapidly get people out of acute or chronic stress and pain. “Body Transformation” is a bit more intensive and the patient will spend between 12 and 24 weeks working to breakthrough and resolve their chronic patterns. “Body Awakening” is a complete lifestyle program that ranges from nine to 12 months or more, and is designed to help people reinvent themselves and their way of life.
“They’re in pain, they’re stressed out, worn down, overwhelmed and burnt out,” Amaral says of many of the patients they see at The Well Being Center. “The pain, stress and fatigue makes it that much harder to be kind to others, to listen, to be compassionate, to be grateful.” In other words, a visit to The Well Being Center is not only a positive step for you, but it will make for a more kind and loving Santa Cruz County. Visit wellbeingcenter.org.
HEALTH BOOKS HOT LIST Local booksellers reveal their top picks for wellness books
Gateways books
1126 Soquel Avenue Santa Cruz, (831) 429-9600, gatewaysbooks.com
Awaken to Healing Fragrance
The Power of Essential Oil Therapy
by Elizabeth Anne Jones
Woman Who Glows In The Dark
A Curandera Reveals Traditional Aztec Secrets of Physical and Spiritual Health
by Elena Avila R.N., MSN with Joy Parker
The Honey Prescription
The Amazing Power of Honey as Medicine
by Nathaniel Altman
Green Medicine
Challenging the Assumptions of Conventional Health Care
A New Synthesis of Ancient and Modern Healing Traditions
by Larry Malerba, D.O.
A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook
Includes MP3 CD with 21 Guided Meditations
by Bob Stahl, Ph.D. & Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D.
Bookshop Santa Cruz
1520 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, (831) 423-0900, bookshopsantacruz.com
Food Rules
An Eater’s Manual
by Michael Pollan
Fast, Fresh & Green
More Than 90 Delicious Recipes for Veggie Lovers
by Susie Middleton
A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook
by Bob Stahl & Elisha Goldstein
Anatomy for Yoga
An Illustrated Guide to Your Muscles in Action
by Leigh Brandon & Nicky Jenkins
Women, Food and God
by Geneen Roth
Capitola Book Cafe
1475 41st Ave. Capitola, (831) 462-4415,
capitolabookcafe.com
Women, Food and God
by Geneen Roth
The Roadmap to 100
The Breakthrough Science of Living a Long and Healthy Life
by Walter M. Bortz II,M.D.
The Checklist
by Atul Gawande
The Healing of America
by T.R. Reid
On a recent trip to Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria, we visit a friend in Vancouver. She whips up a quick lunch for us, and pops open a bottle of Canadian wine. Having just moved there from the Santa Cruz area, she is still trying out the far north wines and tells us how much she misses all the good wineries we have in our area.
We really don’t have enough time to go wine tasting in the land of all things maple, but stopping off in Seattle to stay with relatives on the way back home, we not only have time, but we also have a designated driver, my son-in-law.
Seafood, tequila and merriment are specialties of El Palomar
Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner, a cheap late night snack, or a lively cantina atmosphere, downtown’s El Palomar has got you covered. And with upward of 70 tequilas, you’re bound to find something you like.
The cantina was brightly lit by the midday sun through translucent corrugated ceiling panels. Lively Latin music and numerous plants, including an agave, gave the space a tropical feel. The thick, warm tortilla chips crunched lightly, laden with smooth and spicy salsa interspersed with minced cilantro and onions. On weekdays you’ll find a special lunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Two-item combinations ($6.95) include a tostada with beans and shredded lightly seasoned chicken on a crisp corn tortilla topped with cabbage, salsa fresca and sour cream. The Sope is similar, except the ingredients were stuffed inside a puffed-up house-made corn tortilla.
Can’t decide between Chinese, Thai, or Vietnamese food? At Capitola’s new Asian Express you can enjoy all three. As an added bonus, they make an exceptional bowl of pho (which approximately rhymes with duhhh), a Vietnamese noodle soup.
At Asian Express, nestled between Starbucks and Togo’s in the Ross building of the Capitola Mall, various appetizers, entrées and side dishes wait in warming trays at the counter. Choose from a single entrée and side ($4.50), two entrées ($5.49), or three ($6.39).
The chow mein noodles were mixed with vegetables and pieces of omelet. Rice was fried with peas, carrots and eggs. Chili-flecked beef and carrots in a dark sauce were topped with roasted potatoes, and lollipop chicken drumettes were coated with a sweet, caramelized sauce. Two long Fresh Spring Rolls ($2.95) were stuffed with parsley, mint leaves, lettuce, green onions, noodles and a couple of big shrimps.
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