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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Belief Changes Everything

Oct 02, 2023 08:10PM ● By Joe Dunne

I am sitting at a place of peace and quiet on a crispy, bright, cloud-free Sunday morning enjoying the warm comfort of tranquility. Stillness, quiet and gratitude fills me. Paying attention, self-care and some common sense have rewarded me with a sense of clarity—to feel part of and connected to this snapshot of time. Living in the moment, as they say, is a special feeling. 

How did I get here, I ask myself. How can I feel so connected now when so much of my past life was dysfunctional? Contentment was a word I never had the option to understand. So, how can I now feel so contented, worry-free and empowered? Right now… right here… in this moment?  

Naturally, I don’t have all the answers. I wish I could share in detail what happened to reach this point. It’s true that I have spent a lifetime trying to figure out happiness, acceptance and all the good stuff. I have read books, watched YouTube, attended a variety of seminars to understand how contentment is achieved. The education I have sought throughout my life has offered wisdom to be learned, spiritual knowledge to be gathered and contributed much to my own mental practices.

Yes, I have worked for this. Yet, in this moment, it feels like a miracle. Early on in life I found a bottom that was without hope. Then, small miracle after small miracle happened. Events, people and messages of hope appeared. Hope grew into believing and everything changed. I started to understand that my life was my responsibility, that I could achieve what I never thought I could, that contentment was possible if I committed to the practice of believing. 

I am nothing special. I am not what you would consider to be a high achiever in the traditional sense. I am no different than anyone else, and that is why I feel gratitude. I am a big believer that every one of us has a talent waiting to be tapped into. Feeling present in the moment is a dream that I encourage everyone to pursue—it is empowering, freeing and so rewarding.

I wish I could live fully in every moment, but I can’t. There is no monastery or cave in the hills, living in silence, for me. I live in New Jersey where there is noise, distraction, along with all the business and personal life experiences. What I can do is stay diligent in my practice, beliefs and needs, to take responsibility for my self-care. I wish everyone joy in their life, and to believe that you can reach deep and achieve your dreams. 


With peace, love and laughter,

Joe Dunne, Publisher

In-Print publisher's letter October 2023
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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