Monday, March 28, 2016

April 2016 Snake Oil/Morning Has Broken

Snake Oil 
Morning Has Broken

We live in a world of duality. To a large extent, this is one of the primary reasons we choose to spend a lifetime(s) in this world. It is easy to forget this reality when difficulties surface. When things are tough we can easily get pulled into “suffering over our own suffering.”* Behind opportunity is often challenge. When we are lucky, there will be times when we are very unlucky. “Good” and “bad” co-exist, but how we choose to view these experiences are ultimately subjective. While for the most part I am very healthy, I got hit with the flu in early February. I seem to get the flu about every 6-7 years. I guess it was “time,” but when it hit me like a tornado on a Saturday night it truly was horrible. It ended up becoming bronchitis, and while I never went to a regular doctor, it is likely that I had a touch of pneumonia. I laid in bed for the first few days often getting up to cough and hack up the seemingly endless gunk from my chest, while shivering and sweating at the same time. The first week was the worst, but it lingered for almost two and a half weeks. Eating itself was a chore. I slept a lot! Thankfully a thoughtful friend brought me soup, oranges, lemons, and grapefruits. The only thing I ate for almost a week was fruit because I felt so feverish for many days. My tastebuds were not working well, along with many other parts of my body. 
When I get the rare flu or even a sinus infection, I normally make an appointment with my Chinese Herbalist who also does acupuncture. He never returned my calls, and I suspected that he went out of business. I took for granted having this valuable option for so many years. If I had been able to see him it would have cut the severity and duration of my illness in half. A week into my flu I finally went to an herbalist at the Chinese cultural center. He was the one who diagnosed me with Bronchitis. He provided some herbs and roots that I was to make into a tea and drink each night for one week to help heal me. I made and drank this terrible tasting tea each night and it likely helped speed up my healing. I know of many, many people who had this flu for even longer than a month. A week into my illness my family was visiting. This wasn’t ideal and it was really difficult to meet with them to be social while I was sick. I did my best to see my family and also minimized the amount of appointments I took simply because just about anything I did would leave me exhausted after a few hours, and I needed to rest and stay in a place of withdrawal as much as possible. 
I had a Vegas trip planned for nine days after I caught the flu. I should have just canceled it, but my Sagittarius optimism convinced me to go anyway because each day “I would eventually feel better.” I was wrong. I loaded up my usual cigars, snacks, and other fun Vegas trip treats (along with three days of my doctor’s prescribed herbal tea that I cooked up in advance) and went on my vacation. It was not one of my better trips. The drive itself was strained, and I couldn’t smoke, drink and didn’t even gamble that much while I was there. I wasn’t even able to drink coffee! These and so many parts of my vacation that I love were removed. I did still gamble a bit, but slept often, mainly watching television and napping in my room about 11 hours each of the three days I was on vacation. While I did feel a little better each day, it was a very slow process of healing. I kept hoping I would feel better tomorrow, but I never really made it to having fun in Vegas standards. I drove home early and shortened my trip. The highlight was a trip to the Caesars Palace spa where I was able to use the steam-rooms and sauna to help clear some of the toxins in my lungs.
I guess I could have smoked a cigar or two, had coffee, or even a drink while I was sick in Vegas. Yet, as indulgent as I normally am (Taurus Ascendent) I also have a lot of practical self control. I know that if I do some of the things that I truly love when I am sick, it will taint those things long afterwards. I will still associate those things with being ill. I did this once with eating shelled sunflower seeds when I was sick. I didn’t eat sunflower seeds for over a year afterwards. The parts of life that I see as delicious, and pleasurable I will not damage. I simply love them too much to risk the potential negative association, so I knew I needed to be patient. Not being able to feel sexual, taste good food, enjoy coffee, exercise, and many of the other things I truly enjoy is not fun. To me physical sensations and the pleasure they bring us are a huge part of why life is awesome. Still, I knew that resisting the reality of my being sick would have been futile as well so I showed major restraint.

By the end of February I felt really good again. I lost nine pounds. Not a great diet plan, but since I wanted to lose about 15 pounds by summer anyway this was a benefit of a lousy situation. Each day that I felt good enough to do something delicious was truly awesome. The first time I had coffee was amazing. My fist workout at the gym after three weeks off was inspiring. I was weak as hell, but I pulled it off and each day got stronger. I felt “workout sore” again, which while painful, is actually one of the goals. I went to my local casino and gambled and smoked two cigars, it was magical! I flirted with a hottie in the supermarket and I remembered what it felt like to feel the intoxicating pulse of attraction and possibility. Just meeting, talking to people, and being socially out in the world was sorely missed. I went back to work again and I realized how much I missed it. Everything is new again and tastes even more delicious than ever. My appetite for life itself has returned.
Jim Ventura 3-2016
“I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow; but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.” Agatha Christie
 Notes:

*This reference is from the Viking Rune “Thurisaz.”
One of the strangely positive things that came out of my experience with the flu was it reset my sleep clock. Even though I haven’t waited tables or bar-tendered in a number of years, I did it for so many years that my sleep schedule was still tuned into that pattern of going to bed late each night. For most of my life it is rare for me to go to bed before 1-2 am. While I was sick, I slept often, but also simply needed to go to bed early (for me anyway) each night at around 11:30 pm. Now that I am healthy again, I am still going to bed around 11:30-midnight and able to get up earlier. I am actually happy that I am getting on a better sleep and waking schedule!
I have the dates scheduled for my upcoming classes (there will be two) on Creating Wealth. There will be one class in late May and the other in early June. More information about these classes in this newsletter. Sign up early to reserve a space.
Wishing everyone a Happy April! Cheers, Jim V 
New Client Special:
January 1st 2016 thru May 1st 2016 Special: New Client introductory offer
$10-15 off listed rates  for your first 45 minute session, 70, or 90 minute session! Ask for the special when you email
Venturasag@yahoo.com to book. Debit and credit card payments get $10 off for 45-90 minute sessions. Local in-office clients can get an extra $5 off for cash or check payments for sessions. If you want to buy a new client a thoughtful gift of a session you can also take advantage of these rates!
My current rates (new clients can subtract the above discounts from these rates): 45 minute sessions $80. 70 minute sessions $110. 90 minute sessions $130.

Channeled corner. I read many, many books from different trance channelers in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. Unfortunately many of them are now out of print, but I still have a huge collection and will share some of the best material I have collected over the years.
Fear
A projection into the future

“Fear is the opposite of love. Fear is based upon not knowing, upon preparing for the unknown, for what might happen, for that which is not actually present in the moment. Fear is based totally upon future projection, which comes from evaluating the past, not only of your own lives but of other’s, and drawing deductions about what might happen to you in the future. This is what your insurance companies do: they project at what age you are likely to get sick, be disabled, or die, how many of you are likely to do that, and in what way. Now, read enough statistics and you will necessarily start making yourself believe that this must be the way it is. And, in this way, society, group mind, and industry dictate the nature of your beliefs. Metaphysically, fear is the opposite of love, the opposite of love based upon the absence of knowledge, because you can love and be comfortable with that which you know. It is always the unknown that you fear the most.”
Seth

Creating Wealth!
Getting Your piece of the Pie by making Peace!

Most of us wish we had more money. Whether you are already comfortable financially or struggling there is often (understandably) a part of us that wants more money and the opportunities and security that can come with it! 
No matter where you are in life now it is possible to create more personal wealth. By changing our beliefs around money, success, and letting go of limiting beliefs we can shift our reality to accept and experience more abundance. This workshop will help you to focus on both practical and metaphysical tools to bring your current and future experience with success (whether you are self-employed or working a job) to a more prosperous reality. 
Learn about the three pillars necessary to become a magnet to more prosperity. 
This class will take place in my home for two consecutive Saturdays in late May.  A maximum of 7 local students (a minimum of 4 to hold the series) and one call in from out-of-area (FaceTime may be an option or simply speaker phone). $40 for both classes. Current Regular clients and pre-paid students $35 for both classes. 
Saturdays May 21st and June 4th. 10 am until 12:30 pm.  Email me at Venturasag@yahoo.com to hold a space. 

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

Snake Oil Radio

Thursdays at 3:30 pm (there will be two live broadcasts this month)
My next live broadcast of Snake Oil Radio will be Thursday, April 14th. at 3:30 p.m. (AZ doesn’t use daylight savings time, so it’s the same as pacific time). Most Thursdays you can catch a new show. Each 45 minute show will expand on my current column’s subject matter. It will also offer an opportunity for you to call in live (or chat with other listeners in the chat room) with comments and your thoughts about the topic of discussion. If you miss the live show, you can catch any of my previously recorded shows on the web site’s archive. You can also catch Snake Oil Radio on I-tunes (download my pod-casts there).
To hear a live show, all you need to do is be at a computer and tuned into: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Jim-Ventura  You may also access it by going to the site. Type “Snake Oil” into the search option.You can also go to the shows that are currently “On air” at that time and find me. The call in number is 646-200-3966 for questions and comments.

Spotlight on One of the many oracle sessions I offer:
 Usually in March and early April there are a number of days where the winds pick up heavily. Like all things in this world they have a physical purpose and reason while also having a spiritual or metaphysical aspect to be considered as well.

Lakota Indians believed that the winds were a reminder that change is coming. The intensified winds in the North (Chinook) and the Santa Ana’s have deeper meanings spiritually:

Lakota Indians believed that the Santa Ana's, or Chinook winds as they are called in the east, were meant to remind us of self protection and the wisdom of change. They winds come from the four points in between Northeast, Southeast, etc...


“You are being asked to look at your safety and protection, to take steps to protect yourself from internal and external interference while keeping your self-esteem intact. Reinforce your strength and abilities, and deflect anything that diminishes your sense of higher purpose.
As you open up and express your Higher Self, you open yourself to accelerated lessons and growth experiences. You may find yourself facing some difficult teachers among the people with whom you come in contact. You may find yourself confronting issues you’d prefer to keep quietly buried. We often encounter emotional manipulation when we have resisted letting go and moving forward or when we have missed opportunities to face a particular lesson.
Free yourself from the attitude that internalizes every situation and interaction. Remember that the people with whom you interact have their own challenges and driving forces. Be kind to yourself and be understanding of others. If it is time to remove yourself from a situation or relationship, do so. Ask for internal guidance. If there is no need to remain in an uncomfortable, unsupportive relationship, job, or circumstance, get out and move on to the next step.”

Meditation: I seek and find wisdom during times of change. I seek and find within change the opportunity to be more fully myself.”

From the Lakota Sweat Lodge cards One of the Oracles I sometimes use with clients in sessions.
You can specifically request a session with these cards or even just to add one to any other session.

“There is some kind of a sweet innocence in being human- in not having to be just happy or just sad- in the nature of being able to be both broken and whole, at the same time.” C.JoyBell


Here’s my contact information to make an appointment for a session, or information on current classes: Phone: (602)957-3035 text: (602)349-0746 Email: Venturasag@yahoo.com (best method for contact).
Information about the different sessions and types of readings and services, past Snake Oil columns, and how to order my books and audio CD’s can be found at my website: Http://JimVentura.com 
“Friend” me on Facebook to get other extra offers and in between column extras! Signing up for my fan page will get you even more extras and first shot at reading specials. Simply click on “like” on the fan page and you will automatically get my weekly updates. 
You also may want to check out my posts on Tumblr.com: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/snake-oil-blog
All sessions/readings for 2016 are: Full (70 minutes) $110.00; Shorter session (45 minutes) $80.00;  Extended session (90 minutes) $130.00 (two people can split an extended session back to back for $65.00 each).  Email me for information about my Regular Client Program for even bigger discounts on session prices with the added benefit of monthly or quarterly check-ins. 

All Current Snake Oil subscribers get $5.00 off all listed prices for any 45-90 minute sessions (except when using a special discount promotion). Local in office visits receive  another $5 off listed prices for cash or check payments.