Hi {!firstname_fix}

We have four classes starting up Monday. If you come right now, sign up, then immediately return the invitation email to join the group through which the class will be conducted, we can fit you in...

Step One: The Art of Breakfast
The Dance of Abuse: The Victim
Brain Chemistry: Beta Endorphin Week 1
Healing Shame

The Step One class is perfect for those of you just starting off. It is very concrete and specific. We have a lot of fun and literally walk you through the art of breakfast. And I will be doing a sequential set of the steps over the next seven weeks. This is the place to start.

The Dance of Abuse is a class designed to help you look at being the victim of abuse in a new way. This is not a psychological approach, but will tell you why you keep getting stuck or keep going back. It will give you some ideas that you have not worked with before. This is the first time I have offered this class.

The Beta Endorphin class was a HUGE hit last time. People got so excited about the information, I would hardly get them to finish up. If you love the science of it all, you will LOVE this class.

Healing Shame is a new class in response to the work we have been doing over on YLD. I did a chat and then a second one. People were really moved, so I thought I would share it with you.

We have posted a schedule of the classes for the next month. The week after this we will be doing a first class on step 5. I will share information you have never heard anywhere (smile). I have been working on it for many weeks. You may think Brown is boring, but wait until you hear about antioxidants in the endosperm, LOL. I will also be doing the class for parents and kids called Little Sugar Addicts. If you have been trying to get your kids on board, come do the class with them. And finally I will be doing a special YLD weight loss class that I will write about in the YLD section. Check the class page and see if there is something you like. If there is something you would like and don't see it, let me know. Remember to go ahead and sign up for something if you are interested. We are making the decisions about when to schedule based on how the registrations are going.

Please feel free to pass this week's newsletter on to your friends and family. Don't forget to let me know what you like and would like to see me cover.

A copy of this newsletter may also be found posted on the web at http://www. radiantrecovery.com/weeklynewsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, use the link at the bottom of the page. Do not email me, do not get mad at me, just click on the link and you will be forever removed.

And be sure to visit our Radiant RecoveryŽ website and Community Forum regularly.

Warmly,
Kathleen

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February 14, 2005
** Quote From Kathleen **

Being steady means being firm, unfaltering, unflappable, and unwavering. Being steady means driving in cruise control.

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** Testimonial for the Week**


Okay, my turn. Funny enough, I recovered by isolating . I isolated from everything that would take my focus off doing the program. I posted only to the then relapse class, now list, and I posted way more than I ever had. I did not post anywhere else or even read any other lists. I turned them all off. When possible, I did only those life things that would enhance my program. I am reconnecting w/my journal in a deeper way. I took both journal classes. But one of the best things I did for myself was to relax about being in relapse.

You see, I was terrified that I would not get my program back. I actually thought I might not be accepted back to the community (MY perception--nothing anyone said or did--please don't take this personally anyone--it was ME and MY anxiety). And when Kathleen opened the second relapse class to continue supporting us, I knew that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and that I was accepted and that it would all be okay. So I relaxed about it and that's when the healing began.

In fact, I actually ENJOYED being in relapse. I felt unburdened by only posting in one very SAFE place with amazingly supportive people. I was learning about the program in deeper ways than I had before because I was clearer and had more intention behind my actions. I could look at myself and understand the process. I was not desperate about weight loss. I talked to Kathleen about this paradox of enjoying relapse and likened it to Milton's *Paradise Lost* and the idea of the fortunate fall--Milton's belief that virtue untried is not virtue at all, but virtue that wins out over adversity is true virtue. (Sorry, I used to be an English teacher (sheepish grin). And here I am. Being radiant and silly and still working hard on my program; planning food, cooking food, and mostly, staying connected HERE. Kathleen, thank you for helping me get my radiance back. Well, thanks for helping me get it in the first place (crying). Have a nice day everyone.

Ann Margaret

My story is so similar to Ann Margaret's I considered just copying it, LOL.

It sounds weird to say that relapse was the best thing to happen for me and my recovery. But it's true.

If I hadn't relapsed I wouldn't have taken the classes and the classes are what changed the nature of my recovery.

It was in the classes that I finally connected at a heart level with my journal. I had never been able to really connect with anyone online except on the surface. Having connected to my journal and having a small group of very supportive people around me online I took the risk and started to open up my heart and share my feelings. I had no idea how life changing that would be.

My focus was this group of recovery from relapse people and my food. I don't have the words to express my gratitude for Kathleen starting the classes when she did and for having such supportive people joining the classes along with me.

I know now that no matter what my focus has to be on my recovery. If I don't keep it front and center my life starts to fall apart. As I step out into the bigger community I know I have my relapse recovery buds to lean on and tell me the truth since they know me so well.

Linda

If you are in relapse and want to join a class, go to the class signup page.

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**Recipe of the Week**


We are trying to eat more fish, so I invented this recipe. I love that you can bake it all in one dish.

Baked Tilapia, Broccoli and Potatoes

Preheat oven to 350. Scrub potatoes well and cut potatoes into chunks. Place into a 9 x 13 baking dish (I use disposable aluminum pans) and toss with olive oil. Bake for 70 minutes. Take dish out of oven and place broccoli over the potatoes. Mix mayonaise and spices (except paprika) and spread over the tilapia. Place on top of the broccoli. Sprinkle with paprika or cayenne. Cover and bake for 40 minutes

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**Your Last Diet: More Than What You Think**


Ok, those of you in the weight loss list have been talking about getting jump started. Val and I talked about the best way to do that. We both thought it would be fun to run a special tutorial just for those of you who are ready to lose weight. Come join us. The class will only be open to YLD members. This specific class will be for folks who have 6 months or more on step 7. I will be doing a class soon for anyone interesting in learning the basics of successful weight loss.

For those of you who are not yet YLD members, Click here if you are ready to change your life or just plain ole have fun.
 


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**Radiant Ambassadors**



If you ever have times when you are telling someone about the program and wished you had soemthing to give them, check out the special cards we have for you. If you haven't gotten any cards to pass out yet, order them now. They are free! It is a great way to spread the word. And if you want to share with others the exciting things you are doing, come join the ambassador group.

Come find us among the Online Groups


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**David's Corner **

 


I asked David if I might chime in this week about the All One Vitamin Powder. I actually have been using it with my George's Junior Shake. I use the antioxidant one and just love it. If you are using Junior and looking for a great way to get those vitamins in there, this powder does the trick. The nice thing is that you can adjust the dosage for all the members of your family. I have always loved the company that makes this. I think it is the best vitamin product on the market. That is why we carry it. (smile)

Thanks, Kathleen, for the input! I wanted to also let you guys know that next week, I am going to be adding some specials to the store. Stay tuned!!

Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better.

Thanks
David

And of course, we have something for everybody in our store


 
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**Our Online Groups**


Hi, I'm Sue, and I'm the volunteer liaison for the Radiant Movement group. The Movement list is for people who are new to moving their body and exercising. I had been struggling for many years to come up with an exercise routine that worked for me. I was out of shape, 100 pounds overweight, and I suffer from chronic pain and injuries. And every time I tried to move, I would hurt myself and have setbacks. I loved the support I got from the others on the list while I struggled to make movement a habit and honor my body and its challenges. But with a lot of patience, I found a way to make movement a big part of my life and my recovery. And I've become enthusiastic about wanting to help others get what they can from movement, and know that even moving for 1 minute a day is a great start!

Right now, many of the regular posters are people who have been working on movement for a long time and are more consistent and can do more. I would love to also hear from more of you who are just starting out so that we can support you in enjoying movement as much as we do!

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** Featured Topic**
Healing Phases
Patti Holden

Patti introduced this concept at the last YLD beginner's chat. I was so impressed with the idea, I asked her to write this week's article. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Kathleen

In working through the Radiant Recovery program, working the 7 steps, the question I am pondering is: Do we work a step, get it steady, heal, and move onto the next step without having to refine or go back to the previous steps? And if we do find ourselves going back, because it isn't working any more, does that mean we are doing something 'wrong'? I don't think so; I think we come across 'healing phases', let me explain why.

I believe that as we work each of the steps there is a sort of healing 'process' that our bodies go through. Meaning in one sense that what we start out doing on that step may not work long term, we may need to adapt what we are doing according to the healing that is taking place within our body.

Maybe we add exercise, or stop eating as much sugar, or there is an underlying healing 'shift' (biochemical) taking place (unseen) where our outward lives haven't changed. Let me say more about this part. I believe that our biochemistry is, as we begin/work through/ and continue on with the steps always 'shifting' towards wholeness/healthy levels. I don't think that we get to a certain step, work it for two weeks, and bam biochemistry is healed. So, sometimes when a person is working a step, and they get it stable, and then they move on to the next step to only find that the previous step may not feel as stable any more, that it is because there is a 'healing phase'(one of a shift of biochemistry) that they may need to address.

So, our body 'shifts' and all of a sudden some part of what we were doing before doesn't work. Maybe we are getting hungry before our next meal, maybe the potato isn't giving us restful sleep any more, or we start feeling emotionally out of balance. Our immediate reaction has often been, 'What am I doing wrong'?

Well, I don't believe that we are doing anything wrong, necessarily. If we checked, and it all looks good, and we checked in with our buds and they don't see anything either, then what does this mean? I believe it means that I simply needed to 'adjust' my program to the changes within my body (whether things such as adding exercise/limiting sugar/etc. or inward biochemical changes/shifts).

For me personally this occurred when I added in CST (Circular Strength Training). I was no longer able to go 6 hours between meals (I had been able to go 6 hours for years). But, I wasn't doing anything 'wrong'. My body was definitely indeed in a place of healing more, a 'healing phase', it was a good thing - but my meal timing didn't work right any more. I was getting hungry earlier. So I adjusted my meal timing to 5 to 5.5 hours between meals and amazingly everything started working again. CST created a 'shift' and I needed to respond to that shift.

Identifying these 'shifts' or 'healing phases', when fairly early in program can be difficult. Our beta-endorphin levels are sometimes not supportive enough yet to help us to ascertain what is happening with our recovery. For instance, let's say we are going through one of these 'healing phases', something that was working isn't working any more - we very often become discouraged and frustrated, and then this often leads to giving up, thinking that the program just won't work for us; that somehow we are doomed to a sugar-addicted life forever.

We are not. (smile) Every one of us can have the radiance that is our birthright. And one of the most important things we can do when we feel the way I described in this last paragraph is to reach out in the Radiant Recovery community and share this with our buds. There are those who have walked the path before us, who daily share their experience, strength, and hope. Those who have walked through their own 'healing phases' many times, and can help us walk through ours.

Through connecting with others we can then recognize that the possibility of help exists, and we rediscover the hope we thought we had lost.

ŠKathleen DesMaisons 2004.

Here are the folks who are helping put the newsletter together:

Gretel, the liaison for the recovery list and the webmaster puts it all together
JoAnna, the liaison for vegetarians gathers the testimonials
Naomi, the liaison for Yisroel gathers the recipes
Terri, the liaison for Ambassadors sends over the ambassadors quote
Marie, the liaison for diabetes gathers the info on the online lists
David, who runs the Radiant RecoveryŽ Store talks about what new products we have.