The inaugural Holistic Health and Wellness Festival in downtown Dallas will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 29.  The free community event is at Divine Sight Healing Arts Center, in downtown Dallas, just east of the farmers’ market and the convention center. Attendees can meet local alternative health practitioners, sample food and drinks, take part in complimentary classes and interactive workshops and even receive free haircuts.

Queen Gwyn Askerneese, of Mobile Wellness, sponsor of the Festival, says, “The goal of this event is to help people learn what they won’t hear from conventional medical professionals about naturally healing the body using herbs, food and various treatments that were successfully used long before our modern medical system existed.”

Attendees can try samples of juices and vegetarian foods and take part in tai chi, restorative yoga for the family, cultural dance and other movement classes. Practitioners will also lead workshops on topics such as Using Herbs and Oils for Health and Vitality, Modern Medicine versus Naturopathic Medicine and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

The festival includes naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, therapeutic massage experts, Thai Ayurvedic medicinal massage practitioners, herbalists, raw juice vendors, reiki practitioners, natural healers, wellness coaches and vendors of healthy and natural products. All of the experts will answer questions, give recommendations and provide information on ailments, pain, disease and other problems people may be experiencing.

“People used to achieve wellness through the natural world, but our modern medical system has moved away from natural methods. There are many local holistic resources and practitioners who use natural methods to diagnose why the body functions or malfunctions the way it does. These experts also know how to use ancient and proven forms of treatment that will help us achieve balance, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually, as well,” Askerneese says.

Other sponsors of the event include Life Bound Wellness, The Afiya Center and the Temple of Maat Spiritual Center. Free haircuts will be provided by Texas Fadez Barber College on a first-come, first-served basis.

Admission is free. Location: 1320 Griffin , Dallas. For more information, call 469-394-1789 or email QueenGwyn01@gmail.com.

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North Texans can participate in Clean Air Action Day on June 21 by doing at least one thing to help improve air quality. This special day is held each year to help raise awareness for the problems of air pollution and the different ways that people can work toward making the air cleaner. This is an important way to help preserve the planet and make it better for both ourselves and future generations to live on.

People can share their plans on Clean Air Action Day, on social media by using #CAAD2019 and tagging @NCTCOGtrans to qualify for a chance to win a prize.

Clean air choices for June 21

• Carpool or vanpool
• Use mass transit
• Bike or walk
• Telecommute
• Attend meetings remotely
• Take lunch to work or summer activities
• Maintain consistent driving speed by avoiding quick accelerations and hard braking
• Reduce idling
• Combine trips or drive less
• Report smoking, polluting vehicles (#SMOKE)
• Stay up-to-date on regular vehicle maintenance and state emissions and safety inspection
• Consider an electric or other alternative fuel lawn mower
• Switch to energy efficient light bulbs
• Pursue energy-efficient home improvement projects
• Choose a clean vehicle option if purchasing a new vehicle (electric, hybrid, natural gas, propane, biofuels, SmartWay)
• Use a vehicle-approved biofuel in your car (E85 and B20)
• Call for an alternative-fueled or hybrid vehicle if going to the airport or around town
• Buy local or at places where less driving is required
• Encourage someone else to make clean air choices on 6-21-19
• Tell a friend about Air North Texas and options that help improve air quality in the region
• Sign up for air pollution alerts
• Commit to making clean air choices the entire ozone season
• Create an account and log commutes at TryParkingIt.com

Talking a walk in nature is also a great way to celebrate Clean Air Day 2019. We only have one planet, and this is a good time to reaffirming our commitment to protecting Mother Earth and making sure that the air that we breathe is as clean and healthy as possible.

For more information and help in implementing these actions, visit NCTCOG.org.

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Hines Park, located at 9601 Harry Hines Boulevard, in West Dallas, was once a neglected and litter-filled green space. Groundwork Dallas adopted the park four years ago and has constructed a loop trail, rock garden, wildlife viewing platform, benches and fencing to make this a beautiful sanctuary in an industrial part of the city.

Groundwork Dallas will host the grand opening from 9 to 11 a.m., June 7, with light refreshments, music, binoculars for birdwatching and a guided walk on the newly constructed trails. There will also be a BioBlitz, which focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time, at 10 a.m.

Groundwork Dallas hosts one Saturday Volunteer Day per month at Hines Park, where volunteers clear litter and debris, maintain trails or install fencing that prevents litter from the highway finding its way to the lake and Hines Park environs. Volunteers have also planted about 75 native shrubs and flowers to foster biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem. Project supporters include the city of Dallas and many charitable foundations around the DFW area, including the Boone Family Foundation.

Park at Xenco Labs, 9701 Harry Hines Blvd. For more information, visit GroundworkDallas.org.

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Mata Amritanandamayi’s life, affectionately known as Amma, the “hugging saint”, is someone who has offered her every thought, word and deed for the benefit of others. On average, she only sleeps a few hours a night and teaches by example, emphasizing selfless social service. She says, “Love is the only medicine that can heal the wounds of the world.” Amma will make an appearance in Allen June 25 and 26 at the Marriott Delta. Since 1989, she has been traveling the world giving tender motherly hugs, known as darshan, to whoever shows up.

Amma is a humanitarian, philanthropist and spiritual teacher. She inspires, uplifts and transforms through her physical embrace, her spiritual wisdom and through her global charity, Embracing the World, which has inspired charity projects in more than 40 countries, exists to help alleviate the burden of the world’s poor through helping to meet basic needs. Amma believes that these needs are fundamental rights of every human being.

Amma talks about how happy she is that many thousands of people from around the world affiliated with her organizations, including Dallas, volunteer and give of their time and energy to help others in need. “Being around Amma inspires me to be more compassionate, and to want to do more service work for others,” said Siva Kumaran, of Grapevine.

Amma has provided more than 200,000 economically vulnerable women with vocational training, start-up capital, and marketing assistance, as well as access to microcredit loans from government-regulated banks and affordable insurance plans.

Amma has many spiritual centers in the U.S., including one in Aubrey, outside of Denton. Each center conducts outreach programs, such as Mother’s Kitchen, where they provide meals for the homeless, fundraisers, youth programs, Green Friends, letters to prisoners and other programs that help the needy.

Seeing the whole world as an extension of her own self, Amma is ever ready to forego her own needs in order to bring a smile to someone’s face, wipe their tears or to simply listen to their sorrows. Be they young or old, sick or healthy, rich or poor—everyone receives the same unconditional love. Amma turns no one away. She says, “Love is our true essence, and the more you give, the more your heart is filled. Love is a never-ending stream.”

Location: 777 Watters Creek Blvd, Allen. For more information, call 806-414-6223 or  isit go to AmmaDallas.org.

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Self-care and beauty have such a natural relationship that we may take it for granted. The mindfulness we extend to the process is a reflection of the self-esteem that lights us from within.

Maple Shade Spa says, “Caring for ourselves through diet and exercise is very important; it’s also important to use good skin care. We have found that many people neglect to exfoliate, and without exfoliation, our skin has trouble absorbing skincare products. We highly recommend using a cleanser with exfoliation such as an AHA/BHA cleanser.” 

Misaotra Beauty Sanctuary notes, “We can redefine the way women nourish the body and the spirit with wholistic facial rituals and self-care ceremonies that are deeply rooted in authenticity and the belief that true ageless beauty comes from self-awareness and self-love. Using Chinese medicine protocols such as gua sha and Italian facial reflexology, skilled, loving hands can create remarkable results erasing the signs of time.”

Maple Shade Spa, 432 Mapleshade Ln., Dallas, MapleShadeSpa.com.

Misaotra Beauty Sanctuary, 6465 E. Mockingbird Ln., Ste. 344, Studio 27, Dallas, MisaotraBeauty.guru.

For more stories like this read Natural Awakenings Dallas-Ft Worth magazine at NADallas.com