Posted by: Emmett Skiles | February 27, 2012

New Cancer Support Community for Central Texas

Kate Cleary (L) and Tere Holmes (R)

This is a long time dream I’ve had for the Austin community. Last Spring, I was introduced to three dynamic women who convinced me with their strong passion and vision to join them to help bring a cancer wellness center to the local Austin area. They quickly acquired non-profit status, I joined their board along with 14 others, and we have now become the Cancer Support Community affiliate for Central Texas.

There is only one other center like this in all of Texas, and it is in Dallas. Click here to see their center as an example of what the new one in Austin could look like. What makes these centers so unique is that they provide a home-like atmosphere that offers psychosocial services to all, no matter what the cancer diagnosis is.

Click here to see the current updates on this project, and I invite you to get involved if this cause is important to you.

We have made the rounds and met with virtually all of the other cancer non-profits in Austin. Eight of them, including Cancer Connection (where I served as director from 2006-2009) have expressed interest in having their offices located in our future building. This would accomplish another part of our vision to have as many cancer support services located under one roof as possible.

Please consider joining our Mailing List so that you can receive updates on this extremely worthwhile program for cancer patients and their friends, families and caregivers.

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Posted in Cancer, Mind/Body Healing | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | January 30, 2012

Cutting Edge Science Meets Ancient Healing Wisdom

For those of you who are familiar with my work and interests, you know that I love playing on the edge of cutting edge therapies combined with ancient healing wisdom.

In the past seven years since moving to Austin, I have created wellness programs for those living with cancer, taught classes on guided imagery and other holistic health topics, provided life and wellness coaching services, etc. I am currently working on a nutritional certification program sponsored by Standard Process of Central Texas.

After much thought and research, I have decided to add several wellness products to my offerings. I see it as a natural progression in that these products all have to do with empowering ourselves to take more control of our own health and well being. Each of them represents a paradigm shift from mainstream consciousness, so they require us to look at things differently than the way we may have in the past.

Dr. Robin Fuquay, a chiropractor in Austin,TX, and long time friend/mentor of mine, introduced me to how she uses an intriguing form of energy medicine in her practice. By applying a small adhesive “chip” to acupuncture points on the body along meridian energy lines, certain beneficial effects can be achieved. Click here to read more about how they work. These chips have been used with great success for things such as allergies, chronic pain, low energy, and getting better quality sleep. This technology is even used as one of the components of a weight management program. It is adding yet another useful tool to the integrative practitioner’s tool chest – not to replace acupuncture, good nutrition, and other therapies – but serve as a complement to them. There are also custom herbal blended teas in the product line that complement the effects of the energy chips. These combinations have been so effective for me, that I am now very eager to share these incredible tools with everyone I know.

I have become a distributor for CieAura, the company who developed these holographic chips.  This new technology has been picked up by professional athletes such as Colt McCoy (our own local UT hero) as a source of natural energy and has led to partnerships with the NBA and WNBA, as well as with Filipino boxer and politician, Manny Pacquiao. There have been several peer reviewed, randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled studies published in Alternative Therapies Journal, that document the results of these chips.

I would be happy to meet up with you to tell you more about them and how they have made such a huge difference for me with my cedar allergies this year!  Many of us who live in Austin can relate to allergy challenges from all the high tree pollens and mold counts.  I can even give you a sample of one for you to try for yourself. Dr. Fuquay and I will also be giving free talks at her office and demonstrations of how the chips work.

Please contact me if you are interested in hearing more about these resources.

**  No statement contained in this writing should be construed as a claim or representation that these products are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease or any other medical condition. The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of Emmett Skiles. Content published here is not read or approved by CieAura before it is posted and does not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CieAura. 

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Posted in Consciousness & Transformation, Emmett's Personal Stories, Healthier Lifestyle Change, Self-Care, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | October 2, 2010

Epigenetics: No Longer a Victim of Our Genes?

Are you familiar with Epigenetics?  Most of us aren’t because it is not something that you will hear about on mainstream radio or television. The implications of it are too big. But I think this is a very important perspective to consider and be aware of. I have followed the work of Bruce Lipton for a couple of years now after discovering his fascinating book, The Biology of Belief. Please watch these two videos, and I would really love to hear your thoughts after you view them. You can write your comments in the section below this post.

And also see this one for more info:

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Posted in Cancer, Consciousness & Transformation, Healthcare Reform, Healthier Lifestyle Change, Mind/Body Healing, Motivation & Self-Talk, Self-Care, Spirituality, Wellness coaching | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | September 24, 2010

Consciousness and Healing

I have been what some might call a “consciousness geek” for quite some time now, voraciously accumulating all the knowledge I can get my hands on about this fascinating field known as Consciousness Studies. It can sometimes feel like a lonely place, and like surfing on the edge of a massive tipping point. But this wave has been building for quite some time. The hope that I feel in knowing the value and the many benefits of using this untapped technology is what keeps me going. From my perspective, I can’t fathom why more people do not seem to be pursuing it in a similar way that I am. It is only the root – the core – of all humankind’s suffering, as well as the key to its unlimited potential. That’s all. No big thing…
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So if that is true, why aren’t more people flocking in droves to schools like John F. Kennedy University (like I did), or the California Institute for Integral Studies, to get their accredited advanced degrees in consciousness related studies? Why aren’t corporations and other organizations more actively recruiting graduates of these programs who have this specialized training and knowledge?  And finally, why isn’t there more experimental research to better understand phenomena such as the placebo effect, spontaneous remissions and the farthest reaches of human potential and capacities?
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The answer to these questions lies in the huge investments our culture has in the current power structure of mainstream science and economics. In our love affair with the Age of Reason, a large imbalance has occurred which has cost our culture dearly. As important as logic and reason are, most of us know that we can not live our lives without using other ways of knowing in our daily choices and how we interact with others.   It seems more than odd to leave out valuable wisdom that has stood the test of time from our modern practice of medicine. This is why I want to acknowledge the Institute of Noetic Sciences, and specifically a book published by some of their top researchers called Consciousness and Healing: Integral Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine.
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It has been several years since I completely devoured this book. I savored every word of it like you would enjoy the tiny nuances of every bite of your favorite meal. My copy of this book has countless multicolored tags sticking out of the edges of it like no other book on my bookshelf.  Afterall, it is no doubt one of my favorite subjects to read about on the planet. It was exciting to discover this vast compilation of acquired wisdom from many of the top names in this field such as Marilyn Schlitz, Deepak Chopra, Larry Dossey, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Dean Ornish, Candace Pert, Rachel Naomi Remen, Ken Wilber, etc.
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For anyone interested in a more conscious, integrated, and compassionate form of health care, I can not recommend this book highly enough. It gives a thorough overview of so many of the practices that I have studied and used over the years, not only for myself, but for many of my clients as well.

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Posted in Consciousness & Transformation, Healthcare Reform, Mind/Body Healing, Self-Care, Spirituality | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | August 27, 2010

Personal Growth Has It’s Rewards

TransformationOne thing is for sure… We are all given plenty of opportunities for growth during our time here in Earth school.  We can’t help but grow in one direction or another, depending on how we react to the lessons that life throws our way. The question is:  How do you want to experience it?  I’ll take mine consciously with ego on the side, please!

I have always been fascinated with the process of finding meaning, while at the same time, reveling in the mysteries of things that lie below the surface of logic and reason.

For example, when it comes to healing, it’s important that an individual becomes an active participant in their own treatment, at whatever level they are comfortable with. This is a part of healing that no one teaches us how to do.  We are pretty much left to our own devices to find things that will work for us, and to find practices that are consistent with our values, beliefs, and preferences. When it comes to regaining our sense of wholeness, we need an approach that takes into consideration all the different aspects of body, mind, emotions, and spiritual meanings.

I have learned that in order to do this, the key ingredient, or part of the medicine that is missing, can be simply summed up as self awareness.  Healing with Self awareness is the Medicine 2.0 that we’re all desperately searching for.  Because if we truly rested in that place, we could reap the great, big, huge amounts of freedom and peace that comes to us when we have those things.

From what I see, we have a true medical revolution on our hands. It is changing on so many fronts. And taking better care of ourselves is a major part of it.  I have spent many years studying and experiencing first-hand how the transformation of consciousness affects our health and healing processes. Please take some time to review the categories to the right of this posting. If there is anything there that you would like the opportunity to talk with me about, please let me know.

Whether you’re dealing with health issues, depression, PTSD, or pondering your life purpose, I can share with you any of the vast resources I have accumulated in those areas. I am now working on a book that will describe my own journey of healing as well as the valuable resources I have picked up along the way.

I will be offering teleclasses in the near future to get this information to you in a new format.  So please let me hear from you if you are interested in learning more!

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Posted in Cancer, Consciousness & Transformation, Healthcare Reform, Healthier Lifestyle Change, Mind/Body Healing, Spirituality, Wellness coaching | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | August 12, 2010

Ready for Adventure?

Please watch this awe inspiring video. It embodies the spirit and values of Life Explorations so well, and I look forward to learning more about Aaron Carotta, whom I just discovered through Twitter. He is also a cancer survivor like me whose life was changed forever. It resulted in a similar calling for both of us: to help people experience the thrill of adventure while exploring both the inner world as well as the outer one. I LOVE exploring both, don’t you!


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Posted in Adventure, Consciousness & Transformation, Self-Care, Wellness coaching | Tags: , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | August 8, 2010

E-Myth Guy Comments on Employee Wellness

Here is an interesting interview between Michael Gerber, small business consultant and author of the now classic E-Myth books, and chiropractor, Dr. Jason Deitch.  Mr. Gerber speaks powerfully about the employer’s role and contribution to employees’ success in fulfilling their dreams. I like how he says that health is a direct function of the employees’ emotional awakening, which ultimately leads to them being awake to the possibilities of the company that they work for.

He also speaks to the benefits of not only having wellness programs for employees, but also to the benefits of living and working in a truly conscious environment that we can all thrive in.

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Posted in Consciousness & Transformation, Healthier Lifestyle Change, Wellness coaching, Workplace Wellness | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | August 5, 2010

Have We Found the Cure For Cancer?

Consciousness and Cancer

Here is the thing I’ve discovered to be true: We have to face the fact that the cure for cancer, and many other illnesses, will not be accomplished without bringing the development of a person’s consciousness (or self awareness) into the foreground of their treatment and therapies.  It is too much of a missing piece of the puzzle to continue to ignore it in the public discourse about the “race for a cure”.


This is what Integrative Medicine is all about. It is an inspired vision for how we can finally learn how to hold multiple perspectives all at the same time – even when they seem contradictory. The tendency of our modern science has been to consider this proposal an impossible one.  But I know deep in my bones that it is an evolutionary edge that we are on the verge of breaking through.

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I am realizing more and more that it is my mission in life to bring attention to this often overlooked area.  I am in the process of pulling together all my research and personal experiences on this topic, and finally writing a book about it. I appreciate many of you out there who have encouraged me to do this for a while now.  The time has definitely come.

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Posted in Cancer, Consciousness & Transformation, Healthcare Reform, Mind/Body Healing, Spirituality | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | July 7, 2010

Integrative Medicine Is Coming

As we struggle to make sense of U.S. health care reform and how it will affect our health insurance practices, there is another trend that I have been very interested in keeping an eye on.  It involves the idea of Patient-Centered care, which can be defined as care that informs and involves patients in medical decision-making and self-management; coordinates and integrates medical care; provides physical comfort and emotional support; understands the patient’s concept of illness and their cultural beliefs; and understands and applies principles of disease prevention and behavioral change appropriate to diverse populations.

The above definition was quoted directly from a report I just finished reading that was prepared for the Institute of Medicine’s Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public.  That summit convened last year, in February of 2009, which brought together more than 600 participants from many disciplines to examine the practice of integrative medicine, its scientific basis, and its potential for improving health.

The full report, entitled “Integrative Medicine and Patient-Centered Care” can be downloaded here.  It builds a powerful and thought provoking case for how this approach could be implemented.  It summarizes the basic concepts of integrative medicine and its principles, describes the history of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in American health care, and discusses the current state and desired future of integrative medical practice.

I especially liked the specific recommendations it offers at the end of the report in order to stimulate systemic change on all levels: government, insurers, providers, medical school programs, accrediting agencies, etc.  Using this body of work as a template, I can see where a community-led team could be established to champion and stimulate changes at the appropriate institutional levels.  For anyone interested in exploring such an initiative, please let me know.

Similar to the initiatives to go more “green” and be environmentally conscious, we are now further challenged to transform another unsustainable experiment known as the U.S. health care system.  It may seem impossible at times, especially when we think of the formidable forces of “the powers that be” who have interests in keeping it the same.  But I have faith that the bounty we would enjoy as a healthier and more productive society will far outweigh the short sighted profits that keep us stuck in a broken system.  Not to mention that more sustainable medical practices and patient-centered care are just plain and simply, the right thing to do.

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Posted in Consciousness & Transformation, Healthcare Reform, Healthier Lifestyle Change, Mind/Body Healing, Wellness coaching | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Emmett Skiles | May 13, 2010

Life After Cancer Can Lead to a New Wellness Lifestyle

* Click on the image below to see a larger, more readable version of a diagram I created to depict a wellness approach for life after cancer:


The above diagram shows a continuum of choices and considerations that a cancer survivor may move through after receiving their treatments.  Some of these same decision points could also be considered by a patient who is still in treatment. It would just depend on the individual’s circumstances and their readiness to address these needs on a priority basis of their own choosing.

New research published in the International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences and conducted by The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, showed that wellness coaching, a relatively new type of health intervention, had significant, immediate, and lasting impact in reducing anxiety and depression, while simultaneously improving quality of life and increasing other healthy lifestyle behaviors. To download the full journal article, click here.

Though survivors are often motivated to make healthy lifestyle changes after a diagnosis of cancer, numerous challenges due to long term and late effects of treatment including fatigue, anxiety, depression, weight gain, and sleep complications, may make living a healthy lifestyle challenging. In the above mentioned study, less than one quarter of cancer survivors were physically active on a regular basis, with more than 18% being obese, and 34% overweight. Only 5% met guidelines for a cluster of healthy behaviors, including fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and cessation of smoking.

With the increase in survival rates for various types of cancer, there is a need for continued intervention programs targeting the lifelong and potentially extensive needs of individual survivors. Furthermore, cancer survivors often perceive the existing health system as not meeting their needs and seek interventions outside of the standard health care environment.

Wellness Coaching for Life After Cancer

The study goes on to say: Interventions that cross multiple domains and issues around health and well-being need to be tested in various stages of cancer survivorship. From a multi-disciplinary view, wellness coaching is one such modality that allows the individual to discuss issues that impact their health and well-being, regardless of the discipline. Wellness coaches can support follow through of recommendations given by doctors, nurses, social workers, dietitians, physical therapists, exercise physiologists, psychologists and other professionals. Inversely, when needs are identified in the coaching sessions that are outside the scope and expertise of the coach, there is a unique opportunity to make referrals and address issues or concerns that might not otherwise be supported.

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Posted in Cancer, Healthcare Reform, Healthier Lifestyle Change, Self-Care, Wellness coaching, Wellness Inventory | Tags: , , , , , ,

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