Do No Harm: Do Not Misuse or Abuse

"There are many things to be shared with the Four Colors of humanity in our common destiny as one with our Mother the Earth. It is this sharing that must be considered with great care by the Elders and the Medicine People who carry the Sacred Trusts, so that no harm may come to people through ignorance and misuse of these powerful forces." - Resolution of the Fifth Annual Meetings of the Traditional Elders Circle, 1980

Balance Restoration for Physical Self Healing

“Awareness of any body part by 'feeling' it from the inside is an indicator of how strongly connected we are to the consciousness that is related to that body part. Each and every toe, finger, muscle, bone, tendon, organ, etc. processes ene...rgetic patterns for us. Illness is merely a sign that the spiritual, mental and emotional levels of our aura were unsuccessful in processing a pattern. In order to bring it more fully to our attention the pattern naturally moved into the etheric level of our aura, which is the blue print for our physical body. Healing the physical issue then becomes a matter of addressing the issue at all the levels through which the pattern has come. For this reason when issues have reached the physical level I often suggest that people consult physical doctors such as Naturopaths, Chiropractors and Acupuncturists. These modalities understand that health is a result of balance, and illness is a result of imbalance. Once balance is restored, the body's own systems will restore the physical body.” - Norma Gentile

Visit the Spa During Wellness Week

As a spa enthusiast myself, and further noting Well Part Coaching LLC as a spa advocate - the potential wellness benefits are fully recognized. Currently, participating spas in various locations across the country are offering $50 treatments, a 50% reduction in the cost of treatments and/or other packages in recognition of WELLNESS WEEK - March 19th through March 25th. Book in your community now! For more information visit, www.spafinder.com .

Wellness Week

March 19th through 25th is Wellness Week as represented through Spa Finder Magazine. In the interest of living a happier and healthier life they have identified seven(7) components for a Wellness Pledge honoring the commitment of each self-selecting participant. They are as follows.

Change your BREAKFAST.
...
Choose to MOVE.

HYDRATE yourself.

Connect with NATURE.

Make SLEEP a priority.

Embrace the power of TOUCH.

Give yourself the gift of SILENCE.

First, Do No Harm!

With both the history and the current relevance of the original Hippocratic Oath as well as the Caduceus as a Medical Symbol in question, there certainly is ongoing belief in maintainence of the responsibility of "First, Doing No Harm". This responsibility is ethical, professional and personal. It is relevant within traditional, alternative, integrative and energy medicines. Respecting human life and demonstrating positive regard for the well being of others is a sacred reponsibility.

"In purity and according to divine law will I carry out my life and my art." - from a Hippocratic Oath translation by Michael North, National Library of Medicine, 2002.

An Exhibition on "Native Peoples' Concepts of Health and Illness"

The National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, has opened a new exhibition examining concepts of health and medicine among Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Entitled Native Voices: Native Peoples' Concepts of Health and Illness, it explores the connection between wellness, illness, and cultural life through a combination of interviews with Native people, artwork, objects, and interactive media.

As advertised, “visitors will discover how Native concepts of health and illness are closely tied to the concepts of community, spirit, and the land.” If you are unable to attend in person, however, are interested in the exhibition, an on-line version is available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/ .

Spiritual Retreats Benefit Well-Being

In her September 2011 issue of Transmutation News, Sandra Ingerman writes about the Healing the Heart Study conducted with the University of Michigan Medical School’s Program for Integrative Medicine.

As disclosed therein and succinctly stated, heart patients who participated in a four-day Medicine for the Earth retreat inclusive of meditation, guided imagery, drumming, journal writing and outdoor activities saw immediate improvement in tests that measured depression and hopefulness. The measurement of these improvements was subsequently persistent for the follow-up testing at 3 and 6 months.

Lead author of the study, Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School as well as Director of their Integrative Medicine Program, Sara Warber MD says, “The study shows that a spiritual retreat like the Medicine for the Earth program can jumpstart and help to maintain a return to psycho-spiritual well-being.” She goes on to say, "Our work adds an important spiritual voice to the current discussion of the importance of psychological well-being for patients facing serious medical issues, such as acute coronary artery disease.”

While Sandra Ingerman speaks of use of each of the techniques referenced above and more, I am noting herein the link to nature as it can help with regaining one’s sense of well being. She wrote “ … And the earth, air, water, and the sun give us life. We went outside to sit with a tree as a time to relax and feel our connection with the heartbeat of the earth. And then we took short walks in nature while appreciating all that the earth, water, air, and the sun give us so that we may thrive.”

If you are interested this study was also published in the July issue of Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing.

WPC Special Offerings for September 2011

For the month of September 2011 all Healthy Business Culture and Life Transformation services received will be offered with a 25% cost reduction. This includes coaching, roundtables and retreats wherein the client assumes responsibility for all meeting planning.

In addition, up to three(3) Living and Working an Authentic Life Business Workshops and up to three(3) Living and Working an Authentic Life Personal Workshops will be offered at no cost. Honorariums will be accepted.

Contact Margaret at MLR@wellpartcoaching.com for specific information and visit www.wellpartcoaching.com for general information.

Overcoming Your Fear, Transforming Your Life

It is inevitable that each of us will encounter a circumstance in our life when fear grips us and has the potential of impeding forward movement. As understandable as such an occurrence is, let us be reminded of the saying that “the only way out is through”. What will be your way through?

Behind the cover of the August Edition of Black Enterprise there is an article entitled, “Peak Performance: Fearlessly Forward” by T.E. Holmes. In it I am quoted as saying, “You have to acknowledge it and be willing to move through it in order to get to the other side.” The “it” is the challenge that fear creates. Whether in life and/or in business, the reality is that … YOU are on the other side. Facing the challenge, as fear-filled as it may seem, amounts to facing yourself … and freeing yourself.

Birth Your Truth - Be Well

Focusing on the provision of mind, body and spirit wellness services, Birth Your Truth is the energy medicine partner of Well Part Coaching LLC. For introductory information, visit www.birthyourtruth.blogspot.com . For direct communication, contact Margaret@birthyourtruth.com .

Come as You Are.

Stay for a Purpose.

Divine Blessings and Intentions

As a New Year beckons and embraces ... serenity, courage and wisdom reside within the divine blessings and intentions that are available to each of us.

In the words of a Native American Proverb:

"Wisdom comes only when you stop looking for it and start living the life the Creator intended for you."

Wishing each of you wholeness and fulfillment.

Namaste.

Spirituality in Compassionate Care: A Defnition

Highlighted in the December 2010 newsletter of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWISH) which is led by Dr. Christina Puchalski, the following definition of spirituality applies to the role of spiritual care in patient-centered, compassionate care.

"Spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose, and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred."

The aforementioned definition stems from an interdisciplinary group from the National Consensus Conference (NCC) convened in February 2009. Consideration was given to the complexity of both the human spirit and the transcendent, whether religious or non-religious.

Follow Your Path, "Bee" on Your Journey

A compelling book, The Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters by Simon Buxton, discloses a journey which culminates in complete immersion. While very real, rest assured that the furtherance of your journey does not require following such a path. With that understood, the read, is unmistakably illuminating.

I was “led” to read it after encounters with 3 different individuals in quick succession with bee stories. One was stung repeatedly by bees … after looking for the hive. Another was using bees for health reasons. Another was explaining a bee hive as “big medicine” in response to someone else talking about throwing one out. Further, 2 of these individuals indicated that the book just “presented itself” to them shortly thereafter. So, I decided that perhaps it was me that was supposed to read it.

While completely unique in its’ revelation of the author’s experience, I found it to articulate and confirm the following realities.

• There are multiple paths to the divine and/or all that is.
• Everyone has their own path which others can learn from, however, it is surely
not as simple as 1 size fits all.
• Transformation takes courage and surrender.
• With power … comes responsibility.

Let me not fail to mention that there are references to sexuality which are woven within the author’s journey.

As books are read, people are encountered and/or moments are experienced which push or pull us forward, it is the calling of our own journeys. All the best for continuing on yours!!

Remembering The Four Agreements

Today I was reminded of a book that I read years ago, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by don Miguel Ruiz. The Four Agreements discussed therein are:

Be Impeccable With Your Word,

Don't Take Anything Personally,

Don't Make Assumptions and

Always Do Your Best.

These agreements represent the core teachings which are expounded upon in this Toltec Wisdom Book.

Cross-Cultural Yearning ... to Be Well

Valuing self-care and originally following the referral of a colleague, I have become a regular patron of Spa World in Centreville, VA. Spa World is identified as a 24/7 Asian-style spa promoting health, beauty, leisure and life. All word of mouth communication that I have received references a Korean-inspired spa with a clear focus on preventive health.

While there is definitely a beautiful grounding in and relationship with Korean culture, recently shared conversation in the "Ice Poultice Room" was amongst those with heritage from the United States, the Ukraine, the Sudan and Afghanistan. It spoke to the cross-cultural significance of well-being. Wherever we are from ... whatever our ancestral roots ... we all yearn ... to be well.

To learn more, visit www.spaworldusa.com . In the interest of advance disclosure, please know that along with the unisex, fully clothed/uniformed services such as in the wonderful poultice rooms, relaxation great room, foot massage room, fitness center, restaurant and juice bar, the single gender water massage therapy and body scrub/massage services within the bade pool area require each recipient to be fully unclothed.

Ancestral Lineage Work - POTENT!

In mid-2009 I posed the following question to an Inspirationalist that I had the Divine Blessing to communicate with, “What do you mean, and why do you say “my ancestors thank you”. I was asking this question both to ensure that I received the message in its’ full context as intended, and because I was engaged in some POTENT ancestral lineage work.

The inspirational response that I received was “Ok, the statement meant that in as much as my Ancestors, those actually in my lineage - mother and father - of good character as well as my Guardian Angels and Protective Spirits are always looking out for my best interest and opening doors (and closing others) that will ultimately assist me in living this life fully, joyfully, and completely. So, when I say that I thank you and my Ancestors do also I mean that these Divine, positive forces will employ, collaborate with, and work through multiple channels including the voices of others to assist me on my way. To illuminate the best and brightest path for me to take at any given time.”

Following the gentle encouragement of my Energy Medicine Apprenticeship Teacher, a year later I again ventured to the land of my maternal ancestors. This time I was there with a definite purpose – to further my ancestral lineage work. POTENT!!

I will be writing more about this journey at another time ... and in another place.

Namaste: The Divine in Me Greets the Divine in You.

Inner Knowing - "Intuition's Legacy"

With reading being a central part of learning along this journey ... there are often communications which resonate with the work. The following poem comes directly from the highly recommended book, Earth Medicine: Ancestors’ Ways of Harmony for Many Moons by Jamie Sams. It is truly an honoring of "inner knowing".

Intuition’s Legacy

There is a place inside us
Where we feel what we know.
If we act on that intuition,
Doors open, urging us to grow.
The legacy of inner knowing
Comes from Great Mystery’s grace;
Learning to trust these feelings
Is a talent we develop and embrace,
Ultimate trust of the Self,
And inspiration’s guiding light,
Allows humankind to develop
The rare gifts of second sight.
When we embrace growth potential,
Feeling -- with all that we are --
Then the legacy of intuition
Allows us to reach for the stars.
Nothing outreaches our senses,
Nothing is too hard to attain,
We serve the truth through healing
The limitations our minds contain.
Intuition is born from reflecting all the senses that we can feel,
Then implicitly trusting that knowing
Gives the guidance that allows us to heal.

Above Poem By Jamie Sams

On August 21, 2008, there was a posting on this blog entitled, "An Inner Voice". An excerpt stated, "Within us lies an inner voice committed to directing us towards a more exceptional existence. Within us lies a choice to be made regarding whether or not to listen. The "sounds" of life sometimes get in the way thereby either drowning out the voice or distracting us from its' power. The choice, however, is each of ours to make ... to decide to reconnect, to decide to pay attention and/or to decide to live a full life in harmony with our spirit. Even when difficult ... there is value in the struggle. Even when difficult ... "Wellness Lies Within" (TM).

"Healed Healing" - Integrity in Energy Work

In the midst of steadfastly engaging in personal work, those similarly on a path of healthy transformation have the powerful potential to intentionally and/or naturally contribute to our journey. Alongside individual responsibility for one's own work and one's own well-being, is an interconnection wherein a shift in one can energetically impact another despite the distance between them. In the case of Well Part Coaching's (WPC) distance energy work, there is a mutually understood holding of intention.

From my vantage point the importance of my forging ahead with personal work serves a purpose for me and those with whom I am connected, however, there is a larger goal related to the advancement of integrity in healing facilitation.

In conversation with a shaman and sound healer, a perspective on the concept of the "wounded healer" as having outlived the "punch that it once had" was discussed. This was not to dishonor the authenticity, perspective and value that the challenges of life deliver, but to emphasize that what is really needed are "healed healers", healers who themselves are willing to do their work and practice on-going self-care so as to enhance their capacity to work with others who themselves are committed to their own healing journeys.

In thinking of my emerging energy work, I think of it in the following ways.

1. Personal Work.
2. Portrayal of Commitment to "Healed Healing".
3. Exemplification of Mindfulness and Integrity in Energy Work
4. Demonstration of Healing Practices that When Embraced Both Advance Personal
Work and Provide Lessons Learned Regarding the Facilitation of Healing in
Others.

I am blessed to have an ever-growing circle of like-minded and evolutionary people with whom I interact either casually or formally, circles holding sacred places and honoring sacred purposes.

Embracing the words of a great movie line, "You have to surf beyond your comfort zone to catch the next great wave of your life."

The WPC Blog Resumes

Good evening all!

In short, my Blog-Break has now ended, and I look forward to the Divine blessings that lie ahead.

Be well,

Margaret

Energy Medicine: A 2009 Top 10 Spa Trend

SpaFinder, the global spa resource, is the publisher and source of "Top 10 Spa Trends To Watch In 2009". Excerpted directly from the December 2008 Blog Post by Susie Ellis, the Spa Insider, the following information relates to energy medicine.

"Everyone’s ‘talking about energy,’ and for 2009 the spa industry will follow suit, with a lot of high-voltage buzz around ‘energy medicine’ and therapies like Reiki; Qi Gong; chakra balancing; healing touch; magnetic, light and sound therapy; and acupuncture. While there’s charged debate about how to define these practices, whether they’re in fact ‘new,’ or whether there’s enough scientific evidence to warrant our attention—the energy medicine trend within both the spa industry and the medical establishment is clear. For instance, Dr. Oz of Oprah fame recently argued that ‘the next big frontier of medicine…is energy medicine,’ and former Surgeon General and Canyon Ranch CEO Richard Carmona recently reported that energy medicine is one of the emerging science areas they’re pursuing for their forward-thinking medical resorts.

The discussion on the medical side (centering on electromagnetic forces and laser beams), is of course quite different from terms like ‘qi,’ ‘chi,’ ‘prana,’ ‘chakras’ and ‘doshas’ used in the spa sector, where the emphasis is on clearing imbalances in a body’s energy field to promote healing of body, mind and spirit. Interesting spa examples emerging: bite-size doses of energy medicine along with traditional massage at properties like Conrad Maldives Rangali Island—the extensive use of visiting consultant-‘practitioners’ at Thai resorts like Trisara, Chiva-Som and the new Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket—Canyon Ranch Resorts’ ‘Healing Energy’ menu with offerings like Polarity, Acutonics (think tuning forks…) and Jin Shin Jyutsu, which is said to balance energy pulses via a practitioner holding various energy ‘locks.’

Acupuncture was ushered onto the U.S. stage via Nixon’s high-profile visits to China in the 70s, and the buzz around energy medicine today stems from an increased receptiveness to healing traditions from other cultures courtesy of phenomena like the Internet and the recent Beijing Olympics, etc. Look for a whole spectrum of energy medicines to be increasingly ‘on the table’ in the experimental theater that is the modern spa. The enlightened approach? An open mind, along with encouragement for solid scientific verification. After all, there’s a great deal we still don’t know about the ‘body electric.’"

Seizing Opportunity in a Crisis

In a 2009 blog by Felicia Brown, LMBT, entitled "Using Crisis to Find New Opportunities in Your Life and Business" reference is made to the two(2) Chinese characters for "crisis" and "opportunity" which when shown together indicate "success". The corresponding quote was well worth sharing. Take it in.

"Every crisis carries two elements: danger and opportunity. No matter the difficulty of the circumstances, no matter how dangerous the situation, at the heart of each crisis lays a tremendous opportunity. Great blessings lie ahead for the one who knows the secret of finding the opportunity within each crisis."

Blessings to each of you.

EVENT CANCELLED: 2009 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Yoga Week #2

From September 8-11, 2009, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will premier its second annual Yoga Week: "Exploring the Science and Practice of Yoga". Highlighting the science and practice of yoga, this four-day series of events will serve NIH employees and the public. Participants will not only learn about the benefits of yoga but also experience them first-hand through stretching and practice. The first yoga week, in May 2008 received national attention with over 1300 participants – it also resulted in National Yoga Month, a National Health Observance being designated for every September from now til – perhaps eternity. This Yoga Week will focus on yoga, yoga therapy, yoga research, and will have other related presentations on meditation, stress management, and other mind/body modalities. Everyone is welcome to join for several free sessions. There will also be an opportunity to gain Continuing Education credits through Yoga Alliance and several other health education partners. Events take place in Bethesda, Maryland, which is just 20 minutes away from Washington DC. Come be a part of this historic and energizing event. For more information, contact Dr. Rachel Permuth-Levine at levinerac@mail.nih.gov

SpaFinder Top Ten Spa Trends To Watch For In 2009

SpaFinder, the global spa resource, is the publisher and source of "Top 10 Spa Trends To Watch In 2009". The following list represents the company's 6th annual forecast of the emerging concepts that will shape the spa world in 2009 and beyond.

• Energy Medicine


• Casinos and Spas


• The Medical and Spa Tourism Shuffle


• Eco-Embedded Spas: A Deeper Shade of Green


• Trains, Boats and Planes: In-Transit Spa-Going


• Brain Health and 'Mind Gyms'


• Learning Labs for Stress Reduction


• Mindful Spending


• Move Over Baby Boomers: Gen X and Y Are Spa-ing Their Way


• Brands, Brands, Brands
  

Change Has Come To America: How About You?

President-Elect Barack Obama has traveled a road to the White House wherein we have all become witnesses to change coming to America. Beyond being a witness we were asked to participate in a process of national empowerment; a process which has given birth to a new era of personal accountability towards the fulfillment of national renewal.

We have all been asked to make a service pledge which extends beyond today, the Martin Luther King Day of Service. What is your pledge? How will you be the change you wish to see? Are you on your path? You have been "called"!

National Institutes of Health (NIH) CORE Week 2009

From February 9-13, 2009, The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will premier its first CORE Week, Conditioning and Relaxation Together, highlighting the science and practice of different modes of physical activity and their relaxing counterparts. During this five-day series of events open to NIH employees and the public, participants will learn about the benefits of conditioning and relaxation while being able to experience them first-hand.

This event is being sponsored by the NIH Recreation and Welfare Association (NIH R&W) with collaboration from NIH Office of Research Services, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (NIAMS). In addition, the NIH Recreation and Welfare Association has partnered with several local businesses to create a community-focus to this week.

Margaret will be attending the Wednesday night networking event featuring a Peak Pilates Reformer Demonstration and a panel discussion entitled “Shifting Toward Prevention: Integration of Health Modalities to Achieve Overall Well-Being” with Robert Sherman, Group Fitness Department Head for Rockville Life Time Athletic and International Speaker on Physical Activity and Cathy Hannon, Mind/Body Coordinator at Life Time Athletic. The panel will be moderated by Rachel Permuth-Levine, PhD, Deputy Director for the Office of Strategic and Innovative Programs at NIH.

For a complete review of the week's activities which are open to you, please visit the agenda posting under Wellness News and Events on the homepage of the WPC website, http://www.wellpartcoaching.com/ . The posting will remain through the duration of CORE Week.

2008 Medical Weblog Award Nominees

This is the 5th year of the Medical Weblog Awards competition designed to showcase the web's best medical blogs as well as their valuable role in medicine and society. Categories for this year's awards include the following.
-- Best Medical Weblog
-- Best New Medical Weblog (established in 2008)
-- Best Literary Medical Weblog
-- Best Clinical Sciences Weblog
-- Best Health Policies/Ethics Weblog
-- Best Medical Technologies/Informatics Weblog
-- Best Patient's Blog

With nominations completed and five finalists in each category announced on Monday, January 5th, 2009, the ballot polls opened Tuesday, January 6th, and will close at 12 midnight on Sunday, January 18th (EST). A winner will be announced in each category on Friday, January 23, 2009. Visit http://www.medgadget.com/ to learn more and cast your ballot.

National Blood Donor Month

Celebrated by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), American Blood Centers and the American Red Cross, National Blood Donor Month (NBDM) 2009 is focused on encouraging donors to give or pledge to give blood. The combination of holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather and illness traditionally results in a reduction in blood donations which can render the national supply critically low.

As stated on the AABB website, "Every day in our country, approximately 39,000 units of blood are required in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities for patients with cancer and other diseases, for organ transplant recipients, and to help save the lives of accident victims. Our goal is to help ensure that blood is available to patients whenever and wherever it is needed because it is the blood on the shelves that helps saves lives."

For more information regarding this health observance and blood donation eligibility, visit http://www.aabb.org/ . Celebrate NBDM with AABB by donating blood and encouraging others to do so as well.

National Family Caregivers Month

Excerpted from their website, the National Family Caregivers' Association's (NFCA) President and Co-Founder, Suzanne Mintz, stated "One of the most important attributes on being an advocate for your loved one is the willingess and the ability to speak up and keep your eye on the ultimate goal, protecting not only the health and safety of your loved ones but for yourself as well." As the organizer of the annual NFC Month in November, NFCA extends thanks, support, education and empowerment to family caregivers each and every year.

In 2008 a free national teleclass is being offered. The primary goals are to assist family caregivers in improving their communication with healthcare professionals as well as in strengthening their healthcare advocacy for themselves and their loved ones. The teleclasses are scheduled for November 6 and 13. For more information visit http://www.nfcacares.org/ .

2008 Health and Hospital Industry Best Companies

The Working Mother's Best Companies List identifies workplaces offering women the opportunity to excel at work and at home through the provision of programs, choices and support. With the 2007 list having revealed a noteworthy number of businesses within the Health and Hospital Industry, the 2008 list demonstrates a continuation of this ever emerging trend. Below is a list of those selected in 2008.

• Baptist Health South Florida


• Bon Secours Richmond Health System


• Bronson Healthcare Group Inc.


• Children's Healthcare of Atlanta


• Children's Memorial Hospital


• CJW Medical Center


• INOVA Health System


• Massachusetts General Hospital


• Mercy Health System


• Moffitt Cancer Center


• Northwestern Memorial Healthcare


• Pitt County Memorial Hospital


• Scripps Health


• University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics


• VCU Health System


• Wellstar Health System

Late this month the 2008 and 23rd Best Companies List will be celebrated in conjunction with the Working Mother's 2008 WorkLife Congress in New York City. Further, for the 1st time there will be an industry specific Health and Hospital Systems WorkLife Forum to explore best practices within this business sector.

Yoga: A "Healing Refuge" within Breast Cancer Care

In the October 2008 edition of Yoga Journal, Katherine Griffin authors a highly informative and inspirational article entitled "Healing Refuge". The tag line for the article reads, "For many women with BREAST CANCER, yoga offers RELIEF from the side effects of treatment while TRANSFORMING a sense of LOSS into an experience of WHOLENESS". The multi-faceted "Healing Refuge" weaves together insights from medical research, integrative medicine, yoga poses and a former hospital executive who is also a breast cancer survivor.

Rich with many resources to include e-mail subscriptions on food, wisdom, teaching and yoga practice, the magazine's website can be accessed at http://www.yogajournal.com/ .