In Search of Beauty

March, a time of beautiful, glistening snow, peaceful & quiet, a stillness of beauty as light reflects, creating diamonds shining forth, a sparkling joy to behold… PAUSE. What? Am I talking about late March in Minnesota? 2014? I wish it were beautiful and peaceful. I think it is safe to say that most of us Minnesotans have had enough of the cold. We are ready for spring. It was around this time some years ago when I so longed for the warmth of spring, but more so, beauty. March had reached the point in which the snow was melting, roads were wet. Mud was splashing and celebrating, for now was Mud’s time of year! Everything looked dirty. No signs of spring. No buds. Grass that did appear along edges of melting snow was brown and lifeless. Where was the Beauty? Within this black mixture of discards and snow, objects of […]

Healing Touch & Beyond

Healing Touch and other genres of energy-based therapy, can be explained in a very scientific, western medical model kind of way. Here in Minnesota, it is welcomed and offered in multiple major hospitals as a complimentary therapy for patients and staff. In its most basic form, it is beneficial in promoting relaxation, reducing pain, stress, and nausea.  Countless of studies have been conducted regarding the effects of stress on health and well-being.  One may simply note that by promoting relaxation through touch, blood flow improves, thus increasing the oxygen supply to cells, tissues, the brain, etc. Healing Touch was originally developed by a holistic nurse, Janet Mentgen, RN, BSN, and as such, Healing Touch Practitioners follow similar methods of documentation as do nurses. As a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner, I volunteered for four and a half years at Woodwinds Health Campus, a hospital in Woodbury, Minnesota. We were asked to […]