I’ve just returned from Atlanta and a full week immersed in the topic of Homeopathy! The first days were spent in meetings with the Board of Directors, on which I serve for the National Center of Homeopathy, the largest and most diverse Homeopathic organization in the United States. NCH is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting health through Homeopathy by offering support to consumers, student Homeopaths, and practitioners. Through the advocacy work of NCH, Homeopathy remains available through practitioners and for consumers. If you have ever wondered how Homeopathy really works or what research is available to back the actions of Homeopathy, then the NCH website is an excellent resource.

One of the major contributions NCH makes each year as a service to its community is to sponsor an annual Joint American Homeopathic Conference. The conference unites Homeopaths from a wide variety of backgrounds to include MDs, Nurses, Chiropractors, Naturopathic Doctors, and lay-Homeopaths like myself.

As part of my responsibilities on the board of directors, I currently serve as the chair person of this annual JAHC conference. This provides me with a wonderful opportunity to work with my colleagues to search out and secure the best speakers in the field of Homeopathy health care. This past weekend I was proud to share a strong slate of speakers from as far away as India. We were most fortunate to host Divya Chhabra from Mumbai who is an expert on the sensation style of case taking in addition to a personal favorite of mine, Dr. Resie Moonen.

Divya is known for her dramatic case taking and Dr. Moonen has met incredible success in the treatment of autoimmune disease with Homeopathy. I had been fortunate to hear both Divya and Resie speak in Germany and was delighted that they both accepted my invitation to come to Georgia.

Proposals for talks were also accepted from our membership and of particular interest to all attendees was a closing plenary panel of well respected female colleagues who shared the outlook of Homeopathy given the challenges of today’s healthcare system.

It was no doubt a whirlwind week, full of inspiring connections and conversations, all wonderful fuel for creativity that I look forward to integrating into my work back home in Austin!

These past eighteen months I’ve had the most fortunate experience of supporting Homeopaths along the east coast integrate Gemmotherapy extracts into the protocols they are now offering their clients. Last year I made several trips to the Boston area to teach day long seminars, each one warmly received and quite rewarding for me as well. At one point, however, I was struck with the idea of offering a deeper and more meaningful venue, one in which we could connect with one another and the passions we each carry to lead others to a healthier more fulfilling life. As months passed, the concept of a retreat began to form, one that  would provide time and space to arrive, be in the midst of nature, share ideas, contemplate new concepts, and discuss further over delicious plant based meals. The idea grew over time until it actually became a reality last weekend.

From Friday evening on March 10th until Sunday lunch on March 12th, ten of us gathered just outside of Leyden, MA and immersed ourselves in the next levels of Gemmotherapy protocols and Plant Based Eating. While I came with hot off the press curriculum, each practitioner also brought his or her own magic to make it an unsurpassed weekend that was truly guided by a Universal Force far greater than us all.

We opened our weekend together with a candlelit circle at sundown on Friday in the cozy meditation room as the icy wind whipped and howled through the surrounding trees. We spent the next hour getting to know one another through a “giving and receiving” offering. Each individual brought a small token for their fellow participants of what they hoped to receive as the days unfolded ahead. This simple act provided a beautiful heart opening connection for all.

While we gathered, our retreat hosts Tim and Steve prepared a glorious meal we would share before the first teaching session. The dinner set a gold standard for what we could expect in the meals to come: pure, plant based deliciousness!

I would be holding out on you if I didn’t pause here to share a bit more about our location as it was absolutely sublime. I have my dear friend and fellow practitioner, Jhuma Biswas, to thank when she sent me the venue referral in my early planning stages. Spirit Fire Retreat Center is situated just on the northwestern border of Massachusetts and Vermont outside of Leyden, MA, on 95 acres of forested and meadowed grounds. The pristine beauty is breathtaking. What better setting to learn about the healing power of trees?

And so the weekend unfolded. We covered a considerable amount of new material, from a new intake process for clients who have reached optimal elimination (Stage Two), protocol formulas for the next stage of Gemmotherapy drainage (Stage Two), more on plant based eating for ourselves and our clients, and an additional intake process specifically designed for infants and small children.

In between, we were nourished ourselves with first class vegan meals from our morning smoothie to roasted veggies with pesto at night. We wandered in the forest, on our own or in groups, breathing the crisp March air, we did some yoga, and even sang to welcome the full moon. It was truly magical only due to the willingness of each participant to show up and open up to the moment in time we were gifted.

It wasn’t long into our weekend that the murmurings of an annual event began and, yes, I have to say that I agree! We need more of this in all of our lives and the world needs us to do more pausing and connecting for ourselves as practitioners and for those we serve.

“We are all souls who have met for a purpose on this mysterious journey;
each of us is here for the other and all that is required is to be present.”
– Elizabeth Lesser, Marrow

In the process of restoring optimal elimination and resolving chronic symptoms I often see that clients tend to develop acute inflammation in areas traditionally held tight, particularly the hips. Diet and a daily Gemmotherapy protocol certainly help move this inflammation along, but there is more that can be done. In a perfect world I would recommend all my clients have acupuncture and massage, however, I know that doesn’t necessarily fit in everyone’s schedule and/or budget. So what’s an alternative? This is where I suggest a foam roller and creating a short routine to do 1-2 times daily that will assist your body’s moving of that inflammation along.

Foam rolling became popular a few years back among runners and athletes looking for a way to work with the tightness experienced from over exercise. While that is one use case, foam rollers are even more important for those who spend hours at a desk or who lead a more sedentary lifestyle. This video takes you through a series of exercises for each major body area that could benefit from foam rolling and gives you a good overview of the method needed. I suggest watching it, deciding what areas you specifically need to address, and creating a program for yourself.

Thanks to a recommendation from my daughter, I happen to own this one from Trigger Point of Austin and love it. It is a great size, light weight yet durable, and is compact enough you can take along when traveling. The only other piece of equipment that might be useful is a yoga mat but it certainly is not required. So, how about it? Foam rolling may just be what you need to integrate into your daily self care.

Much more important than how you plan to begin this New Year of 2017 is how you plan to begin each and every day.

Broad sweeping commitments for the year can be easily crushed by the end of the month while a daily intention is not only more manageable, but also more meaningful.

I’d like to share with you a valuable and quite simple intention you can start tomorrow that will not only change your life, but the lives of all those you touch. Pretty powerful stuff right? Sounds like just the recipe we need for 2017 so let’s get started!

I suggest you make the first words you think (or better yet say out loud) to yourself upon waking each morning an affirmation. Upon first consciousness, place your hand on your heart and say, “I am loved and I am love.” Modify the words as you like but the intention must remain. This simple and effortless task is so meaningful because of the power it produces within. Before long you will see that you are in control of your own emotions and thoughts and feelings.

You are loved. Love is powerful and unleashes incredible potential. When you feel powerful you empower those around you. All the talk about being love can only occur when each of us takes on the responsibility of self-love beginning each and every morning. It’s a ripple effect so make your ripple tomorrow and watch the love grow and spread.

Want to learn more about affirmations? There’s no better teacher than Louise Hay. She created a movement in the 80’s that we need to revive. Here’s a short blog post to get you started but you’re going to want her book You can Heal Your Life, it’s an oldie but such a goodie! Remember, tomorrow morning, I am counting on you. We’ve got a lot of good work to do

“We have to practice the art of stopping. When we learn to stop we become calmer, and our mind becomes clearer, like clear water after the particles of mud have settled.”
~ Thich Nhat Hahn

Please join us in pausing to reflect and prepare for the New Year.

Lauren’s office and Vital Extract sales will both close at the end of the day on Friday, December 23 and reopen at 9am on Monday, January 2.

I think we all can agree that the need for community is necessary now more than ever. That’s why I am letting you know that local ATX non-profit group Mamas of Color Rising needs our help. Mamas of Color Rising is an all-volunteer community group that works to support and build collective power of mothers of color, especially those who are struggling.

• diapers
• toys
• clothing and shoes
• body products and personal hygiene items
• food pantry items
• pro-bono services (body work, massage, and other health services) to offer to low-income mamas

Items can be brought to our office this week (12/12- 12/16) and/or you may communicate directly with our contact:

Christy Tashjian, CPM, LM, APRN, WHNP
www.motherbloommidwifery.com
christy@motherbloommidwifery.com
512-924-2229

The votes are in and we are excited to announce that Traci R., with her recommendation of this recipe, is the winner of our Seasonal Side Dish contest!

Mouth Watering Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, outer leaves removed (6 cups prepped)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted or olive oil, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon dry Harissa spice blend
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. With a paring knife, trim off the ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise, and pick off any loose outer leaves. Place the prepped sprouts into a large bowl. Add the oil onto the sprouts in the bowl and stir or toss with hands until thoroughly coated. Add the Harissa and salt, and stir until combined.Spread the Brussels sprouts onto the prepared baking sheet in a uniform layer. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.Roast the sprouts for 20 minutes, then flip with spatula, and continue roasting for another 5-15 minutes until browned to your liking. I tend to “overcook” these because I like them crispy and charred (I usually brown mine more than the photos show). Smaller sprouts will brown faster than larger ones. Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of melted coconut oil and quickly toss to coat. This infuses with flavor and moistens them a bit after roasting. Sometimes I also sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds if I have some on hand. Taste and add another tiny pinch of salt, if desired, and serve immediately – the hotter the better. (Recipe from Oh She Glows.)

Congratulations Traci! We sincerely hope you enjoy your copy of Gemmotherapy for Everyone: An Introduction To Acute Care!

Thank you everyone who submitted responses for our recipe search! It wasn’t easy, but we were able to narrow it down to the following four veggie side dishes just in time for holiday cooking. Give them a try and place your votes here before Nov. 29th. Results will be announced in our Take 5 email the following Wednesday morning and the lucky winner will receive a free copy of Gemmotherapy for Everyone: An Introduction to Acute Care.

Green Beans in Peanut Sauce

Ingredients
1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces
3 Tablespoon organic peanut butter
1 cup vegetable stock
1 minced garlic clove
2 teaspoons peeled and finely minced ginger
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon tamari sauce
1 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cook green beans in boiling water until just tender, about 5 minutes or more. Drain and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring peanut butter, stock, garlic, ginger, lime juice, cayenne pepper and soy sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Pour sauce over green beans. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately. (Recipe from The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook  Diana Schwarzbein, Nancy Deville and Evelyn Jacob Jaffe)

Shaved Fennel & Celery Salad

Dressing
6 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons minced shallot, red onion or radish
½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cracked pepper

Salad
10 oz. mixed greens
2 cup thinly sliced celery
2 cup thinly sliced fennel
1 cup raw Parmesan cheese

Thinly slice the fennel and celery. Combine these ingredients with the dressing. Allow to marinate. When ready to serve, prepare the greens and top with a portion of the marinated fennel and celery. Top with raw Parmesan cheese. Can prepare for a week’s worth of grab ‘n go salads.

Raw Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Brazil nuts
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until fine coarse texture. Store in the refrigerator. This keeps very well.

Mouth Watering Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, outer leaves removed (6 cups prepped)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted or olive oil, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon dry Harissa spice blend
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. With a paring knife, trim off the ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise, and pick off any loose outer leaves. Place the prepped sprouts into a large bowl. Add the oil onto the sprouts in the bowl and stir or toss with hands until thoroughly coated. Add the Harissa and salt, and stir until combined.Spread the Brussels sprouts onto the prepared baking sheet in a uniform layer. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.Roast the sprouts for 20 minutes, then flip with spatula, and continue roasting for another 5-15 minutes until browned to your liking. I tend to “overcook” these because I like them crispy and charred (I usually brown mine more than the photos show). Smaller sprouts will brown faster than larger ones. Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of melted coconut oil and quickly toss to coat. This infuses with flavor and moistens them a bit after roasting. Sometimes I also sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds if I have some on hand. Taste and add another tiny pinch of salt, if desired, and serve immediately – the hotter the better. (Recipe from Oh She Glows.)

Black Lentil Stuffed Cabbage Leaves in Moroccan Tomato Sauce

Lentils
Cook 2 cups of black lentils until they are almost completely done (they will continue to cook once stuffed in the cabbage later) according to the package directions. Set aside for later.

Cabbage
Take 8 whole leaves of Napa cabbage and place them in a large pot of simmer water and blanch them for 6 minutes. Remove them from the water and drain. While the cabbage is simmering, prepare your tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce
Chop 1 shallot and 2 cloves of garlic. Sauté the shallot and garlic in olive oil until they are a little soft, and add a 14 oz. whole can of crushed tomatoes and a 14oz whole can of tomato sauce. Stir to incorporate and once the mixture is simmering, add 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together, and enjoy the aromas that each spice has to offer. Let the mixture simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Stuffing
In a large bowl, add the lentils, 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, 1/2 cup dried cherries, 1/2 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives, 1/4 cup chopped pistachios (optional, you can add any type of nut, or omit this ingredient all together) 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, a small drizzle of olive oil, a squeezing of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Get a large baking dish and put HALF of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. This will steam the bottom of the cabbage and keep them from sticking to the dish. Take a cabbage leaf and place 2-3 large spoonfuls of the lentil mixture and place it in the center of the leaf. Fold the top leaves in and then the sides until it makes a nice little package. place the stuffed cabbage seam side down in the tomato sauce with the rib face up. Repeat until all of your leaves are stuffed. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over all of the stuffed cabbage and place in the oven. Cook for 45 minutes while basting the stuffed cabbage with the tomato sauce about 20 minutes into the cooking time. This will keep the cabbage moist and keep it from drying out on the top. (Recipe from Simmer & Chop.)

Feel free to share your own experiences with these recipes here or over on our Facebook page. And don’t forgot to vote for your favorite!

We’re Hiring!

Our order fulfillment position has grown further so we’re back on the hunt for someone to join our team.  Take a look this just released job announcement and spread the word with your like minded Austin contacts.

Full Description Here

If you or anyone you know might be interested in this opportunity, please contact Gail Hurt at GailHurt@LivingAuthentically.com for more information.

Here I am on the final days of an absolutely amazing four weeks filled with family, nature, and so many good meals together. My heart is filled to the brim as if it might burst. What a blessing to have two homes and to love each one equally for different reasons.

I’m quite grateful that my plan had us in Oehringen a full week leading up to our departure. Each and every day has been packed and there is still more to come. The days are full but they are not busy and the relaxed pace is rewarding. While there are special gatherings and events that have occurred these past weeks, it is the simple daily routines that fall into place that I appreciate most. These routines couldn’t be easier and begin each day with a family breakfast on the terrace that looks out over my mother-in-law’s garden. Sitting in the sun with overflowing platters of gorgeous fruits and freshly made tea, planning our day ahead is truly idyllic.

Laps in the Oehringen schwimmbad follow breakfast. Because this has been a cooler summer (rarely breaking 80 degrees) it was often just Joachim and me. Swimming in 69 degree water felt like home to us with our Austin Barton Springs holding at 68 degrees year round.  As swimmers, we have found that every lap pool has its regular cast of characters but I haven’t met one yet like the guy here who jumps a lane every length, making his way across the pool diagonally and back again. He so can’t be German!

Food shopping is always last on my list of favorites at home because in Austin it always seems like such an ordeal. But, here, popping into the all bio grocers in Oehringen is the best thing ever. I can get in and out in 15 minutes, literally every product is organic, and they have everything I need. What’s even better? I can get there on my bike!!

Then of course there is cooking with Oma. It’s simply fantastic! We both have such a love for good natural food and at 81 she is still amazingly curious and more than willing to try new things. The fact that she embraces the way we eat is absolutely heartwarming. Some days we take turns with meal prep but most of the time we are in the kitchen together, turning out food fresh from the garden for the four of us to enjoy.

Then every evening we head to the Friedrichsruhe Wald for an after dinner walk. I don’t know that I can find the words to describe how I feel about this place but the closest one is “home.” The sensory experience is so intense from the fresh air, to the song of the rustling leaves, and the palette of every shade possible of green. In the constantly changing world we live in, with so much artificial stimulation, this is a place that delivers a great reminder of what is real.

And so our time here soon comes to a close, as it has every summer for the past 8 years since we moved from Germany to Austin. Another life waits for us on the other side of the ocean with people we dearly love and a very different set of routines. It’s a little busier and moves a bit faster but it all happens in a city that won over our hearts on our first visit. It’s also home to all of my children. In a week’s time it will feel like all we shared in Europe is so far away. But when we take a moment and slow ourselves down we will remember the family breakfasts together, the feel of the forest each evening, all of the laughter, and of course the love which will carry us through the next year.

Greetings from the Canton of Bern in Switzerland! Joachim and I arrived earlier this week after a four hour car trip heading south out of Oeringen, past Stuttgart. We have rented a lovely studio apartment that is part of this old Ofenhaus on Mertonsee, one of my favorite and lesser known lakes of Switzerland.

The purpose of our trip is to pay a visit to my mentor and dear friend Dr. Heiner Frei and the theme will be Homeopathy rather than Gemmotherapy. Dr. Frei is renowned throughout Europe for his precise and efficient Homeopathy prescribing method, Polarity Analysis and he was the most influential guide in my early work. Today Dr. Frei has become much more than a teacher as he is also a dear family friend. He sets an incredible example for me with his steadfast but determined approach to share his method. In addition to his speaking and teaching across Europe and beyond he maintains his busy practice in the small village of Laupen, where he moved with his family many years ago.

Like many Homeopaths before him, Dr. Frei’s first training was as a medical doctor in Bern and he specialized in pediatric oncology. After some years of working under growing pressure in the field of research and cancer treatment he gathered up his young family and headed for the small village of Laupen. There he built a private pediatric practice on the ground floor of the half timber building he shared with his wife and three growing children. While caring for the families of Laupen, he looked toward Homeopathy as a less invasive therapy. Over the years he returned to research but on his own terms. Now researching the effectiveness of Homeopathy, he set out to prove to his medical colleagues that its effect was more than placebo.

It was during Dr. Frei’s Double Blind Study of ADHD symptoms and Homeopathy that he began to shape what is now known as Polarity Analysis. P.A. (Polarity Analysis) is a development of Boenninghausen’s Concept of Contraindications. It serves to determine in individual disease a healing probability for each Homeopathic remedy in question. The method leads to an efficient and reproducible choice of remedy and increases the precision of prescriptions as compared to a conventional Homeopathic procedure. Polarity Analysis is based on the revised edition of Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocketbook, an exceedingly reliable repertory, and is generally practiced with computer software.

This past year, my tie with Dr. Frei grew closer as he teamed with my data scientist husband Joachim to develop an online tool for Polarity Analysis prescribing. They launched the beta version of this software in May and it is still available to all practitioners without cost at www.Polarity-Analysis.com. A monthly subscription price will go into effect in the fall and currently the program is available in German, English, and soon Spanish.

While Homeopathy was my first love, it actually was its shortcomings that led me to study Gemmotherapy. While I believe Homeopathy is the ultimate therapy for the vital force and constitution, I also believe there is preliminary work that must be done to prepare the body first. And that work is best done with Gemmotherapy. Over time I have learned through observation that chronic conditions respond best with a protocol of Gemmotherapy and dietary changes before introducing a Homeopathic remedy. Once elimination has been optimized I then take a case using Polarity Analysis. I do believe the two together are much more powerful than any other natural healing therapy.

Though our daytime hours in Switzerland are taken up with discussions, Joachim and I have carved out some time in the evenings to get out and enjoy the local nature. Still light outside until nearly 10 pm, we have been on our bikes exploring the paths circling the shores of Murtensee. Two years ago we did the same with our son Sebastian and due to those memories we chose to return. Enjoying every last ounce of daylight, we have certainly gotten the most of our time here.

Please return next week as I share my last week in Europe soaking up time with our loved ones and enjoying Joachim’s lovely hometown of Oehringen.

Greetings this week from the forests of the Vosges Mountains of France and Friedrichsruhe, Germany! After eight years in Texas I can easily find myself captivated by the experience of exploring a forest, completely ruled by the cycles of nature. When truly present to all of its wonder, a forest provides such incredible lessons of both interdependence and impermanence.

Last week I began my series from Europe with our arrival in Le Thillot, deep in the Vosges Mountains of France. We had decided as a family it would be important to give ourselves a strong dose of nature at the start of our four week visit in order to shake off a year of deadlines, tight schedules, and way too much time on our laptops. So, following an overnight at Joachim’s childhood home, we were on our way to France along with my mother-in-law.

It was truly the perfect way to begin our weeks in Europe and so important to step completely out of our schedule and task driven world from the start. Renting a house in the midst of the Vosges was ideal. Each day, with very little organizing, we could head deep into the forests for magnificent hikes. As one can imagine it would be difficult for me to step into a lush European forest with Silver Fir, Oak, and Hazelnut lining the trails and not think of Gemmotherapy. In each direction that I cast my eyes I can encounter a vine, shrub, or tree that gives life to this amazing medicine derived from plant growth material that offers healing and support for specific organs and organ systems. So many of the extracts I use daily with my clients can be discovered with each step!

Interesting patterns indeed began to emerge first over the stretch of consecutive days hiking in the forests of the Vosges Mountains and now during my daily walks in the Friedrichsruhe near Oehringen. While the two forests differ, both share layers of plant growth similar to groupings of Gemmotherapy extracts that often work well together. Additionally each layer of the forest serves a purpose much like each grouping of Gemmotherapy extracts. I am certainly not the first student of Gemmotherapy to note this as The Drs. Franck Ledoux and Guéniot Gérard share antidotes about the natural growth of these trees and shrubs in their 2012 book Phytoembryotherapy, The Embryo of Gemmotherapy.  I also fondly recall long walks in the Romanian forests with my mentor Dr. Sorina Soescu discussing the groupings of the plants of the forest and how this might relate to possible protocols for our clients. It is probably because of this daily immersion in the forest setting, their ideas began to come to life for me.

I noted that the outer edges of the forests were thick with a collection of berries, bountiful this time of year. The berry vines and shrubs serving as a protection to the entrance of the forest included European Blueberry and Black Currant shrubs along with Blackberry and Red Raspberry vines. Here they were thriving as harmoniously together as I often group them in protocols.

Making up the next layer were Hazel shrubs along with young Birch trees on the banks of the creek. Often found under the canopy of an Ash tree, all three being water regulators in the body working to remove acidosis; Hazel supporting and protecting the lungs, Silver Birch the liver, and Ash the kidneys.

Going deeper into the forest I was greeted by Beech that purifies the blood and Hornbeam that increase platelets. These were followed by Silver Lime that regulates the nervous system along with Horsechestnut and Sweet Chestnut that improve circulation and lymphatic cleaning.  Threaded in the underbrush of these great trees I discovered Black Honeysuckle, used acutely for inflammation of the throat, and Lilac, used in protocols for cardiovascular health and emotional heartache.

Towering over all in the heart of the forest were the conifers Silver Fir and Pine, known in Gemmotherapy for supporting vertical alignment and the musculoskeletal system. So much healing potential and this is only a mere glimpse into the forest world! It is a good reminder that nature holds so much of what we need not only emotionally but also to serve and heal our mental and physical bodies as well.

My days ahead should allow an evening walk through the Friedrichsruhewald, pictured below. While not as lush as the forests of the Vosges, it possesses a magic all of its own. On the edge of this forest lie the house, farm land, and orchards where my mother-in-law was born and raised. Still full of life and love, it is now the home of her brother and his family making this forest even more special to my family. To see my son appreciate the trails that were walked by his father, grandmother, and great grandparents is heartwarming and a tradition I am sure he will pass along to his family.

I look forward to checking in with you all next week as I head off with my husband to Laupen, Switzerland to pay a visit to my favorite Homeopath and teacher, Dr. Heiner Frei.

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