Medicine in Balance

Great Success! – Day 322

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Autumnal purple and gold – Photo: L. Weikel

Great Success!

The 15 year celebration at Medicine in Balance today was an unqualified success. Balmy weather, scrumptious food, and remarkable entertainment by Ryan Sabalaske all added up to create a fitting tribute to the longevity of this unique medical practice.

The best part about the afternoon, though, was the opportunity to catch up with friends and clients I’ve not seen in years.

Numerology Course

I did manage to get home in time to take a walk with Karl before my final numerology class with Alison Baughman. What a great course. Probably the one major downer about taking the course, though, is the fact that , without a doubt, I’m now going to be even worse than I ever was before about internally ‘doing the math’ to figure out the numerological status of practically everything I encounter.

What’s fascinating about that is the power of simple observation. That’s the most reliable method anyone can use to bring to light correlations and discover whether there’s any correspondence between the numbers and the traits or characteristics of the subject of study.

Karl, Sheila, Spartacus, and I did managed to snag a quick walk around before the start of my class. It was during this walk that I noticed the marked shift in cricket song that marks the turning of the season. One of the biggest ‘tells’ to the shifting of seasons is, indeed, the song of the crickets.

Crickets

If you pay attention, you’ll notice that crickets rarely sing their usual staccato ‘cree-deets’ once the seasons start to change. Instead, it’s as if the crickets press their internal cricket button and they get stuck. Suddenly, we’re all living amidst one long chirp.

Even as I sit here now, with our front door open to let in some cool night air, the droning intonation created by the elder crickets is mesmerizing. While I love the sounds of the crickets and the occasional katydid punctuating the night, it’s unmistakably the beginning of the season of letting go.

Before I go to sleep, I must share with you the photo I took this evening of the wild flowers I took tonight. Sometimes I just have to marvel at the sheer perfection of Mother Earth’s palette.

Yet again, I’m closing a post feeling awash in gratitude for so very many seemingly tiny but tremendously moving miracles in my life. The fact that you’re reading this post being one of them. Thank you.

(T-789)

Reason to Celebrate – Day 321

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Reason to Celebrate

Tomorrow afternoon, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., a celebration will be taking place at 940 Town Center Drive in Langhorne, PA – a celebration of Medicine in Balance.

Fifteen years ago, Wendy Warner, M.D. gave birth to Medicine in Balance, a unique, cutting-edge medical practice bringing integrative and holistic medical and energetic modalities of healing to the Bucks County area and beyond. And I do mean beyond, as people travel from the Poconos, from across Pennsylvania, and from states all up and down the eastern seaboard to see Dr. Warner. Indeed, patients come to Medicine in Balance not only from across the country, but also from other countries, including Mexico and across Canada.

In the midst of all the rough stuff “out there” that almost everyone’s been feeling lately, this is an opportunity to come and celebrate vibrant, balanced health of body, mind, and spirit.

Come to our open house tomorrow and meet Dr. Warner and the other practitioners that make this practice so unique.

There will be all sorts of fun stuff to do, as well as goodies to win (including gift certificates), and modalities to learn about or sample.

Something Really Cool

One of the highlights as far as cool and eclectic things to experience is Dr. Warner’s acquisition of a plant singing box. Developed in an intentional community in Italy, Damanhur, this ‘instrument’ connects to live plants and translates their electrical impulses into notes that sound like music.

Wildflowers – Photo: L. Weikel

You’ll also learn more about the sauna that’s on the premises, see (and maybe even ‘feel’) demonstrations of some of the modalities offered, and get the chance to snag some discounted supplements and perhaps other treats.

This is your chance to mingle and chat with MIB staff and practitioners, getting to know us on a more personal basis, while snacking on some great food, sharing in the lovely fall weather, and enjoying wonderful music provided by Ryan Sabalaske.

Come out tomorrow! Stop by and congratulate Dr. Warner on 15 years of providing the community with an amazingly wide array of healing modalities all under one roof.

I know I’m grateful for the opportunities she’s provided me to connect with some amazing clients who’ve taught me so much.

(T-790)

Tornado Watch – Day 198

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Cloud Bank – Photo: L. Weikel

Tornado Watch? Warnings?

Just last Sunday a tornado touched down only a few miles from our home.  It was the first tornado to land in Bucks County in 22 years.

When I left Medicine in Balance earlier this evening, I was bowled over by the wet blanket of dank air that draped over my shoulders as soon as I walked out of the air-conditioned building. It felt like I was walking through warm, musty soup. Looking south, I saw massive thunderheads building.

As I slid into the driver’s seat of my car, I reached into my purse and pulled out my cell phone, switching it from ‘silent.’ My cricket signal for text messages chirped within seconds – a text message from Karl alerting me that our area was under a Tornado Watch until 10:00 p.m. this evening.

It’s Still Wild Out Now

While I am the first to admit that I love wild weather, especially thunderstorms, I also readily acknowledge the unsettled, prickly, hair standing slightly on end feeling that comes with precipitous drops in air pressure that accompany such major storms. It’s a little exciting and scary.

My drive home was highlighted by gorgeous lightning displays. Massive cloud banks flickering pink with slate blue outlines were mesmerizing. The telltale zig-zag of chain lightning also warranted top billing in tonight’s show. Indeed, even as I sat pondering what I might write about tonight, my attention kept getting grabbed by the relentless flashes of light visible through our windows.

We have our whole house fan on and despite that, even as I sit here now, I can hear rain falling from the sky in sheets – but across the road, in the field and trees. All of a sudden the air being pulled in by the fan is 15 degrees cooler. And our wind chimes are crankily clanging one single note; it’s as if they’re stuck in a single-minded, close-loop state.

What Was It I Picked Today?

I’m reminded of the Medicine Cards I chose on my day: Grouse/Raven. I was so preoccupied with my client, and then the other responsibilities of my day that I hadn’t given them a single thought throughout the day.

The key words for Grouse are ‘Sacred Spiral.’ And the pertinent aspect of this card that I was reminded of just moments ago is this:

“…The sacred Spiral is also one of the oldest known symbols for personal power. When you think of Grouse medicine, visualize a whirlpool or even a tornado, for the Sacred Spiral will take you to the center. The spiral is a metaphor for personal vision and enlightenment. Many initiates on Vision Quests pain spiral on their bodies and believe that the Great Mystery will favor them with visions of power and purpose because of this symbol.”

Not sure if there’s any connection here. Or if there’s any significance or message whatsoever. Probably not. But hey – tornadoes are showing up in my life. I’m even being told to watch for them. I’m hoping they start bringing bright flashes of illumination to me and my perspective on my life. I’m craving some new insights.

(T-913)

Marketing Myself – Day 114

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Tuvan Drum beside Cabin Creek; Photo: L. Weikel

Marketing Myself

I’ve come to the conclusion that I am the antithesis of a marketer. Or perhaps more accurately, I’m the antithesis of a self-promoter.

I make that distinction because I’m actually a pretty decent rainmaker for other people. If I find a provider of any service or product that I believe in, I will happily spread that news far and wide.

It gives me great pleasure to see people I believe in succeed and thrive. Which probably makes my reticence to speak up for myself seem odd to some people. (I know it literally frustrates the heck out of some of my friends – Renee Baribeau, author of Winds of Spirit, I’m looking at you.)

I Love Promoting Others – But Myself? Not So Much

And I suppose I’ve gotten a little better at it over the years. But admittedly, not good enough.

Some of you may be thinking I must be kidding. Particularly if you received my Hoot Alert this evening, once again announcing the Retreat I’m co-leading with Wendy Warner, M.D., this coming May, at Amadell retreat center in Luck, North Carolina.

Yes, I’ve written a post about it; and I’ve promoted that post on Facebook; I’ve now sent out a Hoot Alert, and I intend to re-post my Ruffled Feathers post about it on Instagram. (I admit I’ve been a bit slow on the uptake with Instagram. But I have succeeded in getting at least three or four posts situated correctly since getting started with IG.) I’m hopeful that one of these days it’s going to <<click>> for me, and I’ll no longer have to spend an extra 45 minutes trying to remember how to make it so people can click through to my blog.

I’m probably finding it easier to promote the co-produced Doctor/Shaman retreat precisely because Wendy is relying on me to get it out there, too.

Yikes.

I just looked at the time and it is rapidly approaching 1:00 a.m. Did I fall asleep at the keyboard? Sure seems like it!

So I guess I will leave it here. If any of you reading this would be kind enough to send a link to the post advertising the Doctor/Shaman Retreat at Amadell, I’d be really grateful. Or if it would be easier to just forward my Hoot Alert, feel free. Or if you know anyone who might be interested in bringing a shamanic perspective to their office, please give them the details of our upcoming event.

Thank you for anything you might choose to do for us!

(T- 997)

Special Event Announcement – Day 107

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Special Event Announcement                                  

As March roars toward us at lightning speed, I’m excited to announce a special event that’s coming in May.

The long weekend of May 16th– 19th, 2019, I will be co-presenting a truly unique retreat with my colleague and friend, Wendy Warner, M.D., in the Appalachians of western North Carolina. The program is geared specifically toward physicians and other healthcare practitioners who might be curious about bringing shamanic work into their practice.

Some Background on Wendy Warner, MD

Wendy is a board certified ObGyn who spent 14 years in a conventional practice and eventually started investigating integrative holistic medicine as a means of being more effective in her work.  She learned botanical medicine and energy work initially, as those things spoke to her. Eventually, she began teaching for the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine (the original certifying body in Integrative Medicine); she also served as President of the Board.  Since then, she has also become faculty for the Institute for Functional Medicine.

In 2004, Wendy left her conventional practice and opened her current office, Medicine in Balance. There she practices integrative functional medicine, with a strong emphasis on botanicals and energy medicine. She shares space with a number of other providers so that our patients will have access to a panoply of therapies. These range from acupuncture, osteopathic manipulation and shin tai, to Rubenfeld synergy and  – you guessed it – shamanic healing.

Upon opening her practice, Wendy loved how much more effective integrative holistic medicine is for chronic illness.  And yet, there were (and are) those patients who are tough. The ones where you fix one issue and, months later, something else pops up.  You fix that and yet another issue arises.  We’ve jokingly referred to this as the “whack a mole” syndrome. She was frustrated.

A Doctor, A Lawyer, and a Shaman Meet in a Bar…

Although Wendy and I have known each other since 2001, we initially met in the context of her service as a board member of our local Planned Parenthood and mine as that organization’s Director of Development.

Sensing a kindred spirit, I confided in Wendy that I was engaging in an in-depth study of shamanic healing techniques, she encouraged me to contact her when I was ready to offer my services to the community. (To be honest, I laughed when she suggested this to me. In 2004, I couldn’t imagine I would be providing shamanic work to complete strangers in connection to a medical practice!)

Well – let that be a lesson!

Never Say Never

Our collaboration on behalf of her patients began in 2008, and overall, the results have been exciting, gratifying, and remarkable. Wendy recognizes that, sometimes, the best solution to a patient’s issues is attending to imbalances manifesting in their energy fields and the depths from which those imbalances are sourced. That’s where my work comes in. Together, we have witnessed some truly amazing and remarkable shifts in patients’ healing journeys.

There are precious few, if any, medical practices in our country that offer the depth and breadth of care and attention to patients’ needs as provided by Medicine in Balance. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity that Wendy and her vision and open-minded approach to healing has provided me to be of service to our community.

Medicine in Balance – One of a Kind

It is precisely because Medicine in Balance is so unique that Wendy and I are offering this retreat. We are excited to share our experiences in bringing the most ancient of healing modalities to a modern, 21stcentury medical practice.

I’ve posted the details of this retreat on the Events page of my website. I would love it if you would consider sharing this blog post, or if you see it on FB, sharing it there – and tagging your friends or family members who are in the healing professions. Of course, if you are a physician or other healing professional – join us!

If you think you know any doctors or medical practitioners (and think outside the box here, too: dentists would also benefit enormously) who might be interested in exploring this work, please feel free to contact me for flyers or brochures. FYI, I make that comment about dentists because I actually have worked on people who were presenting with mouth and teeth issues that were baffling both physicians and dentists…and met with success in getting to the ‘root’ of their issues.

Finally, the setting will be exquisite: the private retreat center known as Amadell, which is located in the great Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina. One thing I know for sure: we’ll nurture the physicians’ souls that weekend, and that has to be a good thing for everyone.

(T-1004)