What is health? What does it mean?

Health means different things to different people. Foundational concepts of holistic practice define health on all levels of being. If your body is in “good shape”, your back is strong, you do yoga and your digestion works well but you’re chronically unsatisfied with your work and find yourself crying in bed at night, then your health is suffering. By the same token, if you feel happy and love what you do but you have diabetes and chronic stiffness in the joints of your fingers, then your health is suffering. This is because health exists on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels. The holistic health model is as though a pie divided into 4 equal pieces, each quarter representing all these levels of being. Health is an experience. When I do Flower Essences interviews with people, I ask them how they experience themselves on all these levels of being. This helps me establish the full degree of their health. At the end of the interview, I blend anywhere from 1 to 5 flowers to help address their perceptions of imbalance, thereby changing their experience over time. Likewise, an acupuncturist could perceive imbalance in a particular body system and insert needles into the meridian associated with that system, allowing flow of energy to be opened up, thereby imparting more balance and changing the client’s overall experience. When you pursue regular infrared sauna sessions, detoxification happens. When you’re able to release toxins that may otherwise be causing excessive mucus in the system, joint pain, bloating and indigestion, it changes your experience.

Our goal is to change your experience of imbalance. When your experience changes, so does your life.

At Christmas, a lot of people experience stress and overwhelm. It doesn’t have to be that way, but Christmas has a bit of a reputation for being causative in this kind of experience. It’s important to remain grounded and nourish yourself if that’s the norm for you. Why not give yourself or yours the gift of health through experience? Massage will lessen the tension you experience in your musculature as you run around, preparing holiday food, washing linens for the arrival of guests and keeping up with snow removal. Reflexology will impart relaxation and systemic balance if you’re nervous about family drama or have difficulty with travel. If you’re a student, preparing for exams AND Christmas at the same time, consider a pedicure blended with reflexology or bio-energetic healing to nourish your nerves and leave you feeling soothed and calm. When December is said and done, many people are weighed down by financial stress and feel pressured around meeting goals for the new year. Day in Sanctuary would be a perfect experience to wind down and ground yourself for the year ahead. Reiki dissolves stress and activates the body’s own healing systems. Ayurvedic or nutritional consult will help solidify your aims for 2014, giving you more confidence and assurance. Facials and body wraps are the perfect way to love yourself and care for your skin that also reflects stress and is affected by harsh weather conditions.

Throughout the month of December, we present the opportunity to gift yourself and your loved ones with the experience of health. December specials:
– Purchase 2 gift certificates (minimum $75 each) and receive a FREE, exclusive gift!
– Students: book any treatment on Mondays or Tuesdays in December and receive 20% OFF!

To take care of your adrenal glands and nervous system during times of high stress, consider licorice tea* or herbs like rhodiola and ashwaganda. Their adaptogenic qualities bring balance and rest while strengthening the adrenal glands and calming the nervous system.
*Do not use licorice for prolonged periods if you have high blood pressure and are taking high blood pressure medication.

Roberta Shepherd for Wellness on Whyte