Do you ever feel like you need more fun in your life? I’m thrilled that I will get to play with Bridget Hughes and Karen Drucker at the Joy in Our Hearts: Unlocking the Heart of Healing Retreat, November 6th to 8th, at Westerbeke Ranch in Sonoma, CA.

Both of these women know how to have fun, and they teach some valuable tools that will be useful on my healing journey. We have just opened registration for this retreat. Space is limited and I expect it to be sold out.

When I first read Bridget’s book, Unlocking the Heart of Healing, I wrote about it in our February eNewsletter. If you want to read my comments, there is a link below in News. In her book, Bridget says, “Actively practicing a particular feeling that changes biochemistry and unlocks a new possibility for health through inner alchemy is one of the most valuable practices we can take on.”

Much research has demonstrated that our feelings affect our immune system and the bio-chemicals our bodies produce. In one study, subjects were shown to have increases in immunity after experiencing feelings of compassion, and decreases in immunity from feelings of anger. By thinking and visualizing, we can use our minds to “actually change the levels and quantities of substances our body is already making: our Inner Molecules of Medicine.”

We have two California events coming up before the retreat. September 23rd is the free Cancer as a Turning Point™ mini-conference in Los Altos, featuring two presenters – Michael Finkelstein,MD, the Slow Medicine doctor, and Jonna Tamases performing Jonna’s Body, Please Hold.

The Loving Your Body Workshop with Michael Finkelstein, MD, will be offered September 24th in Mountain View. Our first Loving Your Body Workshop happened in Seattle on July 30th. It was a fun,wonderful day of slowing down and applying some healing principles to my life. Some comments from participants were:

• Fabulous and inspiring workshop and presenter! What a special group of participants who shared so willingly and with heart.
• Low key, intimate and safe. Great information from Dr. Finkelstein.
• Thanks so much for a most enjoyable and rewarding day of inner work.

In the article Dr. Finkelstein wrote in our recent postal newsletter, called Loving Your Body, he says that our resentment and anger toward our cancer can trigger an inflammatory response which, “science shows, supports its existence.” He goes on to say, “Paradoxically, by bathing our tumor with love, we activate an innate healing response which has more power to usher it away.” He talks about “loving your body, including your tumor, in such a way that you pull yourself out of fight or flight, fear, anxiety, and angry states, into harmony, health, and healing.”

It’s challenging in my busy life to take the time for self-examination, and I am always rewarded and excited when I do. Dr. Finkelstein provides a safe and rich context in which to do that and I am looking forward to experiencing it again.

I hope you will join us for one or more of these events. I think I can promise that they will all involve some laughter as well as inspiration and new strategies for stimulating your immune system. They are all designed to support healing, activate hope, and promote thriving (the Healing Journeys mission).

As always, I welcome your comments; to reply please click here.

In the Spirit of Healing,

Jan Adrian, MSW
Founder and Executive Director