NARAMATA: WHERE VILLAGERS TAKE ACTION TO BUILD A BETTER COMMUNITY HOW TO USE MAGNETIC STORYTELLING TO CREATE ADVOCATES FOR YOUR CAUSE
Welcome to the first issue of
Healing Humanity Magazine!
As Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, I am honored to introduce you to this project—a heartfelt initiative created to elevate consciousness, foster wellness, and transform lives. Healing Humanity is more than a publication; it is a community-driven movement aimed at uniting our energies to spark positive change and build a better, more compassionate world.
In a time when division, environmental degradation, and a loss of spiritual and communal connection challenge us all, Healing Humanity stands as a beacon of hope. Our mission is to inspire, educate, and empower individuals and communities to reconnect with their spiritual roots, embrace the nurturing power of nature, and foster meaningful relationships with one another. By addressing the whole person—mind, body, and soul—we aim to help people heal not only from illness but also from unhappiness, lack of purpose, unfulfillment, depression, and trauma.
Personal transformation lies at the heart of our work. I believe that all meaningful change begins within the individual. When we take responsibility for our own healing, growth, and alignment, we become catalysts for the healing of others, creating ripples that extend into our communities and beyond. Healing Humanity is dedicated to supporting this transformation by sharing knowledge, tools, and stories that empower people to embrace their own potential and create lives filled with alignment, harmony, and purpose.
Within the pages of this magazine, you’ll find a rich tapestry of topics that reflect our holistic approach to health and wellness. From nutrition and healthy eating to mindfulness, meditation, and holistic therapies like acupuncture, naturopathy, and Reiki, our content is designed to
empower and uplift. We also delve into esoteric philosophy, ancient knowledge, personal development, and the principles of abundance and the laws of attraction. Whether it’s exploring the benefits of gardening, off-grid living, or fostering community and meaningful relationships, Healing Humanity Magazine offers something for everyone seeking a life of wellness, balance, and purpose.
As part of our commitment to fostering a compassionate and informed community, we encourage our readers to engage with this content with curiosity and discernment. Please note that Healing Humanity Magazine provides educational and informational content and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We invite you to read our full disclaimer for more details.
At the heart of this initiative is a commitment to long-lasting change. Each story shared, and every life touched through this work, builds a future of collective healing, abundance, and peace. By embracing diverse healing modalities and fostering connection, we aim to shape a world where love, wellness, and transformation lead the way.
As you read through the pages of this magazine, I hope you feel inspired and supported on your own journey of selfhealing and growth. Together, we are shaping a movement—a movement rooted in compassion, driven by love, and dedicated to creating a harmonious future for generations to come.
Thank you for being part of this vision and for joining us on this path of transformation.
"Healing begins within. As we transform ourselves, we transform the world around us."
HEALING Humanity
HEALING HUMANITY MAGAZINE
EDITION #1 - FEBRUARY 2025
PUBLISHED BY CLIPSTON PUBLISHING
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Teena Clipston
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Marianne Belardi
SENIOR EDITOR
Rusti L Lehay
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Christy Renee Stehle
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Teena Clipston
ADVERTISING
Accepting Applications
CONTRIBUTORS
Teena Clipston, Rusti L Lehay, Britney Bourke, Chris Madsen, Roslyn Buchanan, Christy Renee Stehle, Dean Unger, Jill Palmer, Angela Legh, Esther Sarlo, Alexandra Nathan, Terry Folks, Hemi's Holistsic Healing Centre, and Erika Tafel.
COVER PHOTO
Dani Trigueros (AdobeStock/Daniel)
Clipston Publishing has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the content at the time of publication. The opinions expressed in Healing Humanity Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or editor. Information has been sourced from materials believed to be reliable. For source details, you may email the publisher. Healing Humanity Magazine, its publisher, editor, and authors assume no responsibility for errors, omissions, or any consequences arising from the use of this content and accept no liability for loss or damage of any kind. All published material, including articles, advertisements, and editorials, is presented in good faith.
Disclaimer: The content in Healing Humanity Magazine is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, financial, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before trying new health remedies or treatments.
Published by Teena Clipston dba Clipston Publishing in British Columbia, Canada. (250) 468-9223 or teena@clipstonpublishing.com
ISSN 2819-0653 (Online) Library and Archives Canada, Government of Canada
Photo Credit: Alex nicolopoulo
By Teena Clipston
Tired? Worn out? Demoralized?
Reclaim Your Energy
Iwas waking up tired. My health was suffering: digestive issues, weight gain, and what I could only describe as seasonal depression from the ongoing rain and clouds of the North Pacific Coast. I had been giving all my energy to others. Finding time for myself hadn’t been a priority for so long that I couldn’t even remember the last time—but I longed for it.
It was my fault. I procrastinated on making time for myself, living without balance, overworking, and carrying a sense of lack that kept me on a relentless hamster wheel. I kept running, chasing an elusive end goal: peace, freedom, love, and happiness. I’m really good at what I do when it comes to work—I’ve had a lot of practice. But it took a lot for me to admit that being successful at work wasn’t enough.
I knew I couldn’t keep going this way. The signs were becoming impossible to ignore. Time was etching lines into my face, and the mirror became my wake-up call. If I didn’t take care of myself now, then when? It was time to reclaim my energy—or face the regret of never doing so.
Where Did I Go Wrong?
The journey to reclaiming my energy began with selfreflection. I sat with the heavy weight of procrastination on my shoulders and my exhausted self and asked, Where did I go wrong? Why am I not putting myself first?
The truth is, you can’t fully give to others unless you first give to yourself. That meant finding balance in my life and setting aside energy just for me.
I grabbed a piece of paper and took the first step on this journey. To create clarity, I started by defining what I needed. At the top, I wrote down what a balanced life looked like for me and what it truly meant to take care of myself.
Facing the Truth
Once I wrote down what a balanced life looked like, I realized that reclaiming my energy required more than just planning—it demanded honesty with myself. I had to face what I’d been avoiding: why I wasn’t taking care of myself.
I was burying myself in work for a reason. It wasn’t just about productivity; it was about avoidance. I was avoiding the risk of being hurt again. I had closed myself off from relationships and community because I didn’t want to feel the pain of getting too close and ending up with a broken heart.
I was also burdened by the fear of lack. Financial security had become my safe haven, and I clung to work as a way to stay "protected." Lastly, I didn’t know how to approach my personal goals. They felt too big, too overwhelming, and it was easier to stay in work mode where I knew I could succeed.
But once I identified these patterns and why they existed, I saw how they were draining my energy. That awareness gave me the power to make changes.
Escaping the Routine
The first thing I did was remove myself from my usual environment. I needed space to think, reset, and focus on myself. I temporarily "escaped" my routine by going somewhere new—a place where I could prioritize my health, both physically and mentally.
It wasn’t easy. Even in a new location, I was prone to the same habits I so desperately wanted to break. I realized that before
I could be successful in the action of change, I needed to mentally shift my thoughts to create new habits. Thoughts first; action to follow.
The Process of Reclaiming My Energy
Reclaiming my energy has enabled me to live my life aligned with my true purpose and aspirations. By consciously redirecting my energy and focus, I’ve begun breaking free from limiting patterns and creating the life I desire. It’s not a onetime achievement but an ongoing practice. I am still on this journey of learning, growing, and practicing, embracing each step as an opportunity to refine and reclaim more of myself.
1. Change Your Environment
Removing myself from draining routines gave me the perspective I needed to start fresh. Before I could change my actions, I had to shift my thoughts. Thoughts first; action to follow.
2. Redirect Your Focus
Where your attention goes, your energy flows. I became deliberate about what I allowed into my mind and life. Personal development expert Brendon Burchard emphasizes that living with purpose and intention brings clarity and fulfillment. By setting clear intentions for my day, I was able to direct my energy toward what truly resonated with me.
3. Question Your Fears
Fear had been a significant barrier in my life. It kept me stuck in old patterns—avoiding relationships, overworking to feel secure, and ignoring my deeper aspirations. I began questioning the source and validity of my fears. As leadership coach Justin Patton suggests, having a clear vision for your life allows you to show up authentically and
Photo Credit: Choat
reach your full potential. By understanding my purpose, I confronted the fears that had been holding me back.
4. Practice Mindfulness and Grounding
Mindfulness became a cornerstone of my healing process. Staying present helps reduce anxiety about the past and the future. I incorporated grounding activities like meditation and spending time in nature. As Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, states, "Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life." This presence of mind allowed me to make intentional choices aligned with my goals.
5. Reflect and Take Intentional Action
Clarity came through reflection and purposeful action. Taking the time to pause and reassess my direction enabled me to realign with my true desires. Brendon Burchard highlights the importance of intentional actions in leading a more fulfilling life. Regular reflection became a habit, ensuring my actions were in harmony with my values.
6. Reconnect with Nature
Nature played a vital role in revitalizing my energy. Spending time outdoors grounded me and fostered a sense of peace. The natural world has a unique ability to help
us feel more centered and connected to our inner selves. Regular walks, a swim in the ocean, and time spent in quiet, natural settings enhanced my clarity and well-being.
7. Build Meaningful Relationships
I realized how much I had been avoiding connection out of fear. Rebuilding meaningful relationships became a priority. Surrounding myself with people who are positive, caring, and supportive encourages personal growth and reinforces my commitment to living intentionally. These connections provided the emotional support and inspiration I had been missing.
8. Embrace Creativity and Silence
Creativity and silence became essential tools for selfdiscovery. Whether journaling, playing guitar, or simply sitting in stillness, these moments allowed me to hear my inner voice. They fostered self-expression and guided me toward my purpose. As I embraced these practices, I found inspiration and clarity in ways I hadn’t imagined.
9. Set Boundaries
Protecting my energy meant setting firm boundaries. By clearly defining what was acceptable in my life, I prevented energy drains and maintained focus on my goals. Setting boundaries empowered me to prioritize my well-being and aspirations, ensuring that I could continue growing without compromising myself.
10. Discover Your Spiritual Essence
Finally, I explored my spiritual essence—reconnecting with my deeper self beyond the physical and material. Dr. Joe Dispenza teaches that by changing our thoughts, we can alter our reality. Embracing this idea helped me tap into a source of wisdom and strength, enabling me to live authentically and purposefully.
A Daily Practice of Alignment
Reclaiming my energy has been one of the most challenging and rewarding journeys of my life. While I’m still learning and growing, I’ve discovered a sense of balance, clarity, and purpose that I didn’t think was possible before. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress and self-compassion.
The same is true for you. Reclaiming your energy doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not a one-size-fits-all process. But every small step you take toward prioritizing yourself, questioning your fears, and realigning your life with your true purpose is a step toward freedom and fulfillment. You are capable of this transformation. Start today—your future self will thank you. ❦
BY RUSTI L LEHAY
The Pen is Mightier than the Therapist
From belly down on the farmhouse writing about goslings to far-off pen-pals to writing to prison inmates and a poet recovering from mental illness—to how the latter, telling me 20 years later, kept my letter near her on every move—I am, and I have always been, a writer. My niece says, “You have more words than anyone I know.”
From challenging myself to write four poems a day for a year and succeeding, I’ve filled boxes with journals and binders with poetry. Pens, pencils, loose-leaf, and dollar-store journals have all served as my therapist; their many pages acted as trusted confidantes. From emails, snail mail, and blank cards filled with news, which I still do, I scribe. I imbibe words. I roll out vowels and consonants and collect the obscure, recall the forgotten, and have put myself and thoughts together on the page a multitude of times.
Words laid the trail of breadcrumb clues to the me I lost pleasing an insecure man, whom I call the palindrome, who wanted all of me. They also showed and placed
clues deep within the mystery of syntax to unravel the truth I hid from myself: breast cancer paved the way for me to become aware of a desire I might not have admitted otherwise. I wanted out of the pumpkin shell where the palindrome kept me very well for nine years. I'm not a fighter. Though there are three things I fought for in my six and a half decades. If I ever need proof I possess tenacity, I only need to recall these:
One
I was thwarted in my goals to graduate with the sciences at my school of 11.5 years. I resorted to begging, pleading, cajoling, maybe even whining, and badgering nonstop for permission from my mother to leave small-town Alberta to go live with my beloved sister in Edson. I did graduate there in a class of 135 as opposed to the 18 small-minded bullies of the one-horse town of my previous school years. I also received higher marks in Grade 12 Chemistry than what I received in Grade 10 and 11 Chemistry taught by the vice-principal, who said I should take the secretarial route instead of the sciences.
Photo: Waiting for inspiration! Photo credit: Sergey Nivens.
Two
Living with the palindrome, the one gift I treasured most was my time to write while he exercised his body in the next room. Just as he needed a spot on the bench to press past his ability and push his muscles, I wanted the support of a writing group to help me lift stronger, more powerful, tighter metaphors out of the air and splash them on the page. Similar to Mom, he resisted; I pleaded, cajoled, and argued my case like a lawyer and won begrudging freedom to the one thing I did outside the pumpkin shell without his looming presence.
There were some conditions in place. I chose two women poets who could meet during a weekday to avoid disrupting his evening routines. The foolish man never told me how he noticed it was good for me, nor did he admit that it may have added to and enriched our relationship. When I left, I told him how his constant need to know when we'd be done, when I'd be home, disrupted the natural flow with the sisterhood of the poetic pen.
How I resented that his need to run the timing of my return like a Swiss watch never let me freely be all there with 100 percent of myself. Always looking at the watch and fretting that I had pushed past the boundaries of his agreeing to my desire for a poetry writing group, an activity in which I dared to exclude him.
You may have noticed that both of these times my fighting lacked venom, winning by tenacity and reasoning.
Three
The third time I fought with cunning, an aspect of my personality I met only once. The vixen seductress emerged for me the morning he stood desperate and clingy, standing between me and a sister day.
“You said you could cancel for whatever reason. Are you sure it’s safe? Why can’t I come? Your brother-in-law will be there.
We can go for a hike and a picnic instead. We need us time.”
Now who was whining and cajoling? He just wouldn’t close the exercise door and go skip. The slap of the rope was my signal that I could write and not be interrupted. Thirty minutes every morning, the rope would slice through the air and slap the floor, and he never quit once he started, but that one time in the nine years, when he had a cold and couldn’t breathe.
In his fretting and my noncommittal to his pleas, he knew at some unconscious nonverbal level that I was slipping out of the shell. I needed the sound of that rope to begin my flight for freedom. The wild woman, ready to claw my way out, resorted to feminine wiles. I took him inside me that last time, standing in the doorway, calming the anxious beast in him with wild and fast sex. I am, and I am not proud of that moment. The words railed in my head, eager to land on the page, but no time that morning. I had thirty precious minutes to pack my journals and pens, some important papers, and call my sister to come and pick me up.
He tried backpedalling and apologizing for wanting to hang on when I informed him, “I changed my mind. I’m going. I am angry you tried to take this longawaited for sister day from me.”
I always took my backpack with me. He never questioned how full it looked that morning. A backbone of words flowed into me and out of my mouth. “You don’t get to bless this day now. You’ve ruined it with your dark mood, and your not wanting me to go will hang over me all day long.”
Before I lost all the feelings I wanted to sort out in my sister’s car, I wrote, cried, and used her phone to tell my one friend I emailed every day while he skipped.
She knew I was battling with the decision to stay or leave. I called him later when our eldest sister invited us to stay longer, signalling a firm end to my estrangement from my family to keep him comfortable. “We are staying for dinner.”
Disappointed seconds of silence, “When are you coming home?”
“I’m not coming home at all, ever again.” Now free of the palindrome for almost two decades, these last few years, I’ve been working on my memoir. I’ve created safe spaces for mostly women and a few special men to come together to write at my STAY-Treats, Writers’ Lounges, Radiant Rewriters, the twice-yearly memoir courses, and the free Monday Writing Room. Remembering always how I needed a place to share my words. For many of us, sharing our truths in prose or poems and pushing them across the air, landing in the ears of friendly readers and our peers, is more than a lifeline. In the isolation of the pumpkin shell, I had the magpies for my poetry. In the isolation of Covid, I found the Athena Sisterhood for my prose, my truth, and my voice, bending the prompts to write the stories and memories that needed to come out.
In groups I’ve been in and the multitude of groups I now lead, I am a lover of words, a wordsmith, and a cheerleader for others' words. I share how to bend the prompts and let the words flow. In that flow state, the words that need to breathe fresh air find their way onto the pages and screens. In freeing all those unruly 26 letters of the alphabet into syntax, we writers find our freedom too. They’ve lit the way like a lighthouse beam showing bits of me that may otherwise remain lost in the rocks. They can show the way for you too.
In the midst of all my words, I am a country, a world, a woman uncovered, discovered, and unleashed. ❦
BY BRITNEY BOURKE
THE BUDDHI-FIT APPROACH TO SCIATICA RELIEF
Sciatica is a common and painful condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Characterized by pain radiating from the lower back, through the hips and buttocks, and down one or each leg, sciatica can significantly impact one's quality of life. While many individuals resign themselves to living with this chronic pain, BuddhiFit addresses the root cause of sciatica, empowering individuals to take control of their health and start their journey towards pain-free living.
The Buddhi-Fit method is not a quick fix. Instead, it acknowledges that the body's misalignment, which often leads to sciatica, has typically developed over an extended period. Consequently, the healing process requires patience, dedication, and a willingness to work in harmony with one's body. This approach ensures that you not only find relief from your immediate pain, but also develop a deeper understanding of your body's needs and mechanics, so you can maintain proper health and feel great long-term
The sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body, can become compressed or irritated due to many factors, including:
• Herniated or bulging discs in the lumbar spine
• Piriformis syndrome (when the piriformis muscle in the buttocks compresses the sciatic nerve)
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Prolonged sitting or poor posture
• Trauma or injury to the lower back, buttocks or pelvis
• Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal can put pressure on the nerve roots
• Diabetes: This can lead to nerve damage, including the sciatic nerve
• Lifestyle factors: Obesity, lack of exercise, and smoking can increase the risk of developing conditions that cause sciatic nerve irritation.
The Buddhi-Fit approach recognizes that while these factors can contribute to sciatica, the root cause often lies in a combination of muscular imbalances, poor posture, and lack of body awareness.
Apply this method to:
• Strengthen supporting muscles
• Improve flexibility and range of motion
• Alleviate pressure on the sciatic nerve
• Enhance body awareness and posture
• Promote healing and reduce inflammation
• Create a routine that offers continuous support
Strengthening Exercises:
Repeat each exercise for 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
Side Clam with Loop
Targets: hip abductors, particularly the gluteus medius. This stabilizes the pelvis and improves the hip function.
1. Lie on your side, knees bent at a 45 degree angle.
2. Keeping the feet together, open the top knee and toe to the sky, by squeezing the glutes. Keep your pelvis stable.
3. Lower knee and toe back down to other leg with control; repeat on both sides.
4. Add resistance above and below the knee to increase engagement.
Buddhi-Fit Bridge
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back muscles.
1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Press through your heels and lift your hips towards the ceiling and squeeze glutes at the top of the movement.
3. Hold for a moment, then lower back down and repeat.
4. Use resistance loops around legs for added strength. You can place the loops above the knee, below the knee or at the ankles. More loops = More engagement. Be sure to keep proper form throughout.
Bird Dog Crunches
Targets: core and stabilizer muscles of the spine. This improves balance and coordination.
1. Start on hands and knees.
2. Extend your right arm forward and left leg back. Flex the heel and keep hips parallel to the floor.
3. Crunch the right elbow towards the left knee while rounding your spine.
4. Reach arm and leg back out, keeping hips parallel to floor.
5. Repeat on both sides for 12 repetitions.
Stretching
Flexibility plays a crucial roll in sciatica relief. Tight muscles contribute to nerve compression and limit range of motion. Try these stretches to restore your body. Be sure to take deep breaths and hold the stretch for 30 seconds or longer.
Pidgeon Pose
Targets: hips and piriformis muscle.
1. Start on hands and knees, arms extended forward.
2. Bring your right knee towards your right wrist and lay your right leg down in front of your body at a bend. The more 90 degrees your leg is to the front, the deeper the stretch will be. The closer the heel is to your thigh—or less than 90 degrees at the knee, the easier it will be.
3. You can keep the chest lifted or fold over the front leg. Try to keep the hips square to the ground.
4. Use a block or cushion to support the back glute as you stretch.
Figure 4 Stretch
Targets: Glutes and hip muscles.
1. Lay on the back with knees bent.
2. Cross right ankle on top of left thigh.
3. Grab behind the left thigh with hands or a strap and lift the left leg up at a 90-degree, open knee to the left, and keep the right foot flexed.
4. Keep your head and lower back down on the floor. Repeat on both sides.
Seated Spinal Twist
Improves spinal mobility and releases tension in the back.
1. Sit on the floor with legs crossed or bent in front of you.
2. Lift hands up overhead and twist to the right.
3. Grab the right knee with the left hand and let the left hand reach for the floor behind you.
4. Take the gaze back and breathe in to the belly and spine. Repeat on both sides.
Laying Hamstring Stretch with Strap
Targets hamstrings and IT band.
1. Lay on the back with knees bent and feet on the floor.
2. Extend right leg to sky with strap on foot.
3. Flex the heel towards the sky. You can keep the left leg bent or extended to deepen.
4. To hit more of the IT band, guide the right leg left slightly, pressing the right hip down at the same time. Keep your back on the floor.
Recovery Techniques
Use a foam roller or massage ball to help relieve sciatica.
Foam Roll the Piriformis
1. Sit on foam roller.
2. Cross the right heel on top of left knee—in a figure 4 pose.
3. Lean into the side of the crossed leg.
4. Roll back and forth over the buttock area.
Ball or Foam Rolling Back
1. Lay on your back with a foam roller or ball placed under the upper back.
2. Slowly roll up and down the length of the spine, pausing and breathing into areas of tension.
Foam Rolling Hamstrings and Calves
1. Sit on the floor with legs extended.
2. Place foam roller under one or both thighs.
3. Use your arms to support body weight. Use blocks to help support the body.
4. Roll the backs of the thighs and calves and breathe into tension to let it release.
Laying Knee Drops
1. Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet planted wide on the floor.
2. Slowly lower your knees to one side, pressing through your inner foot.
3. Keep your back flat on the floor, and repeat side to side.
4. This can also be done with your low back on a foam roller. Healing takes time, especially when addressing chronic conditions like sciatica. With consistency and patience, you can get back to living a healthy, pain-free life!
Happy Healing, Britney Bourke at Buddhi-Fit
BY CHRIS MADSEN
The Vernon Wellness Fair
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
The Vernon Wellness Fair is a hallmark event that has gained significant recognition in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. This annual gathering brings together a wide array of wellness-focused businesses, practitioners, and enthusiasts under one roof, all with a shared goal: to promote physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. For residents of Vernon and surrounding communities, the fair serves as an invaluable resource for discovering new wellness trends, services, and products. It’s a vibrant marketplace of ideas, experiences, and connections for anyone interested in personal or community wellness.
What is the Vernon Wellness Fair?
The Vernon Wellness Fair is a weekend event that typically occurs in the Spring and Fall. It showcases a wide range of wellness-related exhibitors, including local businesses, health practitioners, wellness coaches, holistic healers, nutritionists, fitness experts, and product vendors. Each year, it attracts thousands of attendees eager to explore the newest health products, services, and lifestyle innovations. From natural remedies to high-tech health gadgets, the fair offers something for everyone, whether they are seeking to improve their health, explore alternative treatments, or simply learn about new wellness trends.
History and Origins
The Vernon Wellness Fair was first established in 2006 as part of an effort to foster a sense of well-being within the local community. Over the years, it has evolved and expanded in size and scope, drawing visitors from throughout the Okanagan and beyond. It has become one of the region’s premier wellness events, growing in popularity as the interest in holistic health and wellness has surged.
The fair is organized by Vernon-based marketing and events company Body & Soul Wellness Fairs, which has a strong track record of hosting successful health-related events. The goal of the event is to raise awareness about wellness practices that promote balance and healthy living while also providing a platform for local wellness practitioners to connect with the community.
Exhibitors and Presenters
One of the highlights of the Vernon Wellness Fair is the diverse array of exhibitors. These exhibitors represent different aspects of the wellness industry, offering a unique opportunity for attendees to engage directly with experts and professionals in their respective fields. Exhibitors typically include:
• Natural and Alternative Medicine: Many booths at the fair are dedicated to natural and holistic health practices. This can include services like acupuncture, naturopathy, chiropractic care, reiki, and aromatherapy. Attendees have the chance to speak with practitioners, receive mini-consultations, and even experience treatments on-site.
• Fitness and Nutrition: Wellness and fitness go hand in hand, and the Vernon Wellness Fair always has a strong representation from the fitness industry. Attendees can meet personal trainers, explore different types of fitness programs, and learn about proper nutrition. Some exhibitors offer fitness demonstrations or classes that give attendees a hands-on experience with different workout styles, such as yoga, Pilates, or martial arts.
• Mental Health Services: Mental wellness is an important component of the fair, with various exhibitors focusing on mental health awareness, counseling services, stress management techniques, and mindfulness practices. Whether it’s through talks, workshops, or one-on-one consultations, visitors can learn strategies for managing stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which are increasingly recognized as critical to overall wellness.
• Natural Products and Handcrafted Goods: Another key component of the fair is the numerous vendors selling
natural and organic products, from essential oils to handmade soaps, nutritional supplements, and organic skincare lines. These products are often local, eco-friendly, and ethically sourced, catering to the growing demand for sustainable and health-conscious consumer goods.
• Spiritual Well-Being: For many attendees, wellness is not just physical or mental but also spiritual. The fair often includes spiritual healers, energy workers, and mediums who offer services like tarot readings, aura photography, and crystal healing. These services allow visitors to explore the metaphysical side of wellness, which some believe is integral to achieving balance in life.
Above: Winter Vernon Wellness fair of 2024. Vendors show off their wares.
Photo credit: Chris madsen
Community Engagement and Connection
The Vernon Wellness Fair is more than just an event for individuals looking to improve their personal well-being. It’s also a community-focused initiative that aims to foster connections between people, businesses, and practitioners who are passionate about wellness. By providing a forum for local health practitioners to share their knowledge and expertise, the fair plays a pivotal role in strengthening Vernon’s wellness community. Many of the exhibitors are local, small businesses, and the fair offers them an invaluable opportunity to raise their profile and gain new clients.
The fair’s community atmosphere is also enhanced by its accessibility. The event is free to attend, making it inclusive for everyone, regardless of their financial situation. Whether you are just starting on your wellness journey or you are a seasoned wellness enthusiast, the fair’s wide range of offerings ensures that everyone will find something of value.
Additionally, the Vernon Wellness Fair promotes an ethos of collaboration rather than competition among exhibitors. Rather than viewing each other as competitors, many of the vendors and practitioners come together in the spirit of mutual support and learning. This cooperative energy is one of the things that sets the Vernon Wellness Fair apart from other trade shows and expos, creating a positive and welcoming environment.
Why Wellness Fairs Matter
The rise in popularity of wellness fairs like the Vernon Wellness Fair reflects a broader societal shift towards prioritizing health and well-being. As people become more aware of the importance of self-care, mental health, and alternative approaches to health, they seek out events like this one as a way to explore new ideas and make informed decisions about their lifestyle choices.
Wellness fairs provide a space where people can learn about emerging trends in health and wellness, often directly from the professionals who are shaping these trends. The handson nature of the Vernon Wellness Fair also allows visitors to try out new products and services in a low-pressure environment, ask questions, and get a feel for what works best for their needs.
Furthermore, wellness fairs play a key role in education and empowerment. Attendees leave the fair equipped with practical tools and knowledge that can help them make positive changes in their lives. Whether it’s discovering a new fitness routine, finding a mental health resource, or learning about sustainable products, the Vernon Wellness Fair provides
people with the tools they need to take control of their health and wellness.
Looking to the Future
As the Vernon Wellness Fair continues to grow, it is likely that the event will further expand its offerings to reflect the evolving needs and interests of its attendees. The fair’s success is a testament to the community’s increasing interest in holistic health and wellness, and it will likely continue to serve as a key resource for residents of Vernon and beyond for years to come.
Given the event’s increasing popularity, the organizers may explore more interactive formats, such as expanded workshops, wellness retreats, or even virtual components, to reach a broader audience. As more people embrace wellness as a holistic lifestyle, the Vernon Wellness Fair will remain a vital gathering place for the community to explore and celebrate all aspects of well-being.
Conclusion
The Vernon Wellness Fair is a cornerstone event for anyone interested in health and wellness in the Okanagan region. It offers a unique opportunity to connect with local practitioners, learn about new wellness trends, and explore a wide range of products and services aimed at improving physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Through its diverse array of exhibitors, workshops, and community-driven ethos, the fair serves as both an educational resource and a vibrant marketplace for the growing wellness community in Vernon. Whether you’re seeking information, products, or connections, the Vernon Wellness Fair provides an inspiring and welcoming space for all who attend.
For more info visit www.vernonwellnessfair.com ❦
Photo Credit: Roslyne Buchanan
BY ROSLYNE BUCHANAN
NARAMATA: WHERE VILLAGERS TAKE ACTION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITY
This small community in British Columbia’s verdant Okanagan Valley punches above its weight in getting things done to make it a better place.
Naramata is a little piece of paradise with an agricultural history that goes back just to the early 1900s when pioneering developer John Moore Robinson promoted it as favourable for fruit farming. Those who came toiled tirelessly, creating gardens, orchards, vineyards, and homes, extending from the Okanagan Lake to clay bluffs, rocky outcroppings, and lush forests. They crafted their good fortune through hard work and influenced the region’s magic. Today, citizens strive to preserve and enhance that legacy and charm.
It is as if they have adopted the ideals from John F. Kennedy’s speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. While this attitude is more pervasive than just one organization, I reached out to NaramataSlow (www.naramataslow.com) volunteer Dawn Lennie to learn more about the many community actions.
NARAMATASLOW: HEALTHY INTERVENTION
As the speed of change accelerates, slowing down could be an answer to healthier communities. Accordingly, a small, motivated group of Naramatians (as they call themselves) scanned the world and in 2014 joined the international movement Cittaslow International. Past Italian Mayor of Greve (Chianti, Tuscany) Paolo Saturnini proposed a different way of development in 1999, to improve the quality of life based on the Slow Food movement’s philosophy. Its focus is the “slow and healthy succession of seasons, respectful of citizens’ health, the authenticity of products and good food”. Saturnini’s idea to embrace “craft traditions of valuable works of art, squares, theaters, shops, cafés, restaurants, places of the spirit and unspoiled landscapes, characterized by spontaneity of religious rites, respect of traditions through the joy of a slow and quiet living" was endorsed by Slow Food President Carlo Petrini and adopted by other Italian mayors.
Now, some 301 cities globally subscribe to this way of life. Naramata is one of four Canadian communities to qualify through strict certification along with Cowichan Bay, LacMégantic, and Wolfville.
Lennie explains, “While such projects require hard work and a lot of detail, people in our community appreciate what we have and seize the opportunity. We are still small enough to appreciate the way Naramata is, and big enough to affect action that encourages responsible development.”
NARAMATA HARVEST DINNER, FARMERS MARKET, AND ‘SOUPER SUPPERS’
NaramataSlow stalled a bit after the huge certification effort. Sitting around a picnic table, the current board conceived the Naramata Harvest Dinner. Starting in 2016, with the cooperation of The Naramata Centre Society and the Regional District of Okanagan South (RDOS), this long table dinner enticed the community to bring potluck items celebrating the local harvest. For nine years, local farmers and former Bella Winery proprietors Jay Drysdale and Wendy Rose contributed a pig, ethically raised, butchered, and then roasted lovingly overnight.
Exhibits include produce, products and preserves, wineries, cideries, local community gardens, and seed savers. While building connections within the village, participants eat local
food that respects fair compensation to producers—a Slow Food International tenet.
Harvest Dinner evolved, moving from a beach park to Naramata Centre’s Columbia Hall in case of rain. Even through the Covid-19 pandemic it was modified to ‘NaramataSlow To Go’ – a preordered Harvest Supper Takeaway Box to “enjoy the bounty of our lands, together, yet apart.”
Noted Lennie, “After nine years, the Harvest Dinner needs refreshing so NaramataSlow is seeking community proposals for new approaches to the event.”
The Farmers Market did not fare as well through the pandemic. Seeing it as a fit with NaramataSlow principles, the board created The Community Farmers Market –NaramataSlow in 2021. It moved to the bigger, better equipped Manitou Park, and a call went out to vendors, food trucks, and entertainers to expand it.
Photo: Lavish potluck dishes focus on regional ingredients such as locally produced cheese, apples and quince at the NaramataSlow Harvest Dinner. Photo Credit: Roslyne Buchanan.
“As great as the market is for gathering the community, it is seasonal, and our committee felt more was needed to highlight the amazing products at our fingertips,” said Lennie.
Always adapting, NaramataSlow created Souper Suppers to address people who missed the conviviality of the farmers market during its off season. From November to March, folks gather monthly to enjoy donated soup in the Community Church. Participants are encouraged to bring family, a donation, their own bowl, and perhaps a board game. Truly, a grassroots movement, each month a community group such as the Naramata Choir, Naramata Citizens Association, or a business steps up to provide the soup and fresh buns.
Also bridging the market gap is the Naramata Community Christmas Market. Picture a European-inspired winter market on the main avenue. Imagine twinkling lights, seasonal treats, and one-of-a-kind goods where the season and local artisans are celebrated.
SYMBIOSIS
STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY
Grassroots enthusiasm is endemic in Naramata. The Okanagan Seed Savers Society (OSSS), Naramata Seed
Company, Naramata Permaculture Garden, Naramata Community Garden, and the Naramata Clothes Library are excellent examples. Each, with a unique identity, collaborates to strengthen Naramata.
Naramata rallied and raised funds to save Centre Beach, which had been part of the United Church’s Naramata Centre for more than 70 years. When the Centre was forced to sell some assets, rather than lose an iconic sandy beach with mature trees and stunning lakeshore vistas, NaramataSlow approached the Regional District Okanagan South (RDOS) Area E representative, Karla Kozakevich and the Naramata Centre Society to structure a preservation agreement. The agreement presented the opportunity to take public ownership of a significant portion of Centre Beach through a special price, favourable terms, and guaranteed first access to the south parcel and Ministry of Transportation Right of Way.
Another action was initiated a few years ago when resident Alyce Karr started beautifying her alley, replacing weeds with attractive, pollinating plants. Others joined in, making the laneways safer and more pleasant for walking than the roadways with inspiration from Canada’s Laneway Beautification Project, www.thelanewayproject.ca. A Neighbourhood Small Grant from the South Okanagan Similkameen Community Foundation helped mobilize the community to celebrate collective efforts and foster connections around creating beautiful spaces.
Dark Skies Naramata (www.darkskynaramata.com) aspires to get certified by adhering to rigorous standards laid out by Dark Sky International. It is in harmony with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in working to set up Dark Sky preserves where light pollution is reduced to allow better observation of the night skies. By preserving dark skies, we can protect our natural surroundings, human health, and the health of our agricultural community.
Working with astronomists, architects, planners, urban designers, the RDOS, and Robinson Lighting, the group is developing lighting packages for new builds and retrofits that address safety concerns while reducing the upward glare associated with light pollution. Events demonstrating the benefits have been held, and Naramata is working with Summerland, a community across Okanagan Lake from it, on a “Lights Out” challenge.
Yet another group is striving to have the area designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Naramata’s efforts are admirable and a benchmark for how to drive positive change in your community. ❦
BY CHRISTY RENE STEHLE
How to Use Magnetic Storytelling to Create Advocates for Your Cause
Imagine how much good you could do in this world if you exuded an energy so magnetic that people naturally felt drawn to you, eager to listen, connect, and advocate for your cause. In an age where constant disruption and digital saturation redefine how we connect, the ability to command attention is no longer just an advantage—it’s the secret to cutting through the noise and driving meaningful action.
At the heart of this lies magnetic storytelling and presence— the art of using your words, energy, and authenticity to captivate and connect. These skills are about far more than charm; they’re transformative tools that build trust, inspire action, and create lasting impact. Whether you’re leading a team, growing a brand, or rallying support for a mission, mastering these techniques can position you as an undeniable force in your industry.
I learned this firsthand.
In 2014, after recovering from chronic illness independently of healthcare, I realized two things: health is our greatest wealth, and time is our most valuable resource. Those realizations sparked a dramatic shift in my life. I sold everything I owned and spent the next five years fulfilling a dream that once felt impossible—travelling the world and calling 35 different countries home for at least a night.
But in late 2019, I felt an internal call to return to my hometown in Georgia, a place I hadn’t lived in for 15 years. And within months of moving back, the world shut down. Suddenly, I was 32 years old, jobless, living with my parents, and feeling like I was out of options.
The dream of becoming a public speaker—so close after my opportunity to speak on the Mindvalley University main stage—now felt out of reach. The entire industry I planned to build my business in had come to a standstill. And my backup industry of food and beverage? It had shut down too.
But at a time when I felt I had nothing, I still had my tools.
I knew how to communicate with presence, energy, and authenticity. I leaned on my magnetic storytelling strategies, and within six months, a wild opportunity came out of the blue. I was offered my first agency freelance copywriting gig— at an Emmy-winning advertising agency, no less. Six months after that, I interviewed for the senior position and negotiated $15,000 more than they said they could offer, securing my first six-figure income.
Despite having no formal experience in advertising, I was promoted twice more within two years. Eventually, I began reporting directly to the group vice president of creative, who reorganized the company to place me on his team. This gave me the authority to reshape how copywriting was approached agency-wide.
In less than three years, I had accomplished what it typically takes most people a decade or more to achieve. I never would have propelled so far forward so fast without applying the principles of magnetic storytelling and presence. Through a deep understanding of how to command attention, build trust,
Photo: Your breath catches as they call your name to the stage. You have 30 seconds to make a lasting impression. How will you command the room? Photo Credit: Greg Harding Films.
and position myself as the best option in any room, I’ve learned to make the impossible possible more than once in my life.
While magnetic storytelling has been invaluable for my career, it's also helped the name brands and family enterprises I’ve worked with gain market share in one of the most competitive eras in history.
Marketplace competition is only getting fiercer. Leading research firms, including Deloitte, emphasize the need for companies to adapt quickly in order to stay competitive. To stand out, we need to build authentic connections and craft stories that deeply resonate with our audiences.
HERE ARE THREE OF THE FIVE PRINCIPLES FROM MY A.L.I.G.N. FRAMEWORK FOR MAGNETIC STORYTELLING:
1. Attention: Command the Room
The best stories aren’t just heard—they’re felt. The old way of featuring product or service benefits is out. Start by asking: What will make your audience pause and lean in? In a recent podcast episode, I dive deep into these attention-grabbing strategies and more: Break from the expected, weave a story arc into even a single sentence, and incorporate metaphors and sensory language.
2. Learn Your Audience: Speak to Their Hearts
Magnetic storytelling begins with understanding your audience’s emotions, aspirations, and fears. People don’t connect with generic messages—they connect with stories that reflect their own experiences. Dive deep into what your audience cares about and tailor your message to align with their values and goals.
3. Inspire Trust: Build Connection Quickly
Trust is the foundation of any great story. Sharing vulnerability or common ground with your audience can bridge gaps and create long-lasting relationships. The key here is making sure it’s authentic, though. Nothing builds trust and rapport like shared understanding.
These principles are just the beginning. Magnetic storytelling and presence aren’t about forcing your way into the spotlight or putting on a façade—they’re about naturally drawing people toward you, your company, or your cause.
Ready to dive deeper into the A.L.I.G.N. framework and open yourself to opportunities beyond your wildest dreams? Tune in to The Power of Connection, the podcast that equips you with actionable strategies to transform your storytelling and communication into unstoppable forces for growth. Together, we’ll explore strategies that streamline marketing chaos and turn it into Magnetic Presence.
Christy Renee Stehle is a magnetic storytelling expert and strategist who helps impact-driven businesses cut through the noise and stand out in competitive markets. With her A.L.I.G.N. framework, she equips businesses and leaders with the tools to build trust, inspire action, and create lasting impact through transformative communication. Get to know her, www.christyrenee.com ❦
photo: Public speaking becomes less intimidating when you realize it’s a powerful tool for authentic connection and growth. What do you want your audience to remember? Photo Credit: Greg Harding Films.
The NATURE OF FEAR
BY DEAN UNGER
Photo Credit: Vadim Bogulov
When one stops to consider all the sensory information, events, and outcomes that are seemingly or literally beyond our control, it's not much wonder we manifest fear in our lives. When we invest ourselves in fabricating false fear in that which is most often more imagined than real, we cannot put our energy into exploring and developing our innermost selves and our natural and innate relationship to spirit.
The eye, the mind, and the spirit, all witness the same event. What separates us from one another in our understanding is what we choose to take from the experience to form our perceptions. What separates us from others is what implicitness, selective gestures, words, and sounds would escape our lips in making sense of it. Perception is the understanding we allow ourselves, which is defined by the cognitive filters we have accumulated through our lives. These filters are informed by what we see and experience and what meaning we chose from that experience, usually with priority given to events that are highly emotionally charged. Our filters are as unique to us as our individuality when compared to others. From this diversity, we either find synergy with others or build barriers to common understanding. The latter is what makes us alien, and the desires of others seem strange. A rose in my hand is a rose in yours; a rock in mine is a rock in yours. How different are we, then, except in effect?
Most of us trip through life with fear haunting our periphery. Ghosts, indefinable in form, flit and flicker just beyond sight and seem mysterious and alien to our sensibilities. Perceived divisions between ourselves and our compatriots are driven and propagated by fear—often unfounded—that we will, in fact, fail to find common ground. Loneliness is one of the most prevalent emotions we select from the palette at our disposal. Too, the emotions we choose most often are the ones that we become attenuated to. Subsequently, our minds, lacking introspection, gravitate to these, and, over time, they become worn into the floorboards of our psyches, and we become inclined to use the path of least resistance.
Where once a constant wandering fear was necessary for survival, we need to retrain our minds to coax ourselves from the stone age and overcome our propensity toward unfounded and over-driven emotions, which shackle us to our often-groundless imaginings. Misconceptions here lead to estrangements and alienation from others, so ultimately it is a self-perpetuating pattern.
Over-driven fear is a primeval echo left over from earlier times, but we continue to prime it by revisiting worn neural pathways, which come easiest to hand in a reactionary sense. Because of this, our own worst enemy has perhaps become
ourselves. As with anything, we can come to terms with it by engaging in a sincere, introspective investigation of our beliefs about fear and what causes it. The truths and answers that we resist are most often inspired by unrealized perceptions, which hang about in the shadows to obscure our vision. Success here comes in asking questions and demanding fidelity of oneself in the search for truth.
I desire validation, so I fear being anonymous. I desire companionship, so I fear being excluded. I crave joy, so I fear despair. I crave success, so I fear failure. I desire love, so I fear being lonely.
I believe the vernacular here is important. To say we fear being anonymous, or to say I am afraid, or to speak in the possessive: “my fear” vs. “the fear,” is to acquiesce to ownership. When stated in the pejorative, it's as if, in that moment, we become the very embodiment of anonymity and therefore are throttled with the gravity and density of the emotions and beliefs that go with it. We tend to speak about our emotions this way, and by doing so, we take wholesale ownership and fully buy into it. We give it a name and an identity, and it looms there in the immediate periphery, close enough to sting when our thoughts drift too close. A disturbing wave ripples through, twisting thoughts and turning stomachs, like a restless, angry ghost prodding at will and in unpredictable fashion. Whereas, to perceive it and to state it as a feeling that is transient in nature, we do not allow it to represent the sum total of our being. Feelings are generally fleeting and move through us as we come to understand and find resolve.
Commitment to this process of discovery has brought refinement in thoughts and thought processes and endurance when it comes to sticking to a train of thought and seeking applied logic to its conclusion. With greater scrutiny comes the ability to perceive problems before they arrive and to reason effective solutions in complex circumstances. A greater sense of self is inevitable.
I ask questions of myself in the manner I would ask questions of a child or a cherished friend, or in some cases as if I were interviewing an accident victim in order to save their lives. No-nonsense language works best here. The more direct the questions, the better the information I stand to receive. There is no need to try and convince myself anything. I am seeking truth, and truth requires honesty.
Meditation is about learning to converse with oneself: with the psyche, subconscious, superego, oversoul, nature mind, God mind etc. Put simply, to engage the inner self and the higher faculties in a conversational manner, to access the deeper understanding and ability that resides there. We tend to ridicule people who mumble to themselves in public, assuming they are mad, but there is tremendous value and eventual strength of reasoning in constructive self-talk—not the kind where we berate ourselves for our obtuseness or stupidity, but rather the kind where we rely upon our inner wisdom, which is entirely there and waiting to be engaged and drawn upon as a valuable resource in our day-to-day functioning.
We tend to try to avoid feelings that don't come tied with a bow and party paper. We even suffer fear of being afraid and do our best to avoid circumstances that bring unwelcome or despised emotions. If I take time to properly feel the fear and to let it resonate, if I take an exploratory approach to how it resonates and to what thoughts, ideas, and feelings it brings, I can ask definitive questions of myself. If I remain committed to process, rather than jamming the signal straight off and running in the opposite direction, I create an opportunity to step outside the box and to ask "why" in sincere fashion. I seek to understand in the fullest way possible, and I do not relent until I've exhausted all possibilities.
All thinking is self-talk in some form or fashion. Overcoming the overactive monkey mind, actively engaging in self-talk in a directed way, and pursuing our logic to its conclusion will provide a solid framework for day-to-day decision-making, as well as for the larger questions and quandaries of life.
At times it is truly remarkable what wisdom eventually comes.
Every word in this article is written through this learned and refined cognitive skill. It is consistent, dependable, and can be mined, honed, and nurtured for improvement over time. Both simple life problems and grander schemes can be effectively solved or improved in this way. We all possess this skill, this personal resource, and it is ours for life. ❦
Photo Credit: ITS outsider
BY JILL PALMER, MY PERSONAL JOURNEY.
From Trauma to Triumph
The Only Way Past it is Through It
Pain is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, yet no matter how hard we try, it seems impossible to avoid. It's hard to remember a time when I wasn’t in pain. My childhood was, at best, difficult. If I wasn’t being chased around the house with a large wooden spoon, being paddled with it, or being screamed at, criticized, and judged by the person who was supposed to love me the most, I was trying to find a way to escape. I would retreat to any place I could, trying to avoid the constant shouting, bickering, and toxic, unloving relationship my parents displayed before my eyes.
I remember the feeling of living two completely different lives. At home, the tension and stress were constant. I walked on eggshells, holding my breath, always waiting to be yelled at, and often hiding in my room—sometimes with food to soothe my nerves. Outside the home, though, the world saw a different version of me: the perfect, pretty, sporty, friendly, overachieving girl who seemed to have a solid home life, attended church, and appeared to be part of a flawless family.
Looking back, I now understand that many of those personality traits were simply coping mechanisms that helped me survive. The innocent parts of me that were wounded as a child went into hiding for years. It has been a long process of unburdening those hidden parts of myself. These traits were born from having an insecure attachment, which set the stage for a life filled with challenges. I felt I had to be perfect, so I became a people-pleaser. I was shy and lacked the courage to stand up for myself because I had no self-esteem. I was bullied and struggled in relationships, often feeling lost and unable to connect.
Then there were the physical symptoms. The anxiety attacks were a daily occurrence. I could hardly catch my breath, and I couldn’t be in large crowds or public spaces without feeling
overwhelmed. I’d get hot and sweaty, convinced I was about to die, and my heart would race uncontrollably. The knife-like pain in the pit of my stomach was excruciating and relentless. My nervous system was completely shattered, and I rarely felt calm or in control in any situation.
I didn’t trust people, nor did I know how to ask for what I needed. This led to a long string of co-dependent relationships, where I was always trying to fix others, improve their lives, and make them happy—while neglecting my own needs. It made sense, though. When had I ever been able to ask for what I wanted and actually receive it? Never! So, why start now? All I really wanted was someone to love me.
The only two people I felt truly safe with were my grandpa and my dad. My grandpa was the most amazing person I’ve ever known. He would take me out of that toxic environment, bringing me to the park, on picnics, hikes, skating trips, and even shopping. He would play games with me and bring the fun back into life, something that was so missing at home. He’d take me to his house, an hour away, where I could watch TV and raid his cookie drawer (something that was strictly forbidden at my house). He gave me spending money, which I never got at home, and let me buy whatever I wanted, including sugary cereals and candy. He was the best—every child’s dream grandparent.
My grandpa was probably the only person I truly trusted as a child, the one I felt safe with, and I’m convinced he saved my life. But he passed away from cancer when I was 13. When that happened, my world fell apart. I’m not sure how I even made it through high school, but life went on because it had to. Then, when I was 20 and in my first year of college, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. I watched him suffer a horrible death, wasting away and starving because he couldn’t keep
food down. To this day, I still have nightmares about it. That was the most pain I’ve ever endured.
In the months following his death, I went through what some call the "dark night of the soul." My body was filled with so much pain, grief, and sadness. I thought I was going to die, and at times, I even wished I would. But after several months of this, a realization hit me—I knew there had to be more to life than endless pain and suffering. That moment marked the beginning of my healing journey, which has brought me to where I am today.
There were many steps I took to get here. One significant step was traveling to India, where I spent time sitting and praying with the monks. Surely, they had some wisdom about suffering. One of the biggest lessons I learned was that I had been searching for happiness and acceptance outside of myself. This search had led to co-dependency, and the relationships that followed would always end, leaving me feeling alone and heartbroken once again.
After years of hard work through yoga, mindfulness, and working with coaches, I finally learned how to feel my emotions and process pain from the deeper layers. Through somatic practices, I connected with myself like never before.
I became my own cheerleader, learned how to take care of my needs, and finally felt empowered.
I truly believe that if I hadn’t faced all the challenges of my childhood, I wouldn’t be where I am today: a successful Certified Trauma Recovery Coach, now happier, more content, confident, peaceful, and powerful, with a regulated nervous system and the ability to form meaningful relationships. I am grateful to say that my life has shifted dramatically—I’ve blossomed from trauma into triumph.
Today, I work with clients who may have experienced childhood trauma, anxiety, repeating patterns in relationships, medical trauma, PTSD, grief, or accident trauma—or who have never been truly heard. I teach them the tools and techniques I learned to cultivate a calmer, more regulated nervous system. Through various processes, they heal their childhood wounds and trauma, emerging lighter and happier. Together, we examine old, limiting beliefs and create new ones that empower them to succeed. I meet them where they are on their journey, creating a safe and supportive space. We work together to define their goals and help them achieve them.
To learn more about Jill Palmer’s services, visit her website at: www.JillPalmer.co ❦
Photo Credit: Jennifer Palmer
Photo Credit: Gary Cassel, Pixabay
Guiding Kids Through the Digital Maze The New Parenting Reality:
How Informed Parents Can Help Their Children Thrive Online
Parenting is more demanding and complex than ever before. Parents are juggling the challenges of managing their children’s emotional well-being, education, and navigating social issues, all within the scope of today’s fastpaced, digital landscape.
Our children live in a world we never imagined. I was raised in the era of rotary phones and snail mail, when we spent our summers playing outside from sunrise to sunset and safety was rarely a concern. It was a simpler time—when face-toface connections, in-person play, and neighbourhood bonds shaped our sense of community. My kids grew up amidst the emerging technologies of cell phones, the internet, and social media, all of which gradually shifted how we communicate and interact. The world my grandchildren will inherit will be infinitely more complicated and potentially overwhelming, dominated by artificial intelligence, constant digital connectivity, and evolving societal norms.
Today, our children need much more than academic knowledge—they need emotional resilience, compassion, and the ability to navigate a world that incessantly demands more from them. As parents and grandparents, we must help them develop the skills to cope with the pressures of modern life while nurturing their sense of wonder and magic.
Children’s Lives Matter on e360tv.com is a heartfelt and unique resource designed to support families in this balancing act. The show offers insights and guidance to help children become empathic, empowered, and aware individuals.
When I created Children’s Lives Matter, I wanted to initiate conversations that many parents find daunting. Bullying, mental health, body image—the show opens a dialogue on these and other issues that routinely affect young lives. With each episode, we invite experts and advocates who not only share their knowledge but speak from their hearts, offering real-life experiences with the potential to spark dialogue and inspire change.
One of the most impactful episodes featured Vickie Stolle, an
emotional resilience coach whose story of growing up with a cleft palate touched so many parents, showing how deep wounds can be turned into powerful advocacy. She reminds us that the empathy we show our children today can shape their future in incredible ways.
Our bullying prevention series emphasizes the importance of social skills, not just for making friends but for staying emotionally safe. Parents often ask how to protect their children from being bullied—or prevent them from becoming bullies themselves. The answer, as we discussed in the shows, is to foster emotional intelligence and build supportive relationships, both of which begin at home.
One of the toughest topics we've covered is how to talk to children about suicide. It's a conversation parents are reluctant to have, but now more than ever, it’s important to approach mental health with openness and sensitivity. We brought in Natalie Ledwell, creator of the Feel Wise App for Emotional Intelligence, for her wisdom on creating safe, understanding spaces for teens to express their emotions. Our goal with this episode was to help parents be more prepared and confident when addressing such sensitive emotional issues.
Why should parents watch Children’s Lives Matter? Because this show understands the realities of modern parenting. It presents relatable, compassionate guidance without shying away from difficult topics. It suggests ideas for raising children to be emotionally strong, empathetic, and well-equipped to face whatever challenges life may bring.
In a time when parenting can feel overwhelming, Children’s Lives Matter offers a guiding light—a reminder that love, understanding, and emotional well-being form the foundation of every child’s highest potential. Tune in on e360tv.com and together, let’s create a future where the leaders of tomorrow are shaped by kindness, resilience, and the warmth of human connection.
https://angelalegh.com
Photo Credit: photosky99
BY ESTHER SARLO
Gratitude Unleashed Discovering the Gifts in Every Day
Are you tired of hearing about gratitude? I’m not!
The more reminders I get, the more I remember to practice this most important routine. And yes, I said, “routine!” It’s not magic. It’s not a silver bullet. It’s not obligatory or complacent. However, when I intentionally choose to include gratitude in my life, it has the power to change e v e r y t h i n g.
If you want to get all scientific about it, according to The Gratitude Effect Positivity Journal by Randy E. Kamen, EdD:
“Gratitude is a powerful emotion that conveys appreciation for a moment that has touched you in some way and moves you to express thankfulness. When you experience gratitude, your brain releases neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, resulting in a host of tangible benefits associated with positive thinking and emotions. Practiced regularly, gratitude literally rewires your brain to be more optimistic, flexible, and joyful, while simultaneously reducing stress and anxiety, building resilience to adversity, and strengthening your immune system, cardiac health, sleep hygiene, and more. These many positive changes to your health and well-being are “the gratitude effect,” and because these effects are cumulative, the more you practice gratitude, the greater its impact over time.”
When I think of all the many things I have to be grateful for… really stop and consider…the blessings far outnumber the afflictions (to use an old-fashioned word).
I’M GRATEFUL FOR THE INCREDIBLE ACCESS I HAVE TO:
• A loving and connected partner
• A safe place to live, work, and play
• Abundant, whole, organic, well-grown food
• Clean water
• Books from the library to read
• The ability to walk freely in my neighbourhood
• Lovely clothes to wear for all seasons
• Overall wonderful health
• The really great people with whom I am connected
• Laughter and joy
• The plants growing in our little garden
• The businesses I’m developing (Mynd Myself, LifeWave, Stand & Deliver! Workshops)— whew that’s a lot
• Game nights
• Like-minded people with whom to share ideas
• Great conversations—about everything and nothing
• Stories that make a difference
• The resources and freedom to travel again
• And on and on and on…
When I focus on this grand, glorious “embarras de richesses”— especially in the face of any petty squabbles I might be engaging in, annoyances, roadblocks, or values clashes—it shifts how I’m holding something in this present moment.
For instance, you may know that I haven’t had a medical doctor in over two years. In the province of British Columbia, Canada, over one million people of our total population of five million people do not have a medical doctor! Being sixty now, it was past time to get another round of bloodwork done, especially since I’m monitoring my thyroid and I’m running out of my prescribed medication.
A WALK-IN MEDICAL CLINIC JOURNEY
Finally, making the decision to go visit a walk-in clinic, I researched the process. You might think that “walk-in clinic” means that you can actually walk in and wait for a doctor to become available. Nope! You have to go into the office physically and register ahead so they have your information on file. Then you have to go to their website the day before you wish to see a doctor—not two days before, not a week before, not a month before, not in an emergency…but one day before—and book a time slot. Of course, they advise you to go online first thing in the morning so you can garner one of the few available appointments with whatever doctor is available that day. Oh,
and for this particular chain of medical offices, even though they are a franchise, you have to register physically with EACH ONE—they do not share records among themselves.
There was a whole lot more rigamarole involved, but I’ll leave it there for now and jump to my appointment with said doctor available at the time of my appointment. He seemed a nice young man, though he remained masked up and stayed a minimum of six feet away from me at all times—despite us being officially past the pandemic and all such restrictions. He asked what I was there for (although I had previously indicated I was there for blood tests on my intake form), and I said blood tests. I was on a natural thyroid medication, and my prescription was running low. In order to get a new prescription, I presumed that I needed these objective measures to indicate how I was doing and whether or not my prescription needed to be adjusted.
When I told the doctor I was on desiccated thyroid, he immediately said something along the lines of, “I will absolutely NOT prescribe that for you. It is a natural product, and as such, cannot be precisely controlled. If you wish to use any of the pharmaceutical thyroid drug options, I will prescribe that.”
prescribe you one of the other medications that can actually be measured accurately.”
“No thank you,” I said again.
He opened the door and left the room, sitting down firmly at his workstation about six feet away from the room and with his back to the hallway.
Okay, I guess that’s my cue to leave! As I walked by him, I thanked him for his time. I think he grunted something in response, but I’m not entirely sure.
I considered for a moment, quite surprised by the vehemence of his response, and replied, “No thank you. I will stick to the natural medication.”
“Well, I won’t prescribe that for you!” he said.
“Okay, well, will you still order the tests for me?” I asked.
“Yes,” he mumbled. Then he walked to his printer and essentially shoved the form at me. He did not ask me which tests I thought were necessary or which ones I would like. He just as quickly as possible flew down the list and then hurriedly walked back to his spot against the wall.
“Okay. So, really, why won’t you prescribe desiccated thyroid for me?” I asked, thinking perhaps I might have not quite understood him.
“I already told you at the beginning. It is a natural product, and it is not appropriate…” he said angrily. “I will be happy to
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Why am I sharing this story? Because although I was quite rattled by this exchange, when I calmed down and thought about it longer, I realized I could choose my response rather than reacting. I could choose to be grateful that I actually achieved one of the reasons for my visit—a request for the blood tests I had been needing for the past couple of years. I could choose to realize that although we clearly had different values, the doctor and I, I was responsible for my own reaction or response, and I could choose gratitude for the experience instead of anger. I could also choose to send love his way, which I did.
We are all on our own paths. We all experience the world differently. We all have particular values that have evolved over time and that may or may not mesh with others’ values and behaviours.
How I choose to respond, how I choose gratitude, is an indicator of how well I navigate my life. How I do one thing is how I do everything. It’s a check and balance for my willingness to live love!
I love my life! I am so blessed. And I’m grateful…even in and for the things that challenge me. Even if/when it takes me a ‘minute’ to get there. I’m developing an ‘attitude and habitude of gratitude.’
What will you be grateful for today?
Esther Sarlo, BA, Founder | CEO | Myndful Spark of Mynd Myself. More from Esther on www.myndmyself.com. ❦
BY ALEXANDRA NATHAN
NATURE MANDALAS
The therapeutic, earth connected, healing practice of creating mandalas in nature.
My journey began as I was at the beach with my three-year-old daughter. Coming out in nature had become a daily routine for us. It was a place to ground ourselves, find comfort, and feel supported in overwhelming times. It was also where we could allow ourselves to just be. Sitting in the sand, with my daughter’s spirit of play surrounding me, an inspired urge to create a mandala came through to me. At this time, I didn’t hold much understanding of what they were or their significance, so a very simple one was created at that moment on the beach. I felt inspired and further nudged to share the photos that I had begun to capture of our creations.
This initial urge to create was the beginning of a journey of creation, connection, and healing. Mandalas are a sacred, circular and geometric symbol that originated in India in the first century BCE. The word “mandala” comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “circle.” It represents the universe, unity, and the interconnectedness of all things, reminding us that life is ever-continuing. Mandalas are a form of art therapy, helping to ground and center, and to become more connected with oneself and the guidance that exists. They assist in bringing balance, reducing stress, and inspiring creativity.
In a society that encourages us to keep going and achieve more, it can be hard—and almost feel foreign—to slow down and just be. However, by keeping busy, we avoid our heart’s truth and the messages that our soul so deeply wants us to hear.
“I am not created or re-created by the noise and clatter of my life, by the rush and scurry, the relentless chase or the presumption that more gets more. No, I am created and re-created by moments of stillness and quiet. I am struck richer by a pure solitude that allows me to feel the world around me and lean into my place in it. I am not the rush of words in my life’s narrative. I am its punctuation. Its pauses and stops. I am my ongoing recharge; in this silence I am reborn.” —Excerpt from Embers by Richard Wagamese.
This one day at the beach was just the beginning of a now four-year-long journey. I surrendered to the act of creating, and I believe Mother Earth and the essence of mandalas showed me the way. Creating in nature and on the beach, with bare feet in the sand, brought me in a deep connection with the earth. ‘Earthing’—bare skin touching the earth— has amazing benefits to our being. Combining this with the healing art of mandalas has a powerful effect. It slows
Photos: Beach Mandalas. photo credit: Alexandra Nathan
us down, making us present, paying attention to the small details, and giving it our presence.
These outward expressions invite our inner being to do the same—giving space to truly hear and feel what is within, and also, in that space of quiet, to receive insight from our higher self and the divine spirit. In this act of expressing through creating, it allows for release. An openness and a connection begin to form. It reminds us of the macrocosm of the microcosm—that we are all One—and the sacredness of life.
Once complete, this beautiful creation is left behind as an offering to Mother Earth, and whomever stumbles across it. Soon, the rising tide and wind will return it to the wild, its essence swept around the world. It teaches us about impermanence, the act of detachment, and that nothing is ever here forever, allowing all to come and go. In Buddhism ceremonies, the mandalas made out of coloured sand are then destroyed and returned to the earth. Creating mandalas in nature—whether at the beach or in the forest—allows one to experience impermanence in the same way.
Looking back, I feel it was my soul calling out for something deeper. This journey of creating brought me further into connection with the earth, spirit, and myself. I always walk away feeling cleansed, connected, heard, and empowered. Truly I am put in awe. I come out more wholesome.
“My mind empties, my heart opens, my spirit soars.” — Excerpt from Embers by Richard Wagamese.
Allow me to take you on a journey of creating a mandala. I invite you to take a walk in nature, with the intention to slow down, and to be present with yourself and Mother Earth. Notice what is around you, and also what is within you, welcoming a holding space for it all. Might you take off your shoes and go barefoot? Let yourself be drawn to an area—be it beach, rock, or forest—a surface which can act like a canvas. Take a moment to stand firmly with your feet on the earth, close your eyes, take deep breaths.
Visualize roots growing down from your feet and into the earth, rooting you deeper and wider, stabilizing you, merging you with Mother Earth. As you breathe, allow the earth’s energy to slowly fill up your body. As you feel permeated, allow this energy to also extend beyond your being and out into the Universe. Continue to breathe here. Now visualize a white light extending from the top of your crown up to Father Sky, the great spirit, creating that connection between earth, you, and spirit.
Now breathe in this space until you feel ready to open your eyes. Set out and slowly walk, observing all the little things surrounding you. If you are on a beach, notice the different sizes, colours, and shapes of rocks, shells, driftwood, seaweed, feathers, bark, and leaves. I usually like to start with a centerpiece—something that catches my eye. From there, I create rounds of different objects, one circle at a time. Allow the process to lead you, putting the thinking mind to rest and surrendering to this present moment. Notice what feelings
and thoughts arise. Continue the process of creating until you feel it is complete.
Now I invite you to sit with your mandala. Observe it, and feel its energy. What is it telling you? What are you feeling? Bring a journal along and write everything that comes to you. You may also choose to ask to receive any additional guidance and see what comes through. You can close your eyes for this. Once you are complete, take a moment in reflection to notice how you felt prior to starting this practice, and now.
Thank yourself for taking this time, thank Mother Earth and Father Sky. Take a photo of your beautiful art, as a reminder, and to share with friends and family. You can follow my creations through #rootedfromwithin or connect via mandalasfromwithin@gmail.com for any information about mandala workshops or my art.
May this article be the start of your mandala journey! Blessings to you. ❦
Photo Credit: geranimo
By TERRY FOLKS
Slush Strategy for Integrated Holistic Health
The underlying precept of all my work is my core belief that as each of us heal ourselves, we are contributing to the overall wellness of our collective humanity, and in turn healing the planet that nourishes us. My Slush Strategy, which I offer here, falls under this basic principle of all my work, but it also captures the four realms of a well-balanced life from my Wellness Wheel teachings.
Let me explain. When I first meet an individual, I am honoured to serve, or when I speak at women’s health symposiums, I open with the Wellness Wheel because it invites reflection on the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual domains in a wellbalanced whole life. As a spiritually integrated, holistic psychotherapist, I am constantly creating new strategies that incorporate all four domains from my Wellness Wheel teachings. My Slush Strategy is one of these creations.
As an eco-psychotherapist, I turn to nature as often as I can for my own nourishment and in the strategies I offer the people I serve. Nature teaches us the sacred pause. Smart land stewards leave fields fallow for the regeneration of the soil. Waves reach a peak, then lie slack before building again. We need only follow the guidance of Mother Earth, for Her invitation to build sacred pauses between activities.
Some of the professional women I serve have a beautiful box on the passenger seat of their car where they ritualistically put the job, with its attendant worries and cares before they head home. Others make it a practice to stop by the ocean and simply breathe for a moment before going grocery shopping or home.
So many of the women I serve race frantically from one activity to another, with barely a pause for breath. The undercurrent of anxiety that accumulates over the course of a day can negatively affect their physical and emotional health. I offer my Slush Strategy to mitigate this.
I call it “slush” because that fudgy, soppy, wet brown stuff is what shows up on sidewalks, curbs, and roads between a beautiful fresh snowfall and the gradual melting to deep puddles. Slush is the in-between stuff.
I invite my clients to spend some time here—in the in-between times, the transitions between activities, the movement from one space to another. The challenge is to build a simple ritual or sacred pause during those times—at the end of work, for example, and the entry into your home; between visiting someone in the hospital and cooking dinner; between a difficult conversation and picking the kids up at soccer.
In the second chapter of my book, Another Spring: A Year of Self Therapy and Spiritual Practices for Every Woman, I teach my stillness-in-solitude practice and encourage readers to incorporate these sacred pauses during their daily round. A stillness-in-solitude event means no movement, no phone, no tablet, no person, no food, no distraction for at least twelve minutes. When I teach Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing), I advise clients to be still in the forest for at least twelve minutes. This is the length of time I have found that it takes for the creatures, birds, trees, and other flora and fauna to adjust to your presence and greet you. I invite you to try this practice as you incorporate the slush strategy in your daily life.
If you set your intention to incorporate my Slush strategy into your day, you will be calmer, more grounded, and rejuvenated as you move into your next activity. Enjoy.
If you would like to see a short reel explaining my Slush Strategy, go to my YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/shorts/uPssF4M7m9c ❦
Photo Credit: ITS outsider
Photo Credit: maridav
EmpoweringWomen in Recovery
Hemi’s Holistic Healing Centre Society Launches
Transformational Programs in Kelowna
In the heart of Kelowna, British Columbia, a groundbreaking initiative is offering women a path to healing, empowerment, and transformation. Hemi’s Holistic Healing Centre Society, renowned for its compassionate approach to wellness, is launching two recovery programs designed to support women on their journey to overcoming addiction or embracing a sober curious lifestyle.
A FRESH START: PROGRAMS BEGIN FEBRUARY 3, 2025
Hemi’s Holistic Healing Centre Society is proud to introduce two unique programs that cater to women’s diverse needs:
1. Intensive Addiction Recovery Program: Tailored for women ready to break free from the grips of addiction, this traumainformed program provides the deep support and tools needed for sustainable recovery. Day Program: Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM (Pre-registration and screening required).
2. Sober Curious Wellness Program: A welcoming space for women exploring an alcohol-free lifestyle, this program is free of stigma and labels. Participants focus on building confidence, cultivating healthy habits, and discovering the joys of a vibrant, sober life. Evening Program: Monday to Friday (Pre-registration and screening required).
Both programs offer flexible durations of two weeks, 30 days, 60 days, or 90 days, allowing participants to progress at their own pace. These programs foster a sense of community through the “WE” approach, emphasizing connection and shared growth.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WELLNESS
Hemi’s Holistic Healing Centre Society sets itself apart by providing an inclusive and supportive environment that celebrates diversity. The center welcomes participants from all walks of life, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and stay-athome moms. Their offerings include:
• Individual and group counselling.
• Support meetings (AA/NA/CODA).
• Trauma therapy and movement sessions.
• Relapse prevention and life skills training.
• Inspiring guest speakers and hands-on workshops.
• Nutritious daily lunches to nourish body and mind.
MEET THE INSPIRING TEAM
The programs at Hemi’s Holistic Healing Centre Society are guided by a team of dedicated professionals:
Kristy Kemp (Day Program Director): A Métis knowledge carrier and trauma-informed expert, Kristy brings her experience as a mother of twins and a compassionate healer to the program.
Alex Vigue (Evening Program Director): Alex is a certified coach, writer, and co-host of the popular podcast Let’s Not Sugarcoat It. Having conquered her own struggles with alcohol, Alex’s journey—shared through her Instagram @ ontheothersideofthebottle—is a beacon of hope for others.
Dhorea Ramanula: A Visionary Leader: At the helm of Hemi’s Holistic Healing Centre Society is its founder, Dhorea Ramanula, a Métis, Black, and Caucasian advocate who has made transformative strides in mental health and addiction recovery. With over two decades of experience, including groundbreaking work in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Dhorea is an unstoppable force for change. Her achievements include co-founding National Suicide Awareness Day, producing an award-winning documentary, and authoring the bestselling book Let’s Not Sugarcoat It: Real, Raw, and Unfiltered. In 2024, Dhorea’s impact earned her international recognition, including a Times Square feature for International Women’s Day.
TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD A BRIGHTER FUTURE
Whether you’re ready to overcome addiction or explore a sober lifestyle, Hemi’s Holistic Healing Centre Society offers the tools, community, and support to help you thrive. Join a growing community of empowered women transforming their lives one day at a time.
Location: Trinity Church, 1905 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC
Contact: Call or text 250-718-4329
Email info@hemishealingcentre.com
Website: www.hemishealingcentre.com
Instagram: @hemisholistichealing
Embark on your journey of healing and empowerment today!
Photo: Early Winter drone image of Raven Ridge. Photo Credit: Tono Robles.
BY ERIKA TAFEL
ROOTED IN RESILIENCE: Building Wellness and Community at Raven Ridge
In 2001, we took a leap of faith and purchased 22 acres of raw, off-grid land we now call Raven Ridge. It was a sprawling expanse of untouched forest, with a rundown cabin tucked deep in the British Columbia woods. Rock Creek, with its rural location, was worlds apart from the modern conveniences and luxuries to which my husband and I had grown up with. Yet, it was the perfect canvas for our dreams of a life rooted in self-sufficiency and intentional living. That bold decision would shape our family’s future for over two decades and stands as an enduring legacy of what vision and resilience can achieve.
From the very beginning, our mission was clear: to reclaim our time, embrace a sustainable lifestyle, and build a life that reflected our core values. Armed with blind determination, limited resources, and a vision of a better future, we dove into the daunting task ahead. Logging and milling began almost immediately. Every tree we harvested became lumber for the off-grid homes and businesses that were still just dreams on paper. As the forest grew around us, so too did our confidence. The small LumberMate Bandsaw mill we brought with us turned out to be a truly magical tool.
What we didn’t fully realize at the time was that each log we milled wasn’t just shaping our home, it was laying the foundation for a movement. The lessons of hard work, resourcefulness, and environmental stewardship became the pillars of our family’s philosophy. Living off the land taught us more than survival; it offered a deeper connection to the rhythms of nature. Yet, one of the most unexpected challenges wasn’t physical but social: building community. Before the pandemic, off-grid living often invited skepticism and misunderstanding. Attitudes have shifted, and with
them, opportunities for better community collaboration have blossomed. It’s a steep learning curve, but the rewards are undeniable.
In those early years, hunting became an essential part of life at Raven Ridge. Our children were raised on wild meat, learning firsthand the importance of respecting the land’s resources. With deer plentiful in the woods around us, we embraced the challenges of sourcing our own food and rediscovering skills that have gradually slipped away across generations. Each season brought its unique bounty, teaching us when to harvest and when to let nature replenish itself. Through it all, we forged a profound relationship with our water source as well, learning to care for it as a lifeline and a legacy.
In parallel, we made the decision to homeschool our children, weaving their education seamlessly into our own lives. This choice allowed us to turn everyday experiences into meaningful lessons. We viewed the world as our classroom, with nature and resource management serving as hands-on instructors. Our lessons unfolded in the lush outdoors, where education came alive through the context of our daily tasks. Learning never felt like work, it felt like life.
One of our most cherished teachers was William “Bill” Riley, a local wildcrafter and the subject of Joey Walker’s film Living Wild . Bill spent countless hours with us, particularly mentoring our eldest daughter. He shared the secrets of the forest, teaching her how to harvest materials to craft bows and arrows. Together, they built structures using only the resources they could find nearby. Some of those structures still stand strong a decade later. Bill is, without a doubt, one of the most unique and extraordinary individuals I’ve ever had
the privilege to know. His influences and teachings are woven into the very fabric of Raven Ridge.
While my daughters spent their childhoods frolicking in the woods, I found myself reflecting on my own. In the quiet hours, while my family slept, I began writing about my childhood experiences within the Quebec juvenile justice system. It was a deeply personal and often painful journey, but after seven years of dedication, Slave to the Farm was finally published in 2013. At the time, completing the book felt like poetic closure to a confusing and tumultuous period in my life. But, as it turned out, it was not an ending, it was a new beginning. In the next chapter of my story, I was firmly in the driver’s seat, equipped with the tools and perspective to thrive. The days of simply surviving were finally behind me.
Over the years, we faced countless challenges. Severe weather is a reality for many, but living off-grid in a rural location adds layers of complexity. Limited resources and manpower mean we often have to face these trials on our own. This tests our community resilience. One of the most harrowing moments came in 2015, when a wildfire started just over five kilometers from our home. The blaze quickly advanced, eventually roaring to within 200 meters of our property line. We were among the lucky ones though, our home was spared. But the fire left a devastating mark on the whole community. Thirty local families lost their homes, their dreams reduced to ashes in a matter of days. That wildfire was a sobering reminder of nature’s power and the resilience required to live so closely intertwined with it.
Yet, living off-grid also demands vigilance, not just against external threats like wildfires but in the ongoing maintenance of the property itself. A single moment of complacency or
procrastination can have devastating consequences, as we learned all too well in 2023. The first home we built, which had become the heart of our new offgrid hostel, was lost to a chimney fire. That fire cost us more than the hostel, it was a painful lesson in the unforgiving nature of this lifestyle, where diligence and preparation are non-negotiable. The building and all of its contents were lost. Another reality of many off-grid properties is that there was no insurance. The silver lining was that no one got hurt.
Raven Ridge Hostel was born out of our evolving needs and goals. We launched our off-grid business shortly after the Rock Creek fire, but from the moment the land became ours, it has been a shared journey. Dozens of people have lived with us at the Ridge, leaving their mark, both literally and symbolically. Their hammer and saw marks are on every project we’ve started and their participation in our life has been profound.
Before the fire, the hostel welcomed international guests from across the globe. Through these connections, we became part of a vibrant global community, and our circle of family and friends expanded with every visitor who shared our space.
All of this was made possible by the 2,500-square-foot underground home we began building in 2009. Progress was slow but rewarding as we logged, milled, and found creative ways to finance the experimental construction. By 2015, when the Rock Creek fire swept through, the house was only 75% complete. Yet we moved in, determined to make it work, and opened the doors of the hostel, marking the beginning of a new chapter.
Photo: Front door & Greenhouse being built of underground house. Photo credit: Erika Tafel.
The days between moving into the house and the lockdowns of 2020 linger like echoes of a nostalgic yesteryear. The hopeful visions of the future we held back then now seem naïve in hindsight. The political paradigm that once shaped our entire worldview has since crumbled. While we were grateful to be ahead of the curve, “running to the hills” just months after 9/11, nothing could have prepared us for the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic years. Yet, even in the face of such uncertainty, we adapted and found new ways.
During the lockdowns, an old friend reached out with a question that would make us take a good hard look at ourselves: “How underground are you?”, she asked. She was speaking on behalf of a music promoter looking for a venue to host a New Year’s Eve “protest” party. It was her connection that set everything in motion, leading to Revamp 2020/2021 here at Raven Ridge. The event, a rebellious celebration in defiance of the regulated isolation we were all experiencing, set in motion a freight train of new possibilities for Raven Ridge, but also got the attention of the police.
Building a relationship with the local police during that time frame was an unexpected but positive experience that challenged some long-held biases. One officer, in particular, stood out, making it his mission to forge a connection based on mutual respect. On his invitation, we participated in a restorative justice circle to address community concerns. It changed our lives.
Meanwhile, Raven Ridge was evolving into something inconceivable even a
Left: Raven Ridge Hostel before the fire, 2023. Right top: Vaughn, resident of Raven Ridge since 2001. Photo Credits: Erika Tafel. Right Bottom: Guests at the Know Sweat Sauna. Photo credit: Warren Smith.
year earlier. Over the course of a few seasons, we have built a stage, camping area, concession kitchen, showers, and a general store, all using recycled materials and lumber from our mill, just as the houses had been. What started as a small off-grid homestead, then hostel, quickly transformed into a vibrant festival venue, complete with solar-powered laser beam guitars. Our stage has hosted international artists as well as to first-time performers with five hundred guests being our largest crowd to date. A true challenge to our creativity, sustainability, and community effort.
Raven Ridge is more than just a venue. It's a space where a new future is brought to life. By sharing our table with others, we’ve fostered unique and transformative experiences that resonate deeply. From drive-in movies under the stars to wellness seminars that challenge us to rethink our health and embrace balance, every event sparks growth. Our plant medicine ceremonies offer profound opportunities for introspection, while alternative lifestyle gatherings ignite meaningful conversations about complex and important topics. And, of course, karaoke nights remind us all to laugh and let loose. Specializing in one-of-a-kind events, Raven Ridge is about making a big impact while staying rooted in the intimacy and contentment of "small."
My husband and I are always dreaming of new ways to create something meaningful, not just for others but alongside them. Once again, a new chapter has begun for us, marked by a deeper sense of responsibility. Saying goodbye to the matriarch of my own family early in 2023, and then my husband’s mother so early in this new year, we now find ourselves stepping
into the role of elders. Watching our daughters continues to inspire us with their remarkable passions. Our oldest is devoted to animals and preserving traditional skills like wildcrafting and foraging, ensuring these timeless practices endure. Meanwhile, our youngest, Livver Lilly (yes, with two Vs), has poured her heart into music, releasing her first album, Growing Pains, at just twenty years old. With a personal music venue right here on the land, the
possibilities for her future are limitless, who knows what might unfold?
The true gift of it all is found in the rare privilege of living a life that others only dare to dream. With my best friend at my side, we dance with the ebb and flow of our blessings, steadfast in our shared vow to spend the rest of our days HEALING HUMANITY!
www.ravenridgehostel.com ❦
Photo: Will Pedlar and Val admiring the stage. Photo Credit: Olivia Tafel.
Photo Credit: nitr
BY TEENA CLIPSTON
Salad Ideas for More Energy Fuel Your Day the Delicious Way
When life gets busy, it can be easy to fall into a pattern of quick, processed meals that leave you feeling sluggish. But what if the solution to your energy slump was as simple as tossing together a vibrant, nutrient-packed salad? Salads aren’t just for dieters or side dishes; they can be creative, filling, and a powerhouse of energy-boosting ingredients. Here are some original salad ideas that will help you stay energized throughout your day.
The Green Energy Boost Salad
This salad is packed with greens that are rich in iron, chlorophyll, and magnesium—key nutrients for combating fatigue.
Ingredients:
• Kale (massaged with olive oil and lemon juice for tenderness)
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Sliced avocado
• Edamame
• Cucumber ribbons
• Pumpkin seeds
• A sprinkle of nutritional yeast
Dressing: A zesty blend of tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Why it works: The combination of magnesium-rich greens, healthy fats from avocado, and protein-packed edamame keeps your blood sugar steady and your energy levels up.
Rainbow Revival Salad
Eating a rainbow isn’t just beautiful; it’s a fantastic way to get a variety of vitamins and antioxidants.
Ingredients:
• Shredded red cabbage
• Grated carrots
• Baby spinach
• Cherry tomatoes
• Yellow bell pepper slices
• Blueberries
• Walnuts
• Feta cheese (optional)
Dressing: A tangy orange vinaigrette made with fresh orange juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and a touch of honey.
Why it works: This salad combines fiber-rich vegetables with natural sweetness from blueberries and orange juice, providing sustained energy and a boost of antioxidants.
Protein Power Salad
For those long days when you need a meal that truly satisfies, this proteinpacked salad is the way to go.
Ingredients:
• Mixed greens (romaine, spinach, and arugula)
• Grilled chicken or tempeh
• Hard-boiled egg
• Quinoa
• Chickpeas
• Sliced avocado
• Sunflower seeds
Dressing: A creamy Greek yogurtbased ranch dressing with dill and chives.
Why it works: Quinoa and chickpeas provide complex carbs and plant-based protein, while chicken or tempeh adds an extra protein punch to keep you going.
Mediterranean Energy Bowl
Take a trip to the Mediterranean with flavors that are as energizing as they are delicious.
Ingredients:
• Romaine lettuce and baby spinach
• Cherry tomatoes
• Kalamata olives
• Artichoke hearts
• Sliced red onion
• Cucumber
• Grilled salmon or chickpeas
• Crumbled feta
Dressing: A classic olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette with a dash of oregano.
Why it works: The healthy fats from salmon or olives and fiber from the veggies help maintain energy without the crash.
Tropical Energy Boost Salad
Bring a taste of the tropics to your table while fueling your day.
Ingredients:
• Butter lettuce
• Mango chunks
• Pineapple tidbits
• Shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• Grilled shrimp or tofu
• Cashews
• Lime zest
Dressing: A refreshing lime-coconut dressing made with coconut milk, lime juice, and a touch of ginger.
Why it works: This salad combines quick-digesting natural sugars with protein and healthy fats for balanced energy.
Ingredients:
• Romaine lettuce and cilantro leaves
• Grilled corn (cut off the cob)
• Black beans
• Diced red bell peppers
• Sliced jalapeños
• Diced avocado
• Crushed tortilla chips (optional for crunch)
Dressing: A smoky chipotle-lime dressing made with Greek yogurt, lime juice, chipotle in adobo sauce, and garlic.
Why it works: Black beans and corn provide slow-burning energy, while the heat from jalapeños can boost metabolism.
Berry Bliss Energy Salad
For a sweet and refreshing pick-me-up, this salad is perfect for a midday energy boost.
Ingredients:
• Baby spinach and arugula
• Fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries
• Sliced almonds
• Goat cheese
Dressing: A light poppy seed dressing made with Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and a touch of honey.
Why it works: Berries are high in natural sugars and antioxidants, while almonds provide a dose of healthy fats to keep energy levels stable.
• Shredded chicken or tofu
• Toasted sesame seeds
Dressing: A sesame-ginger dressing made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, fresh ginger, and a touch of maple syrup.
Why it works: The balance of protein, healthy fats, and fiber in this salad helps prevent energy dips.
Energy Tips for Salads:
1. Balance Your Macronutrients: Include a mix of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates in your salad to create a well-rounded meal.
2. Use Fresh, Whole Ingredients: Opt for fresh, organic produce whenever possible for maximum nutritional value.
3. Don’t Forget the Dressing: A good dressing can add flavor and healthy fats, making your salad more satisfying.
4. Meal Prep for Convenience: Pre-chop ingredients and store them separately to make assembling your salads quick and easy.
5. Experiment with Textures: Combine crunchy, creamy, and chewy elements for a more enjoyable eating experience.
Spicy Southwest Energy Salad
Spice things up with bold flavors that will wake up your taste buds and your energy levels.
Asian-Inspired Energy Salad
A vibrant, tangy salad with a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients:
• Napa cabbage and bok choy
• Grated carrots
• Sliced radishes
• Edamame
Salads don’t have to be boring or leave you hungry. By mixing and matching these energizing ingredients and ideas, you can create meals that fuel your body and taste amazing. So grab your favorite greens, get creative, and enjoy the energy boost that only a fresh, delicious salad can provide!
