I love stories of miraculous cures that challenge status quo notions of medicine — stories of group prayers healing illness, terminal cancer eradicated by meditation and visualization, angels providing crucial information in times of need.
Skeptics claim such stories are instances of the placebo effect. I prefer to consider the mysterious possibilities of holistic healthcare — care that involves and addresses the client’s mental, spiritual, physical and social conditions, concerns and circumstances.
Healing is surely an intricate process. Why shouldn’t prevention and treatment be likewise multi-faceted? I’m not the only gal in town who feels this way.
In Whitehorse, Rah Rah Gallery owner Lauren Tuck is hosting Holistic Health Day on Saturday, May 4, to present a variety of holistic practitioners to the community. Admission is free, snacks and drinks will be served and most practitioners will be offering discounted rates for sample services.
“I find happiness and clarity in myself from this kind of work,” says Tuck. “I believe these healers have gifts to give and knowledge to share.”
Among those offering services are Ellen Brian, a Tarot reader and astrologer; Louise Hardy MA, a creative art therapist; Jim Zheng a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor; Alison Zeidler, a practitioner of Quantum Touch, which is described on the Quantum Touch website as a method “to focus and amplify life-force energy (or chi, bioenergy, prana) by combining various breathing and energy awareness exercises.”
Andrea Schlupp will be presenting her methodologies at the event. Schlupp is a registered nurse and has two decades of training in shamanic healing, counselling and mediumship. She also offers such alternative healing modalities such as Reiki, Healing Touch and energy balancing.
“(I work) with the land, the environment, people, houses, etc.,” she says. “Everything has spirit and can be asked for help and assistance to understand illness and dysfunction.”
Another health service Schlupp offers is to assist people who have sick pets. Her method is to conduct communication sessions the animal by entering a meditative state.
“I establish a telepathic link to the animal like tuning into a radio station or frequency until I have a clear reception,” Schlupp says. “I might see the animal and have a real conversation, other animals show me pictures of themselves of the past and their feelings. People ask me for an animal communication because their pet is sick and the vet cannot help any longer or there might be behaviour problems that need to be addressed and better understood.”
Another practitioner of alternative healing methods is Rebecca Nelken, an angel card reader certified in the Doreen Virtue program. She will offer brief angel card readings at the event on Saturday. Nelken has been developing lucid dream and Tarot practices since she was a child. In keeping with the idea that holistic health treats the whole person, the idea behind the angel card readings is to help clients uncover the roots of health problems by endeavouring to connect with angels so they can speak to us and guide one’s spirit and mind.
“My ultimate goal is to be of service to those wanting inner peace, freedom and self-love in their life,” says Nelken.
Nelken says angels are not like the common image of angels we are used to.
“I do not see muscular, winged people,” she says. “Angels are defined by a distinct energy that operates on a much more profound and higher frequency than humans are capable of. The cards are used as a tool in order for the energy of the angels to communicate a bit more clearly. There are numerous ways angels communicate — through dreams, strong gut feelings, strangers helping you, coins, feathers and visions. Angels are non-denominational, so regardless of your religious beliefs or non-beliefs their energy helps us all.”
Holistic Health Day takes place on Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Rah Rah Gallery, located at 6159 – 6th Ave.
