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Let Your Light Shine
“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold." - Aristotle
Today, December 21st, marks the winter solstice, which brings us the shortest day and longest night of the year. The origin of the word solstice comes from the Latin, solstitium – sol, which means sun and stitium, meaning stoppage.
Solstice celebrations have been observed since ancient times and there are many ways to celebrate the significance of winter solstice. Here are a few:
Embrace the darkness. As the sun sets, turn off all electronics and lights. Consider using candles as a tranquil light source and reflect on the darkness. Use the dim lighting to help you turn inward and tune into your internal, quiet voice. Be grateful in your meditation as you focus on the gift of life. Enjoy this opportunity for quiet contemplation and perhaps set an intention for the coming year. Invite the impending light into your heart and vow to live joyfully and thankfully.
Light up the night. An ancient proverb advises, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” Why not celebrate solstice by chasing away the darkness? Gather around a large outdoor bonfire and celebrate the return of light. You may wish to take this opportunity to write down anything you may want to let go of, tossing it into the fire. Releasing it into the past. Bask in the warm glow of the fire as you welcome the new beginning.
Be festive. Solstice doesn’t have to be a meditative, quiet and/or somber experience. It can be joyful and lighthearted, too! Build a cozy fire in the fireplace. Gather friends and family (virtually is fun, too) for a festive evening of food, drink and fellowship. You may even encourage costumes, such as sunbeams and stars. Decorate your home with the seasonal gifts of nature such as fir branches, pine cones and holly.
However you choose to celebrate the solstice, take a moment to offer up gratitude for the gifts in your life. We here at Healer Within Foundation are so very grateful for the gifts each of you bring to the HWF community.
Be well and be the light,
Your friends at the Healer Within Foundation
2021 Fellowship Winner Announced
It is our great honor to announce the winner of the 2021 Healer Within Foundation Practice Leader Fellowship, David Lehman! David is shown below left, along with HWF Board and and Fellowship Committee Member, Ben Felcher-Leavitt.
The HWF Practice Leader Fellowship Program seeks to identify and support remarkable individuals who cultivate practice groups with people, and in traditionally underserved communities, to increase the availability of self-healing for all people.
David Lehman is one of these remarkable individuals which the Fellowship Program hopes to honor. He regularly volunteers his time, sharing the healing practices of Tai Chi and Qigong, to populations which may not otherwise have the opportunity to practice.
One of the groups which benefit from David's generosity of spirit and knowledge is the Samadhi Recovery Community Outreach Center, a non-profit, mindfulness-based addiction recovery center located in Kingston, New York. David currently leads Tai Chi Easy™ practice at the center and hopes to expand his volunteer offerings to them in the future.
Congratulations, David! Thank you for all you do!
Read more about the HWF Practice Leader Fellowship Program HERE.
5th Saturday Gatherings In 2022
We were asked recently, "What exactly is a 5th Saturday Gathering on the Cloud?" The short answer is, "Awesome!" That said, this special series of virtual informational meetings includes a wide range of topics, to help you with your own personal practice, while also enriching your development as a leader/teacher.
Our 2022, 5th Saturday Meeting Schedule (note there are 5 next year):
January 29 - Mindful Medicine: An Integrative Approach for Healthy Aging
April 30 - Radiant Health - Mindful Living
July 30 - Understanding the Brain Disease of Addiction: The Importance of Qigong/Tai Chi Practices in the Recovery Process
October 29 - Understanding Alzheimer's Disease: Research, Prevention and Reversing Progression
December 31 - The Amazing Health Benefits of Sleep and Nature
Gatherings on the Cloud begin at noon PST/3:00 pm EST and last for approximately 60-90 minutes.
If you haven't already, please sign up now to RSVP for this special series of Zoom/Facebook Live meetings to make friends, get support, and stay in touch with others who lead practice and care about health and wellness!
Remember, only those who have signed up can join via Zoom and will receive links to replays! Space is limited so secure your spot on the cloud today!
Empowered Relief Course: January 22nd
 Join instructor Josie Weaver (pictured left), on Saturday, January 22 at Noon PT/3:00pm ET, for a powerful 2-hour LIVE interactive presentation focused on relief from chronic pain. Josie will feature Qigong breath and movement exercises rooted in the Empowered Relief™ pain skills course developed by Stanford University pain scientist, Dr. Beth Darnall.
Click HERE for an informative article entitled, Empowered Relief: Meeting the Needs of a Nation in Pain, written by Dr. Darnall and featured in Psychology Today.
If you are alive, you will at some point experience pain in your life. How you think and feel about pain will, in many ways, determine your pain experience. This presentation will explain why this is so and provide you tools to handle pain or support others in your life, who may be experiencing prolonged or chronic pain.
Cost for this informative and empowering presentation is only $47. Course space fills quickly so please click HERE to register today!
Welcome New Tai Chi Easy™ Practice Leaders
A very special thank you to the training team of Lorrie Formella, Cynthia Maltenfort and Anuja Bakshi. Their leadership and care made our final online Tai Chi Easy™ Practice Leader certification training of 2021 such a positive experience for the students shown below!
STAY TUNED FOR 2022 TRAINING INFORMATION as there is much more to come! We will keep you updated on the status of online (and when conditions allow) in-person Tai Chi Easy™ Practice Leader certification training opportunities - and other online educational offerings - as details become available. Please email [email protected] to be placed on the online training information list.
HWF December FUN-draising!
In this season of giving, we wish to spotlight two HWF year-end fundraising campaigns happening during the month of December.
First, the HWF Sustainability Committee has recently created a wonderful practice tool entitled, Four Baskets: Qigong Practice Cards (shown below). Designed to enhance your practice, a suggested use for the deck is to choose 5 to 10 cards to help guide your practice routine. Cards include practices in breath, meditation, gentle movement and self-applied massage.
During the month of December, those making a donation of $75 or more to HWF, will receive a complimentary deck (a $29.95 value) as a token of appreciation! Currently, there are a limited number of card decks available, and decks will not be available for sale until mid-January. Make your $75+ donation HERE to be one of the first to receive a copy of this extremely helpful practice resource!
Also, the Foundation has a new apparel design sure to inspire (shown below). Let everyone know you are Powered By Qi!
Several styles and colors are available of this new design. Click HERE to order yours today! Click HERE to see ALL the HWF designs available through Bonfire at any time.
All profits help to fund the advancement of our mission, "Healer Within Foundation advances community-based Qigong/Tai Chi and other self-healing, body-mind-spirit practices through collaborations with individuals and organizations, to sponsor trainings, community practice groups and research."
Thank you for your support! Be well!
HWF Website Login Instructions - Please Read!
We'd like to invite you to explore the Healer Within Foundation website! We continue to add new content, most recently launching the HWF Blog, which we hope you will read and add your comments, too. To login, you will first need to set up your password. Click here to update your Password. Once updated, you can login here, using your Username - - and new Password.
While you are logged in, please complete your profile (it is searchable to help other HWF community members find you)! Logging in allows you to make a donation securely, see our community member-only content such as the files on the Organize an Event page and to sign up for events such as the Gathering in the Cloud meetings.
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