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Walking (And Thriving) On Sunshine!
"Summertime is always the best of what might be." - Charles Bowden
We are all a bit conditioned to think of the final day of school or the community swimming pool’s opening day as, “the first day of summer.” In reality, the Northern Hemisphere celebrates the official start of summer on Friday, June 21 - the summer solstice.
The summer solstice offers more daylight than any other day of the year. The long days experienced during this time of year seem energizing. These light-filled, warm months seem to magically renew our spirit, while the sun influences everything from our sleep schedule to our mood.
So, are we actually healthier in the summer? Read on to see what a few experts have to say.
We really are in a better mood in the summertime: Philip Gehrman, the associate director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the University of Pennsylvania has confirmed that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is real…and we are generally happier during the sunny, summer season. “People tend to feel better in summer months,” Gehrman said. “There’s a slight elevation in our mood. More positive emotions are reported.” Natural sunlight better regulates your circadian rhythms than darkness. Those internal rhythms affect our sleep patterns, body temperature regulation and hormonal fluctuations, too.
Your brain is more active in the summer: Researchers from the University of Liege in Belgium found that brain activity, specifically attention and focus, peaked in June near the solstice and dipped most around the winter solstice. “Our findings indicate that, in addition to time of day, time of year influences higher cognitive brain function in healthy participants,” says lead author of the study, Christelle Meyer, M.D.
Simply waking up in the sun helps your mood: Similar to how sunlight can lift your mood, the lack of light in the winter poses a real challenge for many people. SAD has been brought to the forefront and has led to common complaints of, “winter depression.” Frank Scheer, director of the Medical Chronobiology Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital explains, “In wintertime, when the days are shorter, we are more likely to wake up when it’s still dark outside and before the circadian system stimulates wakefulness and improved mood.”
Take advantage of the extra sunlight this solstice season brings, soak up the sun (remember to protect your skin) and enjoy a healthy summertime. Let YOUR light shine!
Be well,
Your friends at the Healer Within Foundation
East & West: Tai Chi Easy™ Educational Gatherings
October 26, 2019 is the date of our upcoming Tai Chi Easy™ Educational Gathering events.
These special friend-raiser/fundraisers will be held on both the east (White Plains, NY.) and west coast (Carpinteria, CA. area) and will create the opportunity to gather together with colleagues and friends, practice the Vitality Method and Tai Chi Easy™ form and learn something new, too!
Events are being scheduled for 10:00 am to 3:00 pm local time and all proceeds from registrations will benefit the Healer Within Foundation Tai Chi Easy Dissemination Project.
Please save the date, watch for more information and plan to join us on October 26th!
Smiles In Salt Lake
See all the photos from this awesome training event at our Flickr page.
Organizational Trainings
 In addition to community-based, public Tai Chi Easy™ Practice Leader trainings, the Foundation can also bring training events to organizations who wish to hold private trainings for their employees and/or wellness staff.
Graduates of Tai Chi Easy™ Practice Leader training are fully empowered to help spread the knowledge throughout their organizations and to their communities at large, too! Organizations may choose to sponsor a low or no-cost community practice group, which can help foster a positive community image. Tai Chi Easy™ Practice Leader training is an amazing win/win opportunity to add to any corporate or organizational wellness program!
Find out more by contacting us and we will discuss how to bring this transformative, cost-effective training to your area and please see our Organizational Training Event Flyer for additional information.
5th Saturday Gathering: June 30th
 We are gearing up for yet another incredibly informative 5th Saturday Gathering On The Could! Plan to join us June 30 where our topic will be Teaching Special Needs Populations: Dementia, Parkinson's, etc..
We are delighted to have Kele Baker, Jana Eshaghian and IIQTC Senior Trainer, Roxanne Reynolds, join us as our panel. These panelists have rich experiences to share and will offer great insight on the practice of Tai Chi and Qigong in Dementia, Alzheimer's, Lupus and Parkinson's populations. Additionally, they will offer special advice on how to lead these groups, safely and effectively.
Mark your calendars now for our other 2019 5th Saturday gatherings:
August 31 - Healer2Healer: Unlocking Inner-Outer Powers and Resources with Self-Care thru Mind-Body-Spirit Medicine
November 30 -Tai Chi and Qigong for Emotional Health and Well-Being
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 meetings to make friends, get support, and stay in touch with others who lead practice and care about health and wellness! Space is limited so secure your spot on the cloud today!
Gifts Of Summer
Do you share our vision of, "A world of self-healing, wellness and vitality"? If so, consider making a difference by helping us bring the gift of good health to more people in 2019. Click the image below to make your donation today!
The Tai Chi Easy™ Dissemination Project is the catalyst of our goal, “Training thousands to improve the health of millions” and your support makes it possible for the Healer Within Foundation to bring community-based Qigong/Tai Chi and other self-healing body-mind-spirit-practices to greater numbers of people. So, make a difference...make your tax-deductible contribution or volunteer today. Thank you!
A Refreshing Time Of Year
Our community-based trainings (3-day trainings, not held at retreat centers) offer the opportunity  to "refresh" your Practice Leader training at a greatly reduced rate (refresh training is available to anyone who has completed Tai Chi Easy™ Practice Leader Training or Level 2 through IIQTC).
Also, if you are a Tai Chi Easy™ Senior Trainer, you refresh for FREE in 2019! That's right! Senior Trainers who agree to assist at a community-based training may refresh once - free of charge - in 2019! Please email Christie Ward for more information.
The Foundation currently has 10 upcoming
Tai Chi Easy™ Practice Leader Training events on the calendar for 2019, with new events being added regularly. Be an ambassador for good health and healing in your community and help us spread the word about these training opportunities!
Tai Chi Easy™ In The (Nebraska) News
We recently learned of a wonderful news article focusing on Community Practice Leader, Kim Haas, of Nebraska. Her story illustrates beautifully how the Tai Chi Easy™ Dissemination Project is alive, well and working, even in the most rural of areas! Click HERE to access the full article.
iMTQA Conference
 The International Medical Tai Chi and Qigong Association (iMTQA) is a relatively new organization whose purpose is to fill the role as the international professional body of accrediting and registering Tai Chi/Qigong Instructors who offer their services in medical and clinical settings. The goals of the iMTQA are to maintain standards of practice, support Western medical and health professionals in integrating Tai Chi and Qigong into current models of health care, and provide Tai Chi and Qigong instructors opportunities for continuing education and placement in clinical settings.
The iMTQA will hold its Silicon Valley Conference this June 7th through the 9th on the campus of San Jose State University in San Jose, California. General and registration information and the preliminary conference program are now available at their site, www.iMTQA.org.
HWF President, Josie Weaver, will be co-presenting at the conference with Qigong Institute President, Tom Rogers on the "Clinical Application of Qigong and Tai Chi for Chronic Pain."
If you are in the San Jose area, consider attending. Registration remains open at www.iMTQA.org.
Healer Within on Facebook and Flickr
Please follow the Healer Within Foundation Facebook and Flickr pages. Find our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/HealerWithinFoundation/ Our Flickr albums can be found at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/healerwithinfoundation/albums
 
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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