Most people talk about faith as the absence of fear, but I disagree. I have faith, and I get scared. It’s just that I know fear is not life-giving, and faith is. I move in spite of fear these days, and it’s made all the difference in the quality of my life. This is what faith delivered this week, to let me know life was giving to me. And really, that’s all I need to know anyway. Life sustains me. And I pay attention to it. Most people talk about faith like a last resort, in

BESIDE RESTFUL WATERS A Column by Greg Hermann As I continue my study of our Yogic way of life, I have been frequently reminded of the need to take our asana (posture) practice 'off the mat.' I find it much easier to finish my posture practice, roll up my mat, and then get on with the rest of my day. NOT! So many of our efforts begin with setting an intention. The fact that we embrace a practice of yoga has an overt intention, whether I verbalize it or not. When I f

BESIDE RESTFUL WATERS A Column by Greg Hermann I was recently asked to share a “few sentences” about volunteering. Hmmm? What can be said by me in just a few sentences? That is not nearly enough space to expound the humanitarian benefits of my role as a volunteer. Obviously my first thoughts provided me a mental battle between my desire to save the world and my humility. How can this be said without bragging? Consistent with our spirituality of finding answers befo

BESIDE RESTFUL WATERS A Column by Greg Hermann “Direct lessons of faith come through the doorway of doubt...” Christina Sell,Yoga International, Summer 2012 You caught me! I'm reading some articles from back issues of 'Yoga International'. As I was reading through this article, the statement quoted above made me stop. I was genuinely stunned by the profound nature of this simple experience. I mused over what I expected should be my rock-solid faith given a life tim

BESIDE RESTFUL WATERS: A Column By Greg Hermann This saga begins with our plans to remodel our kitchen. I agreed to complete the tear out part of the job to save a little money. OK, a lot of money. So I began with removal of the old floor, ceramic tile over cement board, which had been screwed down over the old floor, with lots of screws. LOTS of screws. So my plan was to avoid unscrewing the cement board and just covering it with plywood. Hmmm? My plan? This was a very ted

As the days get longer we get excited and want to spend more time outdoors. This is natural and it also gives us a chance to practice “Ahimsa” or non-harming. As we move outdoors we have ample opportunities to breathe, reflect, and observe. We usually start with the “breathe of fresh air” and then notice the good feeling that comes along with it (hopefully) a relaxed feeling). As you breathe and relax you might start to reflect on this past winter. Then you might start thin

A community acupuncture clinic is now part of the many healing arts services available at the Center. Like private acupuncture sessions, community acupuncture offers individualized treatments, but in a group setting, allowing the acupuncturist to care for more than one patient at a time. Unlike private acupuncture services that often start at $50 and commonly go as high as $150, fees for community acupuncture are offered on a sliding scale where the patient decides what they

BESIDE RESTFUL WATERS A Column by Greg Hermann During a recent conversation with a friend, we shared experiences of holding our first grandchild. She spoke of the emotional change in her husband when he held his grandchild for the first time. I shared my experience as well. The question was asked “Why is it so different with grandchildren than with our own children?” I responded “It cracked me open.” Yes, it cracked me open! Now I sit and ponder this statement. W

BESIDE RESTFUL WATERS “Each day we find the courage to create ourselves anew.” From: Answers in the Heart With our techno communications these days, I am bombarded with clever sayings that I usually dismiss with the thought that "Oh, that’s nice." This one from Answers in the Heart stuck with me and has held my attention for the past couple of weeks. Why? I believe that it has to do with the word “courage.” I am slowly redefining courage. I have generally app

Photo By Lora Vahlsing The Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing (the Center) offers a number of community outreach programs that bring yoga and its benefits to groups that may not otherwise have access to such programming. In February, it began offering a yoga course specifically designed for elders at the Woodlands Senior Park. “Joyful, Gentle Yoga for Elders” is a series intended to bring the benefits of yoga to the elders of the Woodlands community. Suzann