By Tom Rosshirt Wanna know how messed up I am? I went to a retreat last year where we were asked to bring a “sacred object” and tell others about it – and I spent ten hours preparing a two-minute talk. Why?! Because it wasn’t enough for me to give a good talk, or even a heartfelt one. I had…
By Kathryn Hayward, M.D. Our Mallorcan friend, Catalina Genestra Villalonga, is the inspiring leader of the International Integrators project 4 COS4S. When Caty became involved with International Integrators, she read El Estudio de China (The China Study), which immediately affected her awareness of her own eating patterns and those of her two school-aged nephews and their friends. “It’s nothing like…
By Maia Ibar I have always been passionate about sound since I was a child. Music got me through almost every emotional situation I have ever experienced. Music has helped me explore all emotions more deeply, whether they be sadness, anger, happiness, excitement, fear, disgust or surprise. Sound has brought me back to moments of my life that I want…
By David L. Thomas, Jr. Pedro, over dinner the other night, expressed admiration for President Obama’s January 5th public tears. Pedro is the former President of Parliament of our region in Spain, so he has given lots of impassioned speeches about many causes he has championed. Neither he, nor any European politician, has had to stand up in front of…
By Kathryn Hayward, MD Years ago, I had a dream in which the infinity symbol appeared. In the same dream, I saw myself creating an Integrative Health practice, and calling it Odyssey. We often encourage each other to “follow our dreams,” and I did that with Odyssey. I opened the practice in 2004, worked nights and weekends with Odyssey participants,…
By Kathryn Hayward, MD Leaders like Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who helped end the violence, misery and separation of apartheid in South Africa, have shown us how to break cycles of violence. They forgave their oppressors and established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission “to enable South Africans to come to terms with their past on a morally accepted…
By Kathryn Hayward, MD A few years ago, I was facilitating a group of medical students in a self-reflection exercise. After sharing, listening, weeping and hugging, we stood in a circle and pressed the palms of our hands together and brought them to our hearts. I looked deeply into the eyes of each student in the circle and said, “Namaste….
By Kathryn Hayward, M.D. In the post 9/11 era as the United States took the war to Iraq and Afghanistan, I saw a bumper sticker on a car driving in front of me that said: “We’re making enemies faster than we can kill them.” I recalled that message this week during the xenophobic hysteria fueled by Donald Trump’s clarion call…
By Kathryn Hayward, MD A friend who had been planning to attend the Paris COP-21 climate summit cancelled her trip because of the terrorist attacks. She is in good company. Many flights to Paris are 50% empty, and cancellations include attendance at the summit by the President of Iran, all rugby matches, concerts by U2, Motorhead, Marilyn Manson and the…
By Kathryn Hayward, M.D. I love the thrill of singing with a group. At times I feel I will explode with joy. I never click on ads on the internet. But this one grabbed me. Have you seen the YouTube video (4 minutes) of the Breathless Choir? It just came out on November 17, 2015 and it already has 2.7 million…