Lughnasadh (pronounced Lew-nah-sah) comes halfway between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. It is the first of three annual autumn harvest celebrations in the Celtic Wheel of the Year. This is the time of year when baskets are brimming with late summer berries, gardens are full of a wide range of vegetables,…

Keeping the Joy in Walking By Heartwood’s Yoga Therapist Sarah Westbrook, C-IAYT Lots of folks took up walking during the pandemic as an alternative to group classes. Even more folks turn to walking once they give up running, tennis or higher intensity sports. And there are a good number of golfers who walk the course…

What is Energy Healing? Energy Healing is committed, consistent care for your energy body. Your energy body includes your chakras and aura, and is referred to as the Astral body. The Astral body is your emotional body, and it’s where all of your patterns, behaviors, beliefs are held – the good stuff and the not so good…

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) there are five seasons, and each has a corresponding organ and element. The Liver, representing the Wood element, is most active during the Spring. It is considered the Great Conductor as its role is to move Qi throughout the entire body. One thing you might have been experiencing…

My life has been a journey of healing and growing driven by impacts from my own personal suffering, suffering of those in my inner circle and the suffering across humanity. I have recognized there is a connectedness with suffering; one’s suffering ripples out to others more than we can imagine.  Ultimately, I was not w…

Bodywork therapy has been used for centuries to promote healing, reduce stress and improve overall health. This holistic approach to wellness encompasses a range of techniques that I use in sessions with clients, which includes 12+ years of professional experience in Zen Shiatsu massage, Sotai Integrative Movement Ther…

We’ve been through a lot these past three years – and now we enter a season of very cold and bleak months to deal with once again. That’s probably why we have so many celebrations at this time of year – to get us through!  But this is also the season when we’re meant to slow down and get quiet. To rest, recharge and re…

“Both light and shadow are the dance of Love.” ~ Rumi I’ve highlighted my logo photograph to illustrate the value of darkness. Aren’t the shadows lovely? They draw me in. I want to dwell in them! They dance with the shell. They seem to caress the curves and lines. They define the curves and lines. Imagine this shell wi…

What does it mean to be mindful, aware, “woke,” or enlightened? How does one come to know what they didn’t know before? Who is equipped to accompany others on their quest towards broadening their perspectives? How do we support one another in a contemplative and compassion-filled lifestyle? People in the Evanston commu…

Heartwood Sangha is pleased to announce that Lama Rod Owens will offer teachings and guidance the weekend of March 31 to April 2. An author, activist, and authorized Lama in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Lama Rod calls himself a “Black Buddhist Southern Queen.” A leading voice in a new generation of Buddhist…