Cool wind whistled through the white pines, bringing the first hint of winter on this early September day. I was west of Chelsea, visiting the Great Lakes Herb Faire. The Faire provides classes for herbal and naturopathic practitioners and students, shared ceremony, and time for community meeting. Successful since it began in 2014, the Faire draws herbalists from around the country to speak and present, but its focus remains the Great Lakes region, its plants, and practitioners.
Posts filed under Issue #74
Motawi Tileworks--Local Craftswoman Nawal Motawi has Built the Leading Art Tile Manufacturing Business in the Country
Scattered throughout Ann Arbor, and in homes across the United States, the jaw-dropping showstopper of a renovation is a longed-for big statement and focal point boasting the lush colors, careful curves, and elegance of Motawi tile. Be it a rich palette of field tiles gleaming across a foyer, colored Celadon and Caribbean Blue, and framed with nature inspired accents, or a graceful interpretation of Charley Harper’s red birds, installed within a kitchen surround, becoming the trill and warm quiet of the woods, ceramic artist Nawal Motawi’s decorative, handmade tiles elevate the statement of the space.
Carnivores Unite! A Meat Eater's Guide to Supporting Local Farmers, Mongers, and Butchers
My passion for great food, and for those who produce and handle all aspects of providing it, is at times an obsession. I become a little rapt when meat and fish are involved because I have health issues that demand clean, healthy food, and environment. I place huge emphasis on the person behind the product when I embark on seeking out a farmer, hunter, monger, or purveyor. There is a symbiotic relationship between one who raises, gathers, and hunts animal meat and the end consumer. This relationship should be taken on with deep sincerity and thoughtfulness. I prefer, when possible, to purchase meat from animals bred and raised locally. The animals feed from grass in the pasture where they live and roam, until they are nearing full growth. At this point they are usually grain fed for higher fat marbling, but the lives of the animals are still cared for and properly managed.
Supporting Spirituality in Seniors
Years ago, when I was working as a geriatrician, I had a patient named Maria. She was an 82-year-old Italian woman who had been raised in a convent in Italy. She had crippling arthritis that gave her terrible back and knee pain, and was only minimally relieved by all the many medical interventions we tried. She spent most of her day on a narrow bed in her bedroom where she had a life-size statue of Saint Therese of Lisieux. She managed to drag herself to church every day where she insisted on painfully kneeling during Mass despite my attempts to convince her that God would hear her prayers just as well if she sat in the pew. Although I considered myself to be a spiritual person, I still found it hard to understand how her faith could sustain and allow her to keep going in a situation that most people would have found intolerable.
Roxane Chan--A Warrior’s Path
By Debbie Wollard
“Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself, and yourself alone… Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good. If it doesn’t, it is of no use.”
—Carlos Castaneda
Dr. Roxane Chan has been a nurse all of her career. She knew that she wanted to be a nurse early on, and even though, as she says, she was naïve and idealistic, somehow she also knew that nursing was a key part of her emotional and spiritual journey. She sees her role as nurse as a vocation, as a piece of who she is, rather than merely what she does for a living.
Chan grew up on the south side of Chicago in a family with a mixture of joys and dysfunction. “In my young life, with the struggles in my family, I didn’t see a clear path to happiness and wellness, until I discovered nursing. Somehow I knew that nursing was going to be my path from dysfunction to health.”
Chan has strong Italian roots and a deep faith shaped by her upbringing and broadened by her life experiences. She tells the stories of how two key women in her life set her on a spiritual and an intellectual path, and helped her link head and heart in all that she does. Her Aunt Shirley gave her books about strong women and encouraged her to read and to learn, giving her a very different message than she received from her teachers and parents. Neither her high school teachers nor her parents expected her to go to college, nor did they encourage her. She sent her own applications off and surprised them all when she was accepted into Northern Illinois University. Four years later, she received her bachelors degree in nursing, and again surprised everyone when she graduated with honors. “My parents were continually startled throughout my graduation ceremony, because I kept standing up as they called my name for honors. In contrast, they were very excited that I was in the NIU Marching Band, and told their friends with pride of that achievement.” Submitting her own college applications, and following through on her acceptance into college by going, was the first time that Chan can remember advocating for herself and charting a course with intention and conviction.
The second woman of note in Chan’s life was her neighbor Angie, who shared her spiritual practices openly, and showed Chan for the first time that there were women priests. Although they didn’t call themselves that, she recognized Angie as a spiritual teacher and watched her carefully. Angie burned palms and said prayers in such a way that it helped Chan begin to create her own rituals. She was raised in the Catholic church and was drawn to the practices of that faith that gave her peace and a firm foundation.
Read related article: The Crazy Wisdom Interview with Dr. Molly McMullen-Laird and Dr. Quentin McMullen, Founders of the Rudolf Steiner Health Center, on Anthroposophic Medicine
She went to public school, but for first communion and confirmation classes the public school students joined the Catholic School preparations. The Catholic School children all wrote “JMJ” at the end of their names on the top of their papers (for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph). Chan wanted to write these initials too, but they weren’t allowed to do so at the public school. She used to say the rosary every night before bed. “We learned that if you fell asleep before you finished the rosary prayer, your guardian angel would finish it. That was magical to me, and I believed it.” Her experience at the Catholic School was so compelling that she wanted to be there every day, to be with the nuns.
As a grown woman, Chan continues to be a woman of ritual—she knows how to set a sacred space and how to hold that space. When I asked her about this, she said that it started at a young age. She would go to church for the special prayers, and she loved to spend time with the nuns. She remembers only kindness from the nuns, and their calm, patient demeanor. These women were the antithesis of what she had at home, and she found comfort and peace there. She told of how she would soothe
herself by reciting the rosary, and how at a young age she would pray for others using the rosary. While Catholicism is not the faith that she practices now, Mary and the Rosary are still important parts of her spirituality.
Chan’s journey in nursing has always included care for the marginalized populations and care for the caregivers themselves, and she has committed her life to working for social change. Early in Chan’s career she was the Nurse Manager at the County Hospital in East Los Angeles, and she is proud to have been part of creating an award-winning unit in the face of low/no funding and minimal basic necessities (no clean water to drink, no air conditioning in the hottest months). Her work with this unit transformed them into a team that was called on to train other teams across the country. “It all started with a large piece of butcher paper hung on the wall with one question: What would you like to learn?” Chan said. “I was thinking they would answer with skills they wanted to learn, but the nurses took the question broader and wrote all kinds of things on this large piece of paper.” Chan went on to say, “Once this happened, and I saw that there was a lot of valuable information written down, they began to trust me, and we began to listen to each other and talk to each other. No one had ever asked them for their thoughts and ideas before, and I opened the flood gates. Talking and listening to each other matters!”
Chan has continued to broaden her “lane” from patient care, to nurse care, to teaching nurses about advocating for patients and being present to patients in a way that only nurses have the opportunity for and considering nursing as a vocation with breadth. She did all of this through her work as an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in the College of Nursing. She tried to convey her experiences in such a way that the students who were training to become nurses didn’t miss the beauty, complexity, and importance of their role as caregiver. “As nurses we get to be in situations that are very intimate with patients when it comes to wound care and care for their bodies and our presence in their time of need.” Chan got misty-eyed as she tried to convey this complex idea of presence and continued by saying, “I could sit for days and days and think of one beautiful, powerful, meaningful exchange after another. It has been such a privilege to be with people in this way. In our medical model today, the newest nurses could miss this beauty, and I don’t want them to miss it—to overlook the things that remind us that we are all connected.”
After six years at MSU, Chan has finished her time in this role. In reflecting on the things that she is really proud of accomplishing at MSU, she cites examples like how she used innovative and creative methods to teach integral processes for patient care and the medical team approach. She started a holistic student retreat that gave the students the building blocks for not only patient care, but key ingredients and encouragement for self-care. She used her love of, and extensive experience with, drumming circles to teach the students the “Team Steps” process for calling out when they recognize that something isn’t going right in a patient care process.
The drumming circle gives them practice in making “a big noise stop and using their own voice to name what they see is happening.” In a drumming circle, even though the students felt silly sometimes, she had them all (30 plus students at a time) on drums, drumming together, making a big noise and then one by one, they made a grand gesture with their arms or their vocal voice to make the sounds stop. Then, to get the sound restarted they shared a rhythm on their drum that they have made up (representing their own voice), everyone repeats that rhythm before continuing around the circle, giving each student practice to stop the loud noise and start with their own “voice” (drum). Because the students mentioned her name repeatedly, it peaked the Dean’s interest enough to seek out Roxane and ask about her creative teaching methods. This gave Chan comfort and lifts her heart when reflecting on her time at MSU. It is confirmation that the students were understanding her message. She has been glad to be a voice in the MSU program. She has been told that she is “too creative” on more than one occasion. Chan takes that as a compliment.
As she contemplates this time of transition, Chan feels a new wave of work rising, which she calls “Warrior Nurses.” She doesn’t see this as a training, but more of a movement—a movement that, in her minds-eye, has thousands of nurses wearing Warrior Nurses T-shirts and showing fierce compassion for themselves, their patients, their fellow nurses, and society as a whole.
In the workplace, a Warrior Nurse would take the time that they need to eat, go to the bathroom (there are many circumstances where nurses go long periods of time without ever relieving themselves), and the time needed to be present with each patient—fully present. Warrior Nurses would meet difficult circumstances with compassion and be present to themselves and others more fully. “Holding a space of peace is much harder than war or conflict.” Chan is a Mindfulness Self Compassion (MSC) trainer and sees this as key to not only caring for patients, but caring for ourselves. “Acceptance, or meeting people where they are, can only happen because I can meet myself where I am.”
Read related Article: Expanding the Scope: First-Year Medical Students at U-M Shadow CAM Practitioners in the Community
Chan says that “the connections of past experiences with current moments are often surprising. Seemingly random opportunities come back to be meaningful in a current experience.” Navigating transition times takes a lot of energy when done with integrity and intention. She is opting to, as she said, “Go back to the building block skills of first things first” and ask herself the question,“What do I need to do right now?” over and over again.
Chan marvels at all of her years of nursing care and at her evolution as a nurse, mother, teacher, mentor, companion, and sponsor. A clear path doesn’t necessarily mean a direct path. In Dr. Roxane Chan’s life, the only clear path was in nursing, which helped her move from dysfunction to wellness, from the shifting sands of a life in an unstable home to the foundation-building experiences from which she will launch into her next endeavor. She is a Warrior Nurse on a clear path to changing the world one encounter at a time.
Roxane Raffin Chan, PhD, RN, AHN-BC is currently working at Cristo Rey Community Organization as program director and is a member of an eight-person CREDO faculty team providing wellness conferences for Episcopal clergy through the Episcopal Church Pension Group. Chan also maintains her own practice, Chan Body Energy, LLC, where she works teaching mindfulness and self-compassion workshops with individuals and groups in the community. Find out more about Dr. Roxane Chan, and her offerings, at chanbodyenergy.com
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The Devil Wears Denim, or Linen, or Wool — Locally Sourced Clothing is Good for People and the Planet
“Buy local.” It’s a phrase we’ve seen for years, encouraging us to support the mom and pop down the street, the independent bookstore, and the small retailer. Local food and the local food economy have grown in Michigan over the last decade, and the Ann Arbor Farmers Market features new farmers every year, but there are other needs and areas that could benefit from using the same lens. Clothing is one of them.
Shamanic Healing for Pets
Buddy, a large dog, had a chronic seizure disorder from the age of two that got progressively worse with age. During some of the more serious grand mal seizures, Buddy became fearful and anxious, creating an internal environment conducive to additional seizures. Shamanic journeying revealed strategies that his person could use to support him in his process when seizures did occur, and helped to identify the parts of his brain that were affected. His journey involved a rebirth with his mother, a type of dismemberment, which also restored parts of his soul spirit. Overall, his endurance of his seizures was much calmer.
Over the Huron River and Through the Woods: Ann Arbor’s Outdoor Summer Camps (Oh My, Registration Deadlines are Just Around the Bend!)
Just this year, I learned that several kids’ summer camps take trips down the Huron River, and I thought that sounded like a great replacement for the bygone childhood romps through nature. These days, everything is scheduled, so why not pencil in some river tubing fun? Well, things didn’t go quite as planned because of the pollution, and a few other problems we ran into along the way, but there are still some cool ways to sign your kids up for some water-themed fun this summer. Here is what we learned about how to keep your kidlets safe while attending outdoor programs.
When I’m 64: Getting the Most Out of A Psychic Reading
Her fingers glided easily over the silk of the deep red sari that she wore. Her lipstick matched the dress and contrasted with her short, trendy black hair. She left her three children at home with their nanny, as she was joining her husband at a close friend’s house for a dinner party. She was looking forward to seeing her new friends that night, fellow spiritual seekers. She was in her early 20s and felt the entire world was within reach. They had lived in India for the past few years—a country that she fell deeply in love with. Unbeknownst to her social scientist husband, she had found meditation, vegetarianism, and had her first out-of-body experience.
Her fingers glided easily over the silk of the deep red sari that she wore. Her lipstick matched the dress and contrasted with her short, trendy black hair. She left her three children at home with their nanny, as she was joining her husband at a close friend’s house for a dinner party. She was looking forward to seeing her new friends that night, fellow spiritual seekers. She was in her early 20s and felt the entire world was within reach. They had lived in India for the past few years—a country that she fell deeply in love with. Unbeknownst to her social scientist husband, she had found meditation, vegetarianism, and had her first out-of-body experience.
What Do You Live For? Informing our Response to Turbulent Times
We live in turbulent times, yes, but human history has been full of crises, natural and man-made. What is important, what makes or breaks us, is how we respond to life’s challenges as well as its gifts. Maya Angelou wrote, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” All we can do is try to meet that challenge with power and presence, becoming bigger through our response, and perhaps even do something positive in response.
Handcrafting: Star Gazing Gnome Coasters
Warm up your gloomy winter days with these woodsy gnome coasters. I used both woven wool scraps and wool felt to create these whimsical little guys. Wool is a great material to absorb the water from a sweaty glass or protect your table from a hot mug. Using a hot steamy iron you can get the wool to lay nearly flat, so it’s a nice even surface for your glass to sit on, too. This is an easy no-sew project, but can also be embellished using a blanket stitch. Best of all, each gnome you make will be unique. Happy creating!
Winter Around Town Doesn’t Have to Put the Freeze On a Good Date Night
Winter around town doesn’t have to put the freeze on a good date night! Here are five unique local spots that will warm your date’s heart this season.
Namaste, Katie... Winter 2020
Whether you're a seasoned yogi or getting ready to roll out your mat for the first time, here you'll find a variety of useful tips from local yoga instructor, Katie Hoener. Winter 2020.
Hitting the Road: Life and Love in a Backpack
The end of 2018 brought a drastic change in my life. I had been on the road for sixteen months before I moved to the charming town of Ann Arbor. I went to Italy over Christmas to visit family, and until then I had been travelling around Asia. My plan was to carry on with my nomadic life. I was going back to Thailand for the month of January, then I was going to make my way back to China, where I was temporarily living and working as an outdoor guide. I had decided that when I grew tired, I would move on toward new horizons, maybe to New Zealand or Australia.
Finding My Voice
I’m over a mile into my morning jog… the distance it takes for my body to stop complaining and just let the endorphins do the work. Pink is turned up all the way in my headphones, and my feet are locked in with the beat. I’m in the best mood. So I’m not even annoyed as I near a crosswalk and slow down just in case I have to wait for oncoming traffic.
Congratulations on Your Diagnosis — Taking Charge of Chronic Illness
Managing any illness is challenging, and conventional medical care—the current “doctors at the top and patients at the bottom” status quo health care (SQHC)— provides diagnosis and treatment of acute life-threatening illnesses such as a heart attack, stroke, or pneumonia with mostly excellent results. Acute illnesses such as these require an immediate, short-term, reactive approach and generally resolve once appropriate treatment is completed.
Our Western Neighbors
Although Jackson has not traditionally been known for its spiritual community, it is a quickly growing region with a bright future ahead and many new opportunities blossoming on the horizon.
One Step Toward Zero Waste
There was genuine shock on my face when my youngest sister, at just 11-years-old, accompanied me to a Starbucks on a weekend visit and very firmly told the barista that no, thank you, she did not need a straw. She had brought her own. My shock continued as she reached into her purse and pulled out a reusable metal straw. After she finished her drink, she then lovingly washed it out and put it away before we continued with our day. I’d like to say I taught her that, but unfortunately this is one I can’t take credit for. She informed me it was a trend among children her age right now, all of them buying reusable straws with the rallying cry of “save the turtles.”
Essential Oils: More Than Just Pretty Aromas
Sure, essential oils can leave your home smelling of fresh cut lavender or the bright citrusy scent of lemons, but they are so much more than a pretty aroma. Did you know they could be used to support healthy emotions, keep you alert, focused, calm, and relaxed? All this is made possible in the limbic system, which is our emotional brain. Our limbic system supports five major functions: emotions, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, and sense of smell. As you inhale essential oils, the tiny molecules enter the nasal cavity and pass by the olfactory bulb. Your olfactory bulb is a part of your limbic system and therefore your response to an aroma is going to be emotional before it can be rational. This all happens in three seconds!
Weekend Getaways: Heading North — Song of the Morning
I am usually excited to venture to new places. But on a recent Friday afternoon, after a week of air and road travel, I was maxed out, and I was hoping for some respite at a weekend retreat center up north that I was scheduled to visit. I just needed to rally enough energy and awareness for the four-hour drive. This was new territory for this East Coaster whose Michigan experiences have mainly focused on the southeastern region. I opted for the US-127 approach through Mount Pleasant. It lacked the speed of an interstate highway, but the closer proximity to towns, lakes, and parklands afforded a degree of intimacy missing from my typical highway commutes. I turned off the car audio to use the drive as an exercise in mindfulness. The subtle foliage changes became more pronounced as I drove past Clare, Grayling, and Gaylord, and made my way to the town of Vanderbilt and Song of the Morning (SOTM), a long-established yoga retreat center set on 800 beautiful acres.
As the days shorten and the gardens are put to bed, I find I not only miss fresh greens, I miss puttering in my garden and watching my food grow. So, for several years, I’ve been experimenting with ways to grow meaningful amounts of vegetables indoors.