Encouraging Holistic Living as a part of the Transition
Thursday,14 January 2010 by TazBurwaiss
The key to personal happiness is something we all yearn for but rarely do much about. To break it down simply I think the solution is not to worry too much and to just embrace the present. You may yawn and think that is easier said than done, but for Jennifer Milor, this can be achieved through the therapeutic discipline known as Holistic Living.
I met Jen at the latest Transition Heaton meeting in Jack Sprats, in which on the agenda was a discussion of integrating her knowledge of Holistic therapy into the Transition Initiative, a community based organization based in Heaton, which focus’s on environmental issues and sustainability.
Jen began by explaining to me the basic gist behind Holistic Living and why she wants to connect it to the Transition initiative, ‘Holistic living is about considering the whole, which is mind, body and soul. It encompasses everything, from your diet, work life, exercise, behaviour, social interactions, environmental interactions, and so on’.
‘Its about reconnecting people with their natural ‘Self’, which I think is the way to make a lasting difference and a more permanent change in society’.
Holistic therapy has been such a positive turn around within Jennifer’s personal life that she is now inspired to start helping others make positive changes in their lives too, by introducing Holistic therapy into regular local community events.
‘In integrating them, I mean exposing people to them, not merely as a taster session at one-off events, although we have to start somewhere, but I mean offering courses of treatments for community members through different community organisations, so people have prolonged exposure to these therapies and a more inspired glimpse into how life can be!’
‘Basically we need to get people back to realising our connection with nature and the reality of our natural Self, all that we (society) has created has removed us from nature’.
I think the point that Jen is making is that there is a wide range of therapies out there, which focus on centring the ‘Self’ back to being satisfied within the present moment. Our minds are usually victims of being exposed to the fears and anxieties of the past and future, a lot of social ills can therefore be eradicated when we remove this negative stress from individuals. By increasing positivity within the individual, cultural attitudes towards social and environmental issues will take a natural turn for the better.
‘Removing ourselves from the present moment is where we went wrong because then we became discontented with simply being. We need to slow down the pace of society (be at a point where we realise that the journey is as important, if not more so, than the destination) and reconnect with what we truly are: a part of nature, and then the natural healing of our environment and ourselves can be achieved.’
Tags: Happiness, Holisitc Living, Transition Towns
January 14th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
You share some good points here. We are whole people who have grown accustomed to thinking and treating ourselves as a group of parts. We’ve been taught to view ourselves as separate from each other and nature. We send most of our energy into the past or future which don’t even exist.
As you say above, when we reconnect with what and who we really are, then healing can be achieved.
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:56 pm
This piece has just summarized everything that I believe in. I have been trying to develop a career in this domain which so far has proven difficult. I have the interest, the knowledge, the passion, but practically it is hard to put into action. I am very drawn by Jenifor Milor’s interests, and I would love to discuss this topic further with her. How can I get in touch?