Harvest! The Festival Returns

On October 6-7, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m, the Blandford Nature Center & Farm and Mixed Greens are proud to present Harvest! The Festival. Those curious or interested in health, organics, the natural world and sustainability, are encouraged to attend and enjoy a free weekend-long event featuring harvest activities throughout the center and for the first time in 20 years-The Blandford Nature Farm. Highlights include educational activities, fresh farm markets, food demonstrations, ecology tours, local music and vendors of ecologically sensitive and healthful products. Activities are family friendly with special hands-on offerings for children.

Harvest Festivities kick off at The Blandford Nature Center with an evening outdoor celebratory fundraiser on Thursday, October 4 at 6:30 p.m. The event will include wholesome local food from area chefs and farms and local music. A silent auction of exclusive items is planned to raise additional funds for the joint programs. The event is ideal for community members and leaders to network and contribute to the "growing" cause.

Rev. Edwene Gaines presents Prosperity Plus Workshop at Unity Church of Practical Christianity in Grand Rapids on Sunday, September 30 from at 1:00 p.m. Gaines, who is an ordained Unity Minister and author of the book The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance, has committed her life to the transformation of the abundance consciousness of Planet Earth. Attendees of her workshop will learn to practice true prosperity by accepting the four spiritual principals of prosperity: tithing and giving, goal setting, forgiveness and finding and achieving your divine purpose. This dynamic workshop, expressed with humor and joy, "may transform your life if you are teachable," says Gaines.

Maribeth Shook, of Shook Yoga, will facilitate a 200-hour Teacher Training Course beginning Saturday and Sunday, September 23 -24 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. in Holland. Designed for new or continuing yoga teachers, Shook, along with a back specialist, will demonstrate how to work individually with a student, breaking down the biomechanics of each pose – ensuring each posture is met correctly to prevent injuries, help maintain student’s health, practice longevity and/or support individual health issues. "There is one particular yoga pose that puts students in the doctor’s office," notes Shook. "As teachers it is crucial to emphasize the importance of biomechanics to our students." The course meets for four weekends integrating home-study in-between.

Shook Yoga is located at 11539 East Lakewood Blvd, Suite 120 in Holland. For more information or to register call 616-796-0204 or visit ShookYoga.com.

As a way to encourage West Michiganders to sample the natural products and services presented each month, Natural Awakenings West Michigan introduces "Healthy Monday." Each month, local product and service providers will offer Monday specials benefiting the whole health of area residents. "Healthy Monday" will appear each month on the inside back page of Natural Awakenings and on-line at NaturalWestMichigan.com.

Blueberry Heritage Farm (BHF) in Holland is now Certified USDA Organic by the Global Organic Alliance. Earning this status required the farm to cultivate the new crop with organic seeds and without the use of harmful sprays, pesticides, herbicides or harsh fertilizers in the soil for a minimum of three years while in transition. The strict time guidelines and farming methods ensure all traces of chemicals and synthetic constituents have cycled through and the current crops are 100 percent organic. This great accomplishment allows BHF to place the official USDA Organic label on their organic blueberries.

America on the Move Week in Muskegon

Muskegon Family YMCA invites the community of Muskegon to join with YMCA’s nationwide America on the Move Week initiative to take "small steps" to promote active living and healthy eating during the week of September 22 - 29. Throughout the week, YMCA Community members will track their steps from a variety of activities taken either at home, at the YMCA or elsewhere during the week. Their goal is to attract 100 community residents who will commit to an additional 2000 steps per day and reduce their caloric intake by 100 calories per day for one week. Nationally, America on the Move has a goal of 10 billion steps across the country during the week long event.

Amy Weintraub, a senior Kripalu teacher and mentor and author of Yoga for Depression, returns to Expressions of Grace Yoga & Books in Grand Rapids on September 28 – 30 for an uplifting yoga practice weekend entitled "LifeForce Yoga: Meeting your Mood". Known for creating a safe and accepting environment, Weintraub will impart ancient yogic strategies designed to harmonize the body and mind. Feeling renewed and refreshed, yoga enthusiasts can adapt the ancient techniques to revitalize their own practice and improve mood while health professionals and yoga teachers will find the techniques useful in helping clients focus, relax, and have greater access to their feelings.

"LifeForce Yoga is a practice of compassion that creates a big enough container to embrace and accept all the dualities of mood," says Weintraub. "The practice is adapted to the student, so each individual can move into a more balanced (‘satvic’) and positive emotional, mental, and physical state of equanimity and self-awareness." 

Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Units provided. For complete or individual workshop costs or to register call 616-361-8580 or visit ExpressionsOfGraceYoga.com.

Thai Yoga Massage practitioner, Soonok Gulish has joined the team of practitioners at Dominican Center in Grand Rapids.  Soonok, who is proficient in Yoga, enjoys sharing Thai Yoga Massage with those who desire more flexibility, an increase in vital energy and a willingness to deepen the connection between body, mind, and spirit.  

Thai Yoga Massage is a healing art that combines Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicines with yogic asanas (poses). This includes passive stretching, rhythmic compressions, gentle twisting, energy work and meditation to help release stress & tension, relax and tone and stretch muscles and fascia to increases spinal mobility.

Ian Lawton, Executive Minister at Christ Community Church, will lead a Big Mind Workshop on Wednesday, September 26 from 7 - 9 p.m. Lawton, who is a trained facilitator in Big Mind, an interactive exercise that offers insight into the heart of all spiritual traditions including Christianity, will offer up a simple and fun process that is well-suited to the western, inquisitive minds.

This unique opportunity will allow participants to discover different aspects of who they are, offer a glimpse of the divine seed within and a chance to enter into dialogue with oneself and others and to deepen divine awareness.

Jennifer Waterbury Beaumont, West Michigan's only Iyengar Certified Teacher and director of Yoga on the Hill, recently returned to Grand Rapids after studying for two months in Pune, India with the Iyengar Family at the Ramanai Iyengar memorial Yoga Institute.

In honor of Beaumont’s return, the public is invited to attend a Welcome Back Celebration and Open House on Saturday, September 8 at Yoga on the Hill in Grand Rapids. The morning activities include free yoga classes for the general public and beginning level yoga students from 9:00-10 a.m. and 10:30-11:30 a.m. Experienced yoga students/teachers are encouraged to pre-register for an afternoon class entitled "Insights from India." Complimentary Indian food and refreshments from 5:30-8:30 p.m. top off the day and will include showings of photos from India, and informative films of yoga demonstrations.

Yoga on the Hill is located at 609 Lyon St. NE. For more information or to register in advance for free classes call 616-915-1277 or visit YogaOnTheHill.com.            

Dr. Keith Sarver DC, NRT, of The Natural Health & Healing Center in Grand Rapids, will offer two free workshops on "Identifying & Removing Barriers to Health," on September 5 at Global Infusion and September 27 at Schuler Books & Music. Both Grand Rapids’ seminars begin at 7 pm. Dr. Sarver uses Nutrition Response Testing ™ (NRT), an advanced form of Kinesiology, to successfully detect barriers to one’s health and true vitality. Barb Bergman, a practitioner at The Natural Health & Healing Center remarks, "These free workshops are a great opportunity to see first hand how Dr. Sarver integrates this unique system to help just about any health issue one may be experiencing." NRT also detects food sensitivities, heavy metal or chemical toxicity, weak body systems and weak immune systems.

Global Infusion is located at 143 Diamond Ave and Schuler Books & Music on 28th St, SE. For more information or to reserve your space, call 616-455-1100 or visit GenuineHealer.com/nrt.asp.

Utopian Now Offers Nutritional Counseling

Utopian Marketplace in Montague now offers private nutritional consultations with Renee Ruark starting on Saturday, September 22 from 11 a.m – 5 p.m. Ruark, a certified nutritionist and herbalist, brings 15 years of experience managing health food stores and finds it easy to connect with health conscious individuals. She will offer her unique expertise once a month on an individual basis by appointment - providing guidance on supplements and foods best suited for each individual’s specific health concerns.

To schedule an appointment call Renee Ruark at 616-502-5410 or sign up at Utopian Marketplace located at 8832 Water Street in Montague. Ruark also has an office at The Center of Unlimited Possibilities in Spring Lake and offers home visits.

CUP Welcomes New Practitioner

The Center of Unlimited Possibilities (CUP) in Spring Lake welcomes Colleen Christman to their wellness staff. As a Certified Holistic Health Counselor and fellow of the Institute for Human Individuality, she specializes in developing nutritional programs specific to client’s blood type. Christman remarks, "My focus is helping clients make dietary and lifestyle changes to achieve health and wellness with particular emphasis on integrating locally grown, organic foods into the diet." Christman also holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, and recently received certification in Integrative Nutrition from Teachers College Columbia University. Other programs offered include weight loss and detoxification and healthy cooking classes.

CUP is located at 14998 Cleveland, Suite G in Spring Lake. For more information call 616-842-0264 or visit YourNextStepUp.com.

Interfaith World Day of Prayer in Douglas

An Interfaith World Day of Prayer will be celebrated on September 13 at Unity Church on the Lakeshore. From 1 - 5 p.m. prayers and readings focused on World Peace and Living in Harmony with the Earth will be facilitated by Rev. Marchiene Rienstra, along with other prayer leaders in an Interfaith Prayer Vigil.

Every half hour, prayers, a short reading, and music/meditation from the world's great Wisdom traditions will include; 1:00-1:30 p.m. - The Native American Tradition; 1:30-2:00 p.m. - The Ancient Mother Tradition; 2:00-2:30 p.m. - The Hindu Tradition; 2:30-3:00 p.m. - The Taoist Tradition; 3:00-3:30 p.m. - The Christian Tradition; 3:30-4:00 p.m. - The Muslim Tradition; 4:00-4:30 p.m. - The Buddhist Tradition and 4:30-5:00 p.m. – The Jewish Tradition.

The Dances of Universal Peace will conclude the event from 5- 7 p.m. in the southeast corner of Beery Field. The Dances, led by Sue Ashley and a troupe of dancers experienced in leading these simple, beautiful folk dances, include music, prayer-songs and chants from the various worlds’ Faith traditions.

Unity Church on the Lakeshore is located at 41 South Washington, in Douglas. For more information contact Jan Weren: 269-857-8226.