_ The circle of life
A couple of months ago we attended a talk by Tenzin Palmo, a gentle, wise and powerful woman who spent 12 years in retreat in Himalayan cave. She is one of the first Western woman ordained as a Buddhist nun and now spends her time travelling around the world raising funds , and sharing her wisdom. When asked the question of how it is she has adapted to such an active life, after spending so many years in isolation, she replied saying that , just as we need to breathe in and out, there are periods in our lives when it is necessary to inhale, to retreat into our inner world and breathe in new insight and then we need to exhale, to live our truth and fulfill our purpose. So with this in mind, this month we celebrate this beautiful cycle of life, the hellos and goodbyes that are part of the cycle and we honour the time to inhale and retreat. We will be hosting two weekend retreats at end of March. We hope you will embrace the opportunity to retreat and be cocooned within our haven of tranquility and healing.
This month we say goodbye to our Martha who is spreading her wings and embracing her new life with her fiancé in the UK. Sadly, we also say bid farewell to Linda who is moving down to Jeffreys Bay. Linda has played an instrumental role in our growth as a business and as people and we will all miss her warm and gentle presence.
But we are also excited to welcome two very young, dynamic people into the Woodlands fold. Monique just lights up the front desk with her enthusiasm and Darren is an incredible and talented therapist who brings with him a profound and healing therapy experience.
So wherever you find yourself in the cycle of your year, work, health or body, delve into the experience  and dance in the circle of life with all your heart.

_ Words From Dr Ela
The very face of medicine is shifting and just looking at the latest CME medical journal which was entirely dedicated to the subject of mind- medicine, one realizes that even the rigid, evidence based world of science  can no longer ignore the place for the mind and spirit in medicine.
“Integrated medicine is now being rapidly acknowledged as the most effective means of bringing together different modalities to support a person’s specific needs.
This emerging approach to health combines an aim to prevent dis-ease through education and awareness of the implications of lifestyle choices with a holistic approach to treatment.
Utilizing the most up to date technologies for detecting disease or treating physical injuries, it embraces complementary therapies for chronic illness, the alleviation of pain and the energetic release of blockages. It is also progressively recognizing our holographic nature and the relationship between thought, emotion and physical ill health. And increasingly, elements of integrated medicine are modalities to release trauma from our energetic field.”Jude Currivan-

At Woodlands, we base our lifestyle interventions on this approach, bridging the gap between medicine and spirit, respecting the circumstances and choice of each and every individual that we meet.
_ Our services

• Ela will be doing a fun Indian cuisine cooking Demo on Sunday 9th March at 11.30.

R300 includes a cooking demo demonstrating the use of various spices in cooking, their nutritional and medicinal benefits, 3 course lunch, a starter pack of spices and recipes for some exciting and unusual dishes. Spaces are limited, so book quickly!
For all those who would like to bid Linda farewell, we will start the morning off with a Tai chi class and tea.

• Marisa will be facilitating a Boundary Workshop on the 5th of April. This is an empowering workshop helping people to recognize rescuing behaviour and how to set limits with people in order to live life with more integrity. The workshop will run between 9h00- 16h00. Teas and lunch included. R 450 pp

• BodyTalk Access- Woodlands is very excited to host our first BodyTalk Access workshop which will be taught by Dr Eugene Botha. Access is a really incredible and powerful 1 day course teaching you stand alone BodyTalk techniques which can be used on your family and colleagues. Access can be described as drugless first aid and has been shown to be shown to enhance sports and exam performance, alleviate anxiety and headaches and promote general wellbeing. This is a great introduction to BodyTalk and is recommended to anyone that has experienced this modality or would like to learn more about this incredible system. The course will be held on Sat 19 April at Woodlands from 8h30- 16h00.R 750 pp. Register online http://www.bodytalksystem.co.za/

Spa 2 day Retreat
Day 1: Indian Head Massage, Hydrotherapy, Exfoliation,
Full Body Massage & Lunch
Day 2: Hydrotherapy, Comfort Zone Facial, 30 min manicure 60 min Paraffin Pedicure & Lunch
R 1520 pp all spa tx including lunch!
Accommodation at Avianto 1 night R855 dinner & bed per person.
Well Being 3 day Retreat
Day 1: Meditation, Medical Consult, hydrotherapy, Monticelli Body Wrap & 45 min hotstone back, neck shoulder massage & lunch.
Day 2: Yoga, Body MAP, Hydrotherapy, nutritional consult, reflexology & lunch
Day 3:Tai Chi, Reiki, hydrotherapy, Comfort Zone Facial & lunch.
R3000pp  for 3 days retreat including all tx & lunch.
Accommodation at Avianto 2 nights R1710 incl. dinner & bed per person.

_ Our community
MEDITATION CLASSES
Last year, we started a mediation group which was limited to a closed group of people. This class has now grown and evolved and we have decided to open it up to anyone who would like to learn more about meditation and to connect with like minded people. Meditation classes are now held every Saturday morning at 8am, which is then followed by Yoga at 9am.
The classes are facilitated my either Ela or Marisa.
Every week we will be covering different techniques such as breath awareness, mindfulness or Vipassana meditation and guided visualizations.

CIRCLE OF LIGHT
About two weeks ago, a diverse group of powerful women gathered at Woodlands by invitation to discuss the impact of the negative sentiment, sense of fear and powerlessness that currently pervades our country and what we can do as individuals and groups to shift this sense of anger and negativity. It was a stimulating, uplifting afternoon leaving everyone feeling motivated to get involved and challenge ourselves and our belief systems. We would like to open up our circle to everyone who would like to contribute or finds themselves struggling with what we are going through as a nation. Email Dr Ela for more info dr.ela@healingatwoodlands.co.za

_ Book & Movie of the month
Book of the month-  The Cave in the Snow- Story of Tenzin Palmo  by Vicki Mackenzie

Movie of the Month-  Kite Runner             

_ We pay tribute
We would like to pay tribute to Tom Hendry who passed away on 27 Feb:  Our lives will never be the same.

‘ The spiritual energy of the Path uses justice and patience to prepare your spirit. This is the path of the Knight: a path that is at once easy and difficult, because it forces one to set aside trivial things and chance friendships. That is why many hesitate to follow it. This is the first teaching of the Knight: you will realise everything you has written in your book of life up to now: restlessness, uncertainty, lies. And in the place of all this you write the word COURAGE. By beginning the journey with that word and continuing with faith, you will arrive wherever you need to arrive.’
-          Paulo Coelho - Manual of the Warrior of Light.