Greetings OHI community, the New Year is here in all its winter glory. There's frost on the windows; the ground is hard as stone; the leaves are all gone; and the naked trees reveal their structure and their strength. I like to see the leafless trees; I like to imagine they are doing some internal healing while waiting for the warm weather to return. And, it's an apt metaphor for this year's theme of holistic healing.
2025 marks the first quarter century of the third millennia A.D., and while there have been some highlights to be proud of, it has for the most part been a rocky ride. I know a lot of you are feeling banged up and road weary, but now is not the time to reflect on the negatives except perhaps to consider the age-old adage: "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." I interpret that to mean we should accept the lessons the universe has given us, heal them, and move onto the next. In this way we can focus on a brighter future. It is an understanding of healing - especially holistic healing - that I wish to explore in this issue.
Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. Psalm 30:2
Every one of us has something to heal whether it's the last election, a bad breakup, childhood trauma, or a serious health challenge.
At OHI we look at healing from a holistic approach which considers the body, mind, and spirit, and the interconnectedness of these three elements. As Aristotle once observed, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Holistic healing means treating the whole person. This includes any and all symptoms that affect the physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual aspects of our lives. If you only treat one facet of health you run the risk of leaving underlying conditions unresolved. As such holistic healing focuses on finding a sense of inner balance.
Our Bodies are Designed to Heal Organically
Physical healing is probably the easiest for us to comprehend and relate to because we have all observed the healing process of our bodies. We've watched a cut on a finger scab over as our skin miraculously grows back together. We've naturally gotten over colds after several days of sneezing, coughing, and blowing our noses to clear out toxins and pathogens. All of us have experienced these, or a similar illness or injury, and personally witnessed our bodies healing.
The point is our bodies will organically heal themselves if given the opportunity. I want to say - if we just get out of the way - by removing obstructions such as unhealthy food, toxins, stress, and negativity. In many cases, however, that's easier said than done because most of us have spent a lifetime developing bad habits. Habits which we have to unlearn through a deliberate and intentional effort. Here at OHI we offer the training to assist you in unlearning those unhealthy habits for good by replacing them with positive ones.
Feeling Your Feelings is all about Healing
Understanding mental and emotional healing is less straightforward. We know when are feeling depressed or anxious, but most of have learned to push those feelings down and move on with the demands of daily life. Renowned psychotherapist, Alice Miller, noted in her book The Body Never Lies that unexpressed emotions will manifest as disease (including cancer) in different parts of the body. And when we look to the traditional Western medical model, we find that it does not consider the whole self.
Stress is probably the biggest challenge most of us face today. It can put us so out of alignment that we suffer fatigue and exhaustion, we can lose motivation, and develop anxiety or depression. Stress can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and even cancer. At OHI you'll learn how to manage stress by setting boundaries with your time and energy. You'll learn how to prioritize your needs; and how to say, "No" to the daily demands that overwhelm you.
It's important to learn how to express your emotions in order to heal. OHI teaches several methods for feeling and expressing emotions such as our classes in communication, conscious breathing and vocal toning.
Refreshing the Spirit Ties Holistic Healing All Together
Holistically healing the spirit might be the most difficult concept for people to grasp. This is because many of us don't even realize when we have fallen out of alignment spiritually.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
One of the ways you can recognize an ailing spirit is when you no longer embrace life and its boundless beauty. Spiritual disharmony occurs when life seems to lose its meaning; or when we lose an important connection to life such as the loss of a loved one. Sometimes a big tragedy can make us feel as if we have lost a part of ourselves. And, restoring the spirit is a big part of what we do here on our campuses.
There are many ways to begin the process of reinvigorating the spirit. A good place to start is by practicing gratitude. Appreciating what you have is good, but even better is visualizing what you want and then expressing gratitude for it as if you already have it.
Another is getting out in nature, hiking, breathing the fresh air, and observing the plant and animal life around you. The soaring trees, magnificent mountains, burbling brooks, or the crashing of the surf on a sunny and sandy beach; it's all about finding a connection to something that is larger than yourself.
Volunteering is another way to bring us closer to our higher power because it expands our empathy, compassion, and sensitivity to the needs of others. Helping others helps us remove our focus from our own problems and provides us with a sense of the love that God wants us all to experience.
Another “set of keys” for holistic healing and wellness are the 5 Ps to Optimum Health: Purpose, Positive Mental Attitude, Persistence, Patience, and Prayer. Finding your purpose reconnects you to the Divine. Your positive attitude supports the healing process. Learning persistence enables you to retain all that you learn here at OHI; while patience helps you deal with negative forces in the world by understanding the timeless mantra of "this too shall pass."
But it is prayer, along with reflection and contemplation, that revitalizes the spirit most of all. Finding the silence, quieting the mind, and allowing creativity back into your life will guide you back to your higher power.
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. James 5:15
Healing is a lot about learning. And the best place to learn is in a retreat-like setting such as OHI where you are shielded from the erratic outside world in a safe and sacred space with a community of like-minded folks.
It is the communal gathering that is so important here at OHI. We recognize that good health is enhanced by creating a positive environment where the entire community is involved in supporting each other. When you become a member of our community you will experience the love, camaraderie, and understanding by gathering together with people who are like you and are seeking to find the holistic harmony of the body, mind, and spirit.
What's New for 2025
At OHI, we are filled with optimism and enthusiasm for the upcoming new year. In 2025, we are implementing a new property management and reservation system. Our new system is focused on our guests’ needs; and is designed to keep track of your preferences in order to help deliver positive and personalized experiences. Our check-in process will be streamlined, making it faster and easier for our guests! We look forward to implementing this new system with YOU in mind.
We are also developing a new fundraising plan. Our goal is to provide more scholarships in order to help more people who need to begin their journey of healing. We look forward to launching this in the next few months.
We are also planning to develop virtual classes where guests can attend OHI classes from home. This way you can reset-refresh-revitalize as often as necessary in the comfort of your living room.
It's a New Year and the Perfect Time for a New You
Come to OHI this year and hit the reset button. Our bodies, minds, and spirits need the proper fuel to heal. At OHI you'll learn physical purifying rituals such as our cleansing diet - which is not your everyday diet - but one that will help remove the accumulated toxins from your body. You'll learn to take charge of your health and lifestyle choices so that you will see real improvements in your physical health, mental clarity, and spiritual fulfillment. You'll learn to awaken and heal your mind and spirit by looking inward and raising your state of consciousness. A heightened state of consciousness lifts the health of the whole person.
Make your reservation today, and begin the New Year with a new you. Be sure to book early – call us at (800) 588-0809 to book your stay!
Here's wishing you health, wellness, and holistic healing in this New Year.
Yours in prayer,
Robert P. Nees, Jr.
Senior Pastor and Chairman
Optimum Health Institute of San Diego and Austin