There is still time to reserve your room at the Hilton Biltmore Park Hotel!
Come join us for the first retreat of 2013 with Dr. Randine Lewis – hosted at the Asheville Hilton Biltmore Park Hotel in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina on February 15th through the 18th.
We have special offers and financing available this week ONLY – contact us for details!
http://thefertilesoul.com/shop/retreats/re13-0215-the-fertile-soul-retreat
Our primary physical directive in life is survival, or self-preservation. All other physiological functions come after the primary directive has been met. If we can survive, we can potentially thrive, become productive members of society, and reproduce. If our sense of safety and security are perceived to be in jeopardy, however, the body/mind diverts attention away from growth, until the threat passes. The reproductive function is the first to be sacrificed, as your body does not want you pregnant if your life is in danger. We don’t question this directive in nature – animals in the wild don’t reproduce well when their survival is jeopardized. They don’t go into heat when resources are scarce or they are in captivity. Yet, when this happens in us, we panic and think there is something wrong. In actuality, our bodies are doing exactly what they have been conditioned to do, from our own life responses to the deepest messages carried within our DNA.
I recently worked with a woman whose entire fertility pursuit threatened her very sense of well-being. She constantly felt like her life was in jeopardy. Almost as soon as she decided to try to have a baby, her hormones started to fluctuate and her cycles became erratic; eventually her periods quit altogether. Her body/mind went into panic and survival mode. She experienced severe anxiety and mild panic attacks every time she thought about not being able to have a child. The harder she worked to overcome this feeling of threat, the more threatened she felt. Throughout her healing process, every practitioner she went to for help (acupuncturists, nutritionists, and therapists) seemed to further perpetuate this feeling of panic. The more she was given to do, the more overwhelmed she felt.
Deep inside there was a feeling that her very survival needed protecting. No doctor or therapist could talk her body out of this deeply held unconscious belief. Yet, her heart could. Chinese medicine views the heart as the only true healer, as it houses the spirit, or life giving force of all of existence. The healing had to begin in her own heart.
While we teach individuals how to calmly harmonize themselves with their environments, the real work we do on retreat is to put individuals in touch with the healing power of their own hearts. When they no longer have to protect themselves, the invisible shield that I call “infertility,” naturally falls.
Happy Chinese New Year!
Free Conference Call Next Monday
The Basics of Fertility Enhancement
Q&A with Dr. Randine Lewis
Monday January 30th at 7 p.m. EST
I strongly believe that even just finding out about The Fertile Soul has a powerful, ripple, helpful effect, especially for those who cannot travel, but who nevertheless read – and listen– ask questions, wonder, benefit, and grow, grow, grow. L.H.
I am looking forward to a rich retreat in January, where we will focus on aging, overwhelm, and turning into the wellspring of deep inner guidance. In this inner sanctuary there is no aging or overwhelm. When we can reside in this place, a more fertile response to life is possible, which of course, is reflected in our reproductive response. Our New York session filled up quickly, but we do have openings in February in my hometown of Asheville, NC, February 17-20th, where our focus will expand to include welcoming in the year of the Dragon, a powerful and dynamic expression of the Chinese New Year. We will use this power to deeply connect with the life-giving source within. I love witnessing the power of retreat participants as they learn to live the miracle!
We will also offer a free conference call on Monday, January 30th at 7 p.m. EST. I will go over some fertility basics and open the call up to your questions and answers. I hope you will be able to join us – whether you are new to the Fertile Soul or have already embraced this process. I look forward to connecting with you.
To Join in dial 605-475-4000 then access code 794774#. Those calling from Canada should call 805-360-1075 and then you will be prompted to enter the original number and access code.
Dr. Randine Lewis and The Fertile Soul will be in Asheville’s newest edition, Biltmore Town Square, for this retreat December 9th – 12th at the Hilton Hotel located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. Check out our Holiday Tuition special going on now – http://thefertilesoul.com/shop/retreats/re11-1209-the-fertile-soul-retreat
Fall Retreats: $250 off with Registration with code: “THANKSGIVING”
Join Randine Lewis for The Fertile Soul Retreat experience, this November and December, in the beautiful city of Asheville, NC. The holidays are a wonderful time to reconnect with your deepest energies and replenish. If you want to find out more about payment plans or scholarships please contact our registrations department. We hope you will be able to join us at either of our Asheville NC retreats this fall (November 3-6 or December 9-12) and share in the bounty that is there for the taking. Please use the code “thanksgiving” at checkout to take advantage of the $250 off fall retreats.
Friday, August 19 – Monday, August 22, 2011
The Hilton Hotel Biltmore Village – Asheville, NC
Dr. Randine Lewis and The Fertile Soul will be in Asheville’s newest edition, Biltmore Park, for this retreat August 19th – August 22th at the Hilton Hotel. Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.
The retreat will begin on Friday afternoon around 3:00pm with an introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and an overview of the schedule ahead (specific times will be posted upon registration). This is a great opportunity to meet with Randine and your fellow guests that are on a similar journey! The Retreat will continue Saturday and Sunday morning and go throughout the days until early evening. The Retreat will end at 12 noon on Monday afternoon with a group Healing Circle and acupuncture treatment with Dr. Lewis. There will be intermission breaks for Lunch and a few shorter breaks to stretch your legs and get some fresh air throughout the day. Meals will be entirely on your own during these breaks, but there will be refreshments and snacks available in the meeting space during the day. We recommend that you stay close during these breaks as the schedule is full and we will need to start each session promptly in order to maximize your time with Dr. Lewis.
The Primary/Partner price includes full retreat program tuition and an Acupuncture Appointment (with Treatment Plan) with our Fertile Soul staff practitioner, Liz Roseman L.Ac. Also, our staff will contact you with further retreat and travel details in an event welcome email soon after your place your order OR feel free to contact us at any time! Room reservation info is posted below (not included with tuition).
There is also an option for a those seeking further custom herbal evaluations from your Fertile Soul practitioner. A full TCM diagnosis and treatment plan is included in your acupuncture session with herbal, dietary, and supplemental recommendations. However, those who are not currently working with herbs and would like to receive a custom chinese herbal prescription (raw herbs from chinese pharmacy in tea form) will need to recieve a further evaluation from our practitioner. Option “TCM-004 Herbal Prescription” : http://thefertilesoul.com/shop/phone/tcm
For full details and to make a reservation please visit:
http://thefertilesoul.com/shop/retreats/re11-0819-the-fertile-soul-retreat
Dr. Randine Lewis and The Fertile Soul will be in Asheville’s historic Biltmore Village for this retreat June 17th – June 20th at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.
The retreat will begin on Friday afternoon around 3:00 – 4:00pm with an introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and an overview of the schedule ahead (specific times will be posted upon registration). This is a great opportunity to meet with Randine and your fellow guests that are on a similar journey! The Retreat will continue Saturday and Sunday morning and go throughout the days until early evening. The Retreat will end at 12 noon on Monday afternoon with a group Healing Circle and acupuncture treatment with Dr. Lewis. There will be intermission breaks for Lunch and a few shorter breaks to stretch your legs and get some fresh air throughout the day. Meals will be entirely on your own during these breaks, but there will be refreshments and snacks available in the meeting space during the day. We recommend that you stay close during these breaks as the schedule is full and we will need to start each session promptly in order to maximize your time with Dr. Lewis.
For mor information or to make a reservation go to:
www.thefertilesoul.com/shop/retreats
The basis of uterine function is endometrial receptivity; yet Western reproductive medicine can offer very little to assist women with uterine receptivity. The wisdom of TCM takes receptivity as the central theme in fertility. If endometrial cells are not receptive, they will not open up to hormonal messages, appropriate protein expression, or the ability to receive an implanting embryo. Our focus is on overcoming hindrances to receptivity, and therapeutic modalities to help women become more receptive to life.
The sun was humankind’s first unit of measurement. The earth’s relationship to the sun set up our initial awareness of duality: as the sun rose and set we became aware of day and night; light and dark. Our brains set up mechanisms to respond to these biorhythms through the pineal gland’s output of chemicals like melatonin and serotonin. Interestingly, the first biological unit of measurement was the uterus. For approximately every moon
cycle, women seemed to bleed, unless they were bearing a child. The Greek word Maitra, which is the initial unit of measurement, parallels the Sanskrit root mater (root for matter, mother, meter, dimension, immense, menses), meaning uterus. The very first treatment for menstrual irregularities was to instruct women to sleep outside for one moon cycle, so the biorhythms could reset the hypothalamus.
The uterus gives rise to life; the primary means for measuring this state of existence we find ourselves in. To be born, from nothingness into this dimension. To become material. The uterus is seen as a potential. The Chinese word for uterus is Bao, or wrapper, which emerges from the Dan Tien, or source of life that we tap into with our Qi Gong exercises. The Tao te Ching reminds us that the utility of anything is in its potential space; not
in that which fills it up:
We join spokes together in a wheel,
But it is the center hole
That makes the wagon move.
We shape clay into a pot,
But it is the emptiness inside
That holds whatever we want.
We hammer wood for a house,
But it is the inner space
That makes it livable.
A relatively recently released Stanford study predicted that four “new” factors can help assess the likelihood of IVF success; up to 70%. These factors are:
1. total number of embryos,
2. number of eight-cell embryos,
3. percentage of embryos that stopped dividing and would die, and
4. the woman’s follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level
The truth is that these factors are not new at all; in fact they are rather outdated. Reproductive clinics have known of these four factors since drug companies started playing the game of assisted reproductive technology. This “new information” is relatively meaningless – it’s like predicting the outcome of the game in the fourth quarter.
Because women who come to The Fertile Soul often have high FSH, low numbers of embryos retrieved, high percentage of cell division failure, and few that make it to the eight cell stage, most would not even be chosen to be on the team. If you’ve been through this drill long enough, you already know the outcome. The reproductive coach urges you to move over for a younger, more fit player to take over for your tired, old eggs so you can wrap up the season.
I don’t know why I’m using this ballgame analogy; I don’t care much for professional ballgames. But I always liked movies like The Bad News Bears, The Mighty Ducks, Hoosiers, and A League of Their Own. It’s not just that I root for the underdog; I’m a sucker for human potential. I don’t care about the statistical success rates of reproductive doctors. They know how to place their bets. I care about the 30% who have been told they are not allowed to play this game.
So, let’s go back to human potential. The quality of the egg, which resides in the follicle that responds to FSH begins to practice for the game months before it is released onto the playing field. During this 90 to 120 day cycle of folliculogenesis, the egg enters into its tonic growth phase where protein synthesis occurs. If the reproductive system is subjected to stressors like poor nutrition, imbalanced physiology, negative internal messages, and lack of circulation during this “practice” season, there is a very low likelihood of showing up for the game with low FSH, and high quality embryos.
However, if the team includes a coach who can help the players reduce stressors, improve internal messages to the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, increase reproductive organ circulation, hormonal balance, oxygenation and nutritional status, there is a far greater likelihood of success.
The Fertile Soul Method utilizes the age old, proven techniques of Eastern and complementary medicine, along with modern natural therapeutic modalities to bring your body and mind back in the game. In fact, you don’t even need to enter into the high tech playing field if you don’t want to. You can just get out the ole’ bat and ball in your own back yard and hit a home run the old fashion way.
The Tao te Ching says,
The Tao gives birth to one.
One gives birth to two.
Two gives birth to three.
Three gives birth to all things.
It’s kind of lofty and romantic to think of something arising from nothing. It brings to mind terms like the Void, God, the Spirit of existence, and the Womb of creation. We can also conger up scientific images depicting the universe arising out of amorphous gas as the big bang brought all things into existence.
Taoist roots of Chinese medicine also talk about the mysterious pass:
The Mysterious Pass is the seed, which buds to form Heaven and Earth. All things in the corporeal world rise from it. It is located both inside and outside the human body. It serves as a bridge connecting existence and nonexistence.
This bridge that connects non-being and being, is also that which takes existence into non-existence. On deeper look, Eastern thought reminds us that something does not actually arise from nothing, but that all manifestation comes to an end, returning to the void, which then gives rise to all things. Life is a continuum of death and birth.
I had my first taste of this process when I was trying to conceive. I believed if I just added more to my lacking self, I would somehow be able to create something out of nothing. I ate better, went to acupuncture, took qi gong classes, monitored my ovulation, timed sex, drank herbs, and tried to find out more and more about what I was missing. What I failed to grasp, however, was that the real fertilizer is discovering what must die. I needed to work less, sleep more. I had to shed limiting, stressful thoughts, actions, and behaviors. I needed to stop living my life as if I was lacking, and the source of life was based on scarcity.
I teach women to live according to the laws of the universe when they are trying to conceive, not the laws of man. Nature demands something for something. Life does not arise from clean, tidy rules. Decay and detritus feed new growth. We take in as we release. We take on as we give up. Life comes as life goes. Birth is one of the most violent, messy processes in existence. Conception cannot be controlled. Yet, when we move into the unpredictable, chaotic place of all possibilities, we are walking the mysterious pass, which takes our offering of something old and brings forth something new.
Randine Lewis, L.Ac., Ph.D., www.thefertilesoul.com
