Anishinaabe Teachings Weekend, November 9th to 11th, 2018

Dear Everyone,

“Who is this?” is something that you may be wondering, since it has been some time since I wrote a blog post and published it. Why, it’s Dr. Conrad Sichler, that’s who!

I am excited to extend to you an offer to come and learn with this man, Ken Courchene:

Elder Ken Courchene

I am excited to be able to welcome Ken and his son Justin from Manitoba to Burlington to share some traditional teachings of the Anishinaabe. I have known Ken and Justin for about ten years now, and can vouch for his kindness and wisdom and welcoming nature. He is a Sundance Chief and a member of the Medewiwin Society.

Ken has asked me to share that he would like our gathering to be a time of self-discovery, through dreams and our sharing of this life on this land together.  We will see how we can understand ourselves as one large human family, and how each of us is one of many, many children of the Earth.

Each of us has a spirit, which can be seen in our smile, in the glint in our eye, and in the feelings in our hearts.  Many people have their spirit injured or broken though trauma, drama, illnesses, and the challenges of life.  As we gather this weekend, we will share a time of healing though the group that we create together.

Now that the snow is coming, the elders have permission to share the instructions for how we can behave towards one another and to the Earth that are contained within Anishinaabe teachings.

The Details:

When?   November 9th to 11th, 2018.

Where? Santosha Yoga, 541 Brant St., Burlington, Ontario

Cost? $120 plus HST ($135.60 total)

Schedule:

November 9th – 7 to 9:30 pm

November 10th – 1 to 6 pm

November 11th – 10 am to 1 pm

Your payment of the cost for the weekend will reserve your spot.

You can pay with cash (which you can drop off at the Sweet Medicine clinic at 672 Brant St., Suite 301), or by cheque which you can drop off or mail (the clinic address continues as Burlington, ON, L7R 2H3), by Interac e-transfer (to sweetmedicinembsr@gmail.com) or via credit card (by calling the clinic at 905-333-5001 and giving the staff your card information).

The fee is to cover the travel costs of the teachers from Manitoba, plus accommodation, space rental, and an honorarium to them for their time and knowledge.

There are a limited number of spots available because of the size of the space we have, so if you are interested, reserve your spot today to avoid missing out on this amazing opportunity.

If you feel a powerful pull to go but you have difficulty with the fee, please e-mail me at sweetmedicinembsr@gmail.com and let me know about your situation.  No-one will be refused entry to our gathering based on cost alone.

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If you are going to come to the gathering, you can contribute to the energy of the group by paying close attention to your dreams in the next few weeks, writing them down, and sharing them when we meet on Friday night.

A Bit of Nature Each Day Keeps the Doctor Away

In this article I share a few more details about how I integrate Nature Prescriptions into my clinical practice. 

I gave my interview in the beautiful Dundas EcoPark

In it, I share: 

“I try to see conventional medicine as a tool” explains Dr. Sichler. “Another tool is walking in the woods, another is group therapy, meditation, hypnosis, and imagination”. Dr. Sichler tries to strike a balance between these different medical tools when working with patients.

Dr. Sichler sees people as more than just a bunch of anatomy. He sees people as social, psychological, and spiritual beings. The social and spiritual parts, “in the broadest sense are that of nature,” says Dr. Sichler.  Dr. Sichler’s convictions are consistent with the prolific Buddhist scholar, Joanna Macy, who has argued persuasively in her writings that open spaces are vitally important for our spiritual growth and the raising of mankind’s collective consciousness.

“We often think of nature and health when something bad happens…like a natural disaster… but if it weren’t for the plants around us we wouldn’t be able to breath” says Dr. Sichler. “So obviously clean water, healthy food, and some contact with nature are pivotal to someone’s health. We can’t separate them.”

Folks who don’t think they have a deep connection with the earth can also benefit. Dr. Sichler says, “someone doesn’t have to have a certain philosophy to benefit from nature because our connection to the earth is so long standing that it is beyond any set of beliefs.”

You can read the full article here. 

How nature can make you healthier

This is another great article and interview I gave to Reader's Digest's Best Health Magazine. 

Check out the following excerpt: 

What medicine has been recognizing increasingly is that the mind and the body aren’t separate, and what happens to one affects the other,’ says Dr. Conrad Sichler, a family physician and psychotherapist in Burlington, Ontario. Sichler regularly writes ‘nature prescriptions’ in which he directs patients to spend time in natural settings. Sometimes his prescriptions include a map of a local conservation area, other times they’re just two words: ‘Go outside.’

I practice what I preach! Here's me getting ready to enjoy the great outdoors on a recent vacation! 

Check out the full article here including some great tips on how to make the most of your time outdoors! 

Doctors prescribe the great outdoors to get patients moving

In this article with Toronto's Star Magazine, I talk about how Mother Nature can help relive stress and anxiety.  

Read a quick excerpt: 

The outdoors “can give people a space to simply be apart from the hectic demands of their daily lives,” he says. “It can also put people in touch with a sense of beauty and reverence that can enhance their mental and emotional health.”

Sichler grabs the same pad he uses to prescribe antibiotics and blood pressure medication to jot directions to the walking trails at nearby Mount Nemo or Dundas Valley conservation areas.

“Sometimes I'll write, ‘Repeat as often as you can.' ”

Check out the full article here.