Sources of Inspiration, Influence, and Knowledge
Without a doubt, there are exceptional healers and therapeutic methods that Diane draws inspiration and knowledge from. Since she is open to various health and healing systems' therapeutic ways and the practitioners who teach those methods, she has benefited from others' experiences and their generosity sharing their knowledge.
Diane was influenced by her first Ayurveda teacher in United States, Gary Gran. Diane still regularly references what color food to eat and for which day and planet of the week from Gary's Ayurveda Lessons blog!
Diane also works with an array of respected Chicago area practitioners, such as Certified Nurse Midwife Sarah Simmons from New Life Midwifery Services. Sarah has attended over 1,000 home births since 1990, and she thinks that giving birth is the hardest, yet most rewarding work another can do.
And, Jo Anne Lindberg of Birthlink has worked with thousands of families in the greater Chicago area to promote healthy families and parents' rights to "undisturbed nonintervention-oriented childbirth, immediate uninterrupted infant bonding and long term breastfeeding and stay at home parenting."
Diane also finds inspiration from Althea Nortage Orr from the Chicago Center for Psychophysical Healing. Althea is a local, professional herbalist and a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who has a 79-acre forest farm for cultivating herbs to make medicine.
Influential Grainne McKeown is a licensed acupuncturist and herbal medicine practitioner in Chicago who is also the founder of free, integrative health clinics in Nepal, Mindful Medicine Worldwide.
And, take Ayurvedic physician Dr. Claudia Welch. Dr. Welch's books (for example, Balance Your Life, Balance Your Hormones or The Four Qualities of Effective Physicians) and the occasional recipes she makes available are always worthy of a look (and taste; try this yummy Agni Soup!) Also, Diane is fond of Chopra as a source of information about Ayurveda, balance, and self care.
Or, the folks over at Sacred Window Studies and their commitment to bringing further into the world the teachings of Ayurveda. In addition to hosting valuable information about Ayurvedic postpartum care, they also provide insight into a "conscious way of caring for new parents and babies" and strive "to affect social change on a broader level." (Take a closer look at what Sacred Window Studies offers.)
Diane is a student of the Trager™ approach to massage, which facilitates deep relaxation and draws upon the mind-body connection. Diane was taught the Trager™ approach by Michael Lear (Curious what Trager™ massage therapy looks like? You can see Diane's Trager™ teacher Michael Lear's video demonstration.)
Diane also uses Ayurvedic marma and neurosomatic therapies in her treatments. Diane's marma point therapy teachers are Drs. Anisha Durve and Vasant Lad. (Interested in knowing more about marma? See the videos below!)
Diane's energy work derives from Donna Eden's teachings. And she also finds the team at Ayurveda Sadhana and their education and pure, simple offerings commendable. (And the recipes are tasty!)
She also finds inspiration from Mary J. Getten (Diane's now retired animal communication teacher), and her work at the Global Water Healing where an assortment of guided water healing meditations are freely available for listening.
Diane also draws inspiration from The P'hurba Peace Mandala Project--"the first full-scale, three-dimensional mandala on the North American continent. It will embody the universe in full harmony, generating great energy and blessings, bringing balance to the elements, and promoting peace for the continent and the entire world."