It is challenging today to find a spot of silence where we can experience the absence of self described by acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton in this month’s Inspiration feature. Recognizing that soulful respites amidst nature help us realize a sense of renewal and connection with Spirit, several area health practitioners reveal their favorite local places for listening to Earth’s softer soundscapes.

When the activities of the day push Lavender & Quartz owner Kimla Stewart off-center and her head aches from stress, she steps into her garden to practice Cloud Hands, a Qigong posture that incorporates deep breathing. “Qigong breathing and exercise restores my soul, and in seconds, I have reconnected to Nature and the Divine,” says the registered nurse. “Feeling the ground beneath my feet in my garden, as I breathe in while doing Qigong, I am reborn into a new moment of reconnection with Spirit.”

Freedom Park, off Golden Gate Parkway in Naples, is the quiet and soothing oasis where Alvina Quatrano, owner of Holistic Healing Arts, goes for renewal. Its walking trails teem with wildlife and flora, and Quatrano appreciates the quiet along the boardwalk, some of which meanders through a canopy of mangroves laced with delicate iris.

Dr. Joel Ying, founder of Joy Health & Wellness, escapes from the fight-or-flight response to the world’s overstimulating buzz at Happehatchee Center, in Estero. Whether he’s sitting on the bridge, watching the Estero River flow by, walking the labyrinth or paddling a kayak, Ying gives his soul a chance to unfurl and expand. “Silence allows your parasympathetic nervous system to rest and relax, so you feel more balanced and can re-enter the world, able to handle the noise again,” he says.

A licensed massage therapist who practices advanced medical, deep tissue and relaxation massage at KJ Concepts, Kellie Jo Dunlap offers intensive therapy for body and soul that features Acutonic tuning forks, whose vibrations are equivalent to the “music of the spheres.” Using them daily not only entrains her client’s vibrations to the beat of the Universe, but also her own. “The beach is where I enjoy listening to the sounds of Nature whenever I have the opportunity,” says Dunlap.

Lynn Thomas, a certified clinical hypnotherapist and owner of Concerned Health Alternatives, makes her own silence. “I practice five minutes of self-hypnosis, which produces a state of pure relaxation,” says Thomas. “I don’t get to the beach as often as I would like, and for me, this is the next best thing.”

Like Thomas, whenever Doctor of Oriental Medicine Terri Evans seeks quietude, she goes within. Evans, a licensed acupuncture physician and founder of the TAE Healthy Aging Center, explains: “I find that my silent space is still there, safe and sound.”

Lavender & Quartz: LavenderAndQuartz.com; 239-298-0509; [email protected].
Holistic Healing Arts: 732-266-5276; [email protected].
Joy Health & Wellness: 2335 Tamiami Trail N., #206, Naples. www.JoyHealthWellness.com; 239-200-6796.
KJ Concepts: 3811 Airport Road N., Ste. 202A, Naples. www.KJ-Concepts.com; 239-272-6366.
Concerned Health Alternatives: www.HypnosisBasics.com; 239-597-1328.
Tae Healthy Aging Center: 3811 Airport Road N, Ste. 203, Naples. www.TAEHealthyAging.com; 239-430-6800.