That question has stayed with me since reconnecting with dancer, artist, and Dance Alchemist Kristen Mangione. Kristen joined me on the Be Well podcast two years ago, and our newest conversation began because of something quite different: the Artist’s Letters she has been sharing through her newsletter and blog.

These letters do not simply tell readers what Kristen has been doing. They invite us into what she is discovering while she is creating. One reflection in particular stopped me: “What if the future we’re building is also building us?”

When We Meet Our Own Work Again

Kristen had returned to The Dancer’s Path, a course she created six years earlier. Listening again to recordings she had made at that time, she discovered something unexpected. She was not simply hearing a younger version of herself. The work seemed able to speak to who she is now.

How often do we return to something from our past only to evaluate it? We look for what we would change, what we know now, or what we might have done better. But what happens if we return with a different intention?

Instead of asking, Was this good enough?, we might ask: What can I notice now that I could not notice then?

Perspective changes with experience. Awareness changes with perspective. Something familiar can therefore become new without the original thing changing at all. We have changed, and the relationship has changed with us.

Messages Across Time

Our lives are full of messages we may not recognize as messages when we first encounter them. A photograph. A journal entry. A movement we once loved. A painting. A course we created. A conversation we remember differently years later. A piece of music that suddenly reaches us in a way it never did before.

The experience does not have to be mystical to be profound. We are simply bringing today’s awareness into relationship with something created or experienced at another point in time.

And sometimes that creates an entirely new conversation.

When Time Becomes Less Important

Another of Kristen’s reflections explored what happens when time seems to disappear. She described experiences with movement, bodywork, music, nature, and meaningful conversation where the clock becomes almost irrelevant.

I love this idea because we so often talk about needing more time. What if some of what we are seeking is not more time, but a different relationship with it?

There are moments when we stop measuring and simply become part of the experience. We are no longer anticipating what comes next or organizing ourselves around what needs to be accomplished. Our attention has somewhere to land.

Movement can do this. Art can do this. Nature can do this. Tea can do this. Deep conversation can do this. Sometimes simply becoming curious enough to notice can do this.

Awareness Creates Possibility

This is where Kristen’s creative reflections feel beautifully parallel to BioEnergetic Wellness. In BioEnergetic Wellness, awareness is not merely gathering information about what is wrong. It can help us recognize how we are organizing ourselves in this moment and what possibilities may be available next.

We do not need to erase the past for the future to be different. We can recognize what has been, notice what is present now, and become curious about what we are organizing toward.

That changes the question from What happened to me? to include another possibility: What is available to me now?

Creating Rather Than Simply Remembering

Perhaps this is why Kristen’s Artist’s Letters feel so refreshing. They are not simply reminders of what she has done. They are part of what she is creating now. She shares a discovery and leaves enough room for someone else to have a discovery of their own.

That is a very different kind of communication.

Instead of delivering an answer, we can open a conversation. Instead of telling someone what an experience should mean, we can offer a doorway into awareness. Instead of using our past only as history, we can allow it to participate in what we are becoming.

A GenerosiTEA Pause

For our podcast conversation, I chose GenerosiTEA with the intention: “Open your heart to hope and optimism, for your resilience and pure generosity inspires others.”

Currant and apple became wonderful companions for the conversation. Currant invites us to notice the richness that can be held within something small — an idea, a memory, a movement, or a creative impulse that continues to develop meaning over time. Apple offers the image of nourishment and possibility, with seeds for what comes next held quietly within what is already here.

Perhaps generosity can also mean allowing ourselves to create without demanding that we already know where the creation will lead.

What Message Is Waiting for You?

Take a moment and think about something you created or experienced years ago.

It might be a photograph tucked away in a drawer, words in an old notebook, a piece of music, a movement you have not practiced for years, a painting, an idea you never developed, or something you once created with great care.

Return to it without trying to decide whether it was successful.

Instead, become curious.

What do you notice now?

What can you understand now that you could not understand then?

What possibility does it open?

And perhaps most importantly:

What if the future you are building is already building you?

If these ideas about time, space, movement, and the future spark your curiosity, I invite you to explore them with us through our special Tai Chi Skill Building series. This is much more than learning Tai Chi movements; we are using movement, music, art, awareness, and creative exploration to discover how the way we organize ourselves today can influence the possibilities we recognize for tomorrow. What happens when we move differently through space, experience time differently, or revisit a future we previously imagined for ourselves? Can movement help us notice a possibility we had not yet considered? We still have nine special classes ahead, and when you join, you will also receive the recordings and incredible supplemental material from our first three explorations, so you can begin at the beginning and experience the discoveries in your own time. Whether you already have a future you are working toward, are reconsidering one you previously identified, or are simply curious about what might emerge next, this series offers a place to move, notice, create, and explore what your future may already be inviting you to become.

The post Messages Across Time and Space: What Is Your Past Self Inviting You to Notice? first appeared on Greenwell Center for Holistic Health.

Migraine Wellness: Five Conversations That Can Change the Way You Think About Healing

Migraine Awareness Month reminds us that migraine is far more than a headache. It is a neurological condition that can impact every aspect of life—from work and family to sleep, creativity, and emotional wellbeing.

Throughout this special five-part series on the Be Well with Dr. Michelle Greenwell Podcast, we looked beyond symptom management and explored a broader question:

What helps us create the conditions for healing?

Each guest offered a unique perspective, practical wellness tools, and hope for those living with migraines, headaches, brain fog, or nervous system challenges. Together, these conversations introduce the BioEnergetic Wellness approach—one that empowers individuals with practical self-care tools that complement medical care and encourage lifelong wellbeing.

Whether you are living with migraines yourself, supporting someone who is, or simply seeking greater resilience, this series is an invitation to discover that healing often begins with awareness, intention, creativity, community, and peace.

Meet the Experts

Episode 1 – The Mindful Migraine with Linda

Linda shares her remarkable journey from almost daily migraines to living with significantly fewer episodes through mindfulness, Tai Chi, body awareness, and changing the metaphors she used to describe her health.

• The language we use influences how we experience healing.
• Awareness of tension is the first step toward change.
• Mindfulness and gentle movement help regulate the nervous system.

Watch The Mindful Migraine with Linda on YouTube

Episode 2 – Your Migraine Story Matters with Amber Horrox

Amber’s story reminds us that healing is about much more than reducing symptoms. Through writing, storytelling, and self-advocacy, she reclaimed her voice after years of living quietly with chronic migraine.

• Your story matters.
• Writing can become part of healing.
• Community helps us move from surviving to thriving.

Watch Your Migraine Story Matters with Amber Horrox on YouTube

Episode 3 – Understanding Your Body Signals with Kelly Richardson

Kelly encourages us to look beyond today’s symptoms and reconnect with our future. What dreams have migraines placed on hold? By understanding the body’s priorities and creating meaningful goals, healing gains direction.

• Listen to the body’s signals.
• Goal setting creates a healing compass.
• Wellness is about moving toward possibility.

Watch Understanding Your Body Signals with Kelly Richardson on YouTube

Episode 4 – The Art of Healing with Tanya Levy & Marian Egan

Healing can happen through creativity as much as conversation. Tanya and Marian introduce intuitive art, wellness card decks, affirmations, and practical self-care tools that support nervous system regulation and personal insight.

• Creativity supports healing.
• Small daily rituals create lasting change.
• Wellness tools help us reconnect with ourselves.

Watch The Art of Healing with Tanya Levy and Marian Egan on YouTube

Episode 5 – The Peace Whisperer with Karen Lee Cohen

Our final episode explores peace as a wellness practice. Karen, founder of the Let’s Be Peace Movement, reminds us that cultivating inner peace changes how we experience life’s challenges and helps us become a source of healing for others.

• Peace is a daily practice.
• Nervous system regulation supports resilience.
• Healing ourselves helps create a more peaceful world.

Watch The Peace Whisperer with Karen Lee Cohen on YouTube

The audio versions can be found here

The BioEnergetic Wellness Toolbox

Across all five conversations, several simple yet powerful tools emerged: awareness and mindfulness, goal setting and intention, storytelling and journaling, Tai Chi and mindful movement, breath awareness, tea rituals, intuitive art and creativity, affirmations and wellness card decks, community and connection, and peace practices.

No single tool works for everyone. Instead, BioEnergetic Wellness invites you to discover the combination of practices that best supports your unique journey.

Your Daily Wellness Toolkit

Take the FREE 30-Day Self-Care Challenge

Healing is built one day at a time. Over the next 30 days, choose one small practice each day to help reduce stress, regulate your nervous system, and build healthy habits that support wellbeing.

Week One – Awareness, Inspired by Linda

Notice your body. Observe your thoughts. Change one limiting metaphor. Practice mindful breathing. Spend time in nature. Become curious rather than critical.

Week Two – Your Story, Inspired by Amber

Begin a journal. Write one page each day. Celebrate your strengths. Practice gratitude. Share your story with someone you trust.

Week Three – Direction, Inspired by Kelly

Reconnect with a dream. Set one meaningful goal. Ask yourself: “What do I want my wellness to help me do?” Take one small step toward that vision.

Week Four – Creativity, Inspired by Tanya & Marian

Draw an affirmation card. Create with colour. Enjoy a mindful cup of tea. Listen to music. Practice intuitive art. Take five quiet minutes for yourself each day.

Days 29 & 30 – Peace, Inspired by Karen

“Let’s Be Peace” is a way of living daily. We can share peace with others, and we can offer it to ourselves. Here are some ways to bring peace into your life: Spend time in stillness. Practice gratitude. Perform one act of kindness for yourself and one for another person. Repeat: “In community we are empowered for change.” Reflect on what has changed during the past month.

Continue Your Wellness Journey

If these conversations inspired you, there are many ways to continue learning. At the Greenwell Center for Holistic Health, you’ll discover on-demand wellness courses, Tai Chi and mindful movement programs, BioEnergetic Wellness education, wellness card decks, intuitive art resources, Cape Breton Tea Company tea rituals, workshops, community events, and the upcoming Artfilled Wellness: Cape Breton Island Energy Arts Immersion Retreat.

Listen to the Complete Series

Listen on Buzzsprout

Subscribe on YouTube to continue following new episodes of Be Well with Dr. Michelle Greenwell, where we explore practical tools, inspiring conversations, and evidence-informed approaches that empower you to become an active participant in your own wellbeing.

Tea Rituals: A Daily Pause for Healing

Throughout this Migraine Awareness Month series, we began each conversation with a mindful tea ritual from the Cape Breton Tea Company, reminding us that healing often begins by simply pausing. Each tea was carefully chosen to reflect the theme of the episode and to encourage a moment of intention before learning. From the calming awareness inspired by Releasing the Warrior, to the courage and possibility found in 1909 First Flight on Baddeck Bay, to the creativity and connection celebrated through our intuitive art conversations, and finally the compassion and hope embodied in Mission4Change CommuniTEA, each cup became an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with ourselves. More than a beverage, tea became a daily wellness ritual—one that engaged the senses, encouraged mindfulness, and reminded us that small moments of self-care practiced consistently can create meaningful change. By pairing each blend with an affirmation and exploring the spiritual essence of its herbs, we discovered another simple tool within the BioEnergetic Wellness toolbox: creating intentional pauses that support nervous system regulation, resilience, and inner peace, one cup at a time.

An Invitation

Healing rarely happens because of one conversation. It happens through the small choices we make every day: a mindful breath, a cup of tea, a walk, a journal entry, a movement practice, a conversation, or a moment of peace.

As you explore these five episodes, I invite you to discover which tools resonate most with you and begin creating your own personalized wellness toolbox.

Because wellness is more than the absence of illness. It is the ongoing practice of creating a life filled with awareness, purpose, creativity, connection, and peace.

Be well,
Dr. Michelle Greenwell, CIH BioEW
Host, Be Well with Dr. Michelle Greenwell Podcast
Greenwell Center for Holistic Health

The post Time to Heal: Migraine Wellness – Five Conversations That Can Change the Way You Think About Healing first appeared on Greenwell Center for Holistic Health.