Welcome to the new and improved version of the hemma website! These past few weeks of construction have reminded me of the summer of 2007 when we were hard at work with hammers and nails instead of computers. Still the process of imagining, thinking, talking, creating, has been similar — the goal to create a user friendly place. Given that more and more people are turning to the internet for information, socializing, and communication, we thought it was important for us to get on the wagon! We hope you will enjoy hemma.ca v.2.0. In honor of the launch I thought it would be fun to dig up a blog post I wrote for the community acupuncture network back in 2007.
“Field of Dreams” September 2007
I’ve been thinking about that movie….field of dreams I think its called…its been years since I have seen it, but yesterday that image of the ball field in the corn field and the catch phrase, “build it and they will come.” That’s how I have been feeling lately…wondering if they will come when the doors to finally open. Wondering how they (my community) will respond.
In March I made my first visit to Portland, to Working Class Acupuncture, for a workshop on Community Acupuncture. I’m wearing my t-shirt as I write. This morning my daughter, remembering my trip when she saw my t-shirt, asked me, “why did I have go away to that place?” I said because Dad’s need to get away and do fun stuff from time-to-time. Of course I feel instantly in love with Lisa and Skip and the whole gang at WCA, not to mention the whole concept of Community Acupuncture.
CA was something I had dreamed about for years, and here it was beautifully displayed – for real! I left that conference determined to create my own version.
Two months later my wife found the perfect spot just 4 blocks from our house, an old grocery store. We took possession in June. Since then I have been tearing apart and building back a beautiful dream. We unearthed a slightly weathered old-growth fir floor that had been covered with plywood, linoleum, carpet, and paint. This week I am putting the trim on – the icing on the cake.
We have a named our space hemma, which is Swedish for home. We plan to have both a yoga studio – both of us have been teaching for years, and a community acupuncture clinic.
The place has become such a part of me I am little nervous to open her up to the public…like showing your baby to everyone after those first few precious weeks hold up at home. I hope everyone in my community will share in our vision and embrace what we wish to offer.
A few days ago, as I was contemplating all this, I was riding my bike home from my current office. There was a man curled in an abandoned recliner chair on the side of the street. He looked so peaceful, the warm glow of the autumn sunlight shining upon him. I decided that was a good omen, and that it was time for me to start collecting some recliners of my own.
Come and visit.
Michael