"The ties that bind one's true family need not necessarily be those of blood."

I've always been interested in the human body, diet, and optimum health. However, growing up on Staten Island, I didn't have access to the resources necessary to truly explore many of the alternative philosophies and topics that interested me (such as deep tissue cleansing and the maintenance of a healthy colon).  It took a life of being sick for me to be led to the correct sources! At age 17, I experienced my first grand mal seizure.  From that point for the next 11 years I was under the care of a neurologist and highly, highly medicated.  As we now know so well, the pharmaceuticals did an excellent job of quieting and masking my symptoms but resulted in no true healing or progress of the condition.  Every attempt at reducing the medication resulted in the same pattern: a brief period of happily less-medicated life, followed by an "episode", as my doctor called them, followed by reinstatement of the medication full force.  Finally, I came upon the wisdom of others who had written about food combining, and dietary and lifestyle changes which struck a chord with me.  I began eating a more vegan diet, paying attention to the combinations and saw a tremendous change in my health and vitality. The medications were reduced a little at a time and after 3 months I was both seizure and medication free.  My doctor threw a fit claiming that my condition had had absolutely nothing to do with my diet and that I was to mark his words that he'd see me back in his office, sicker than ever without the medication.  That was almost 10 years ago and I've neither been back to his office nor had another "episode".  And ALL of this was accomplished through diet and cleansing ALONE.  To me, there is no greater or nobler service than to help people through the simple process of colonic irrigation and the humble passing on of diet and lifestyle information and counseling.  These small changes in one's life, combined with yoga, reiki, meditation and other forms of physical and spiritual practices that guide us to look inward, make for a very whole and happy person.

My name is Hans Michaud, and I'm a certified Structural Integration Practitioner. I was introduced to this amazing work by the folks at Chakra 17. They helped me tremendously in the past, assisting my transition from a "normal" American diet to the Mucusless diet, and were key in helping me turn my life around for the better because of it."

I studied S.I. work at the Guild for Structural Integration in Boulder, CO and on the island of Kaua'i, Hawaii. My teachers were Dr. Ida Rolf's first hand-picked instructors, Emmett Hutchins and Peter Melchior. What I learned from them has deeply inspired and moved me. They are both committed to the work in its purest form, and I count myself privileged to be among their students.

Structural Integration, like the diet, gave me a vast, new set of perspectives on the body, the mind, the interconnectedness of the two and also the potential. I decided to study Structural Integration not only because it had a profound effect on me but also because it promised a rich and rewarding arena of endless new premises and questions about the human body and psyche.

I have been a filmmaker for fourteen years. I feel extremely lucky to be engaged in two art forms (Structural Integration and Filmmaking) that offer an endless series of challenges and investigations not only about us as human beings but also the world that we live in.

To have the chance to work at Chakra 17 is a windfall, an opportunity to practice alongside those who have had a deep and lasting effect on me and how I view myself amongst others. I am happy to be a part of the Chakra 17 family in this new phase of my life. If you have curiosities about Structural Integration that you wish to discuss, please call me at Chakra 17,

212-679-6576.
rolfstructuralintegration.com

Our beloved Wendy has moved. But New York's loss is definitely Oregon's gain as she is now the founding director of Chakra17 West in Portland! Visit her in the City of Roses (503) 493-9656.

My name is Jennifer Chellis Olivieri and I've been part of the Chakra XVII family since early 2001. I am blessed to have such a warm and supportive environment in which to practice acupuncture, herbal medicine, and craniosacral therapy. Like the rest of the good folks at Chakra, I subscribe to the philosophy that I share with my patients. I try very hard to walk my talk. I take good care of myself through diet, yoga, energy work, supportive and loving relationships, and a strong connection to the Divine. Without working on myself, I would not be able to effectively channel the healing energies that are inherent in all of nature. My practice of Chinese Medicine is a bit more eclectic than I was taught in school. While I have a firm foundation in the academics of Traditional Chinese Medicine and am skilled in their treatment methods (I am a graduate of the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in New York where I earned a Master's Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine with a dual concentration in acupuncture and Chinese herbalism), it has been my desire as a private practitioner to infuse the medicine with more spirit. The essential ingredient to my practice is the integration of knowledge with intuition. The body has an intelligence that communicates to us through our ailments. There is much to be learned by listening to the body and allowing its wisdom to bubble into consciousness. The mind does not occupy a discrete location but rather it lives in each and every cell of our body. So I combine the information that is elicited in the patient interview with the wisdom that is shared by the body when it is touched. The spirit of our bodies tells no lies. It doesn't forget our history. It contains our truths. It is when we connect with that spirit and communicate with it that true healing takes place. If you would like me to assist you on your healing journey, please feel free to call me at Chakra XVII or email me at turtletattoo@cs.com.

Back in 1986, when I was sixteen, I was sitting in a Saratoga Springs restaurant that featured alligator on the menu. Intrigued by this offering, my brother, Jeff and I began a conversation that led to my education of a cow being the supplier of the prime rib I was about to order. For the next two years, the only meat I ate was chicken and turkey and some seafood. Then, one night in 1989, as I sat in my dorm at R.I.T., eating an order of Buffalo wings with extra blue cheese, I decided to do away with the meat in my diet all together. Although my change in diet was very ethically sparked, it was the inception of my future into Natural Law and true healing. My interest in "saving the animals" eventually led me to realize how much more vibrant and energetic I felt & looked as my diet leaned more towards what I now call "mucus-lean". (Mucus-lean foods being those that leave low levels of residue or actual mucus in the cellular walls of the colon.) I was able to make a direct connection with eating cleaner foods and feeling fabulous! Soon, I came to realize that the foods that made me feel "heavy", slow and sluggish, all came from animals and man-made products. Having seen family and friends suffer from various forms of health disorders, without any "mentionable" level of healing, I felt the urge to investigate more of the Natural Law lifestyle as a means of improving my health. It is important to share with you that in addition to my physical improvements, my urge was also supported by a great rise in my emotional awareness and clarity. Then, in 1993, my health really catapulted. I met Gil Jacobs, who, at the time was working solo and very successfully as a Colon Therapist and Nutritional Consultant. (He later founded Chakra17, 8/99.) Every question I ever had about food and its effect on the human body was answered. I began really healing my body through the use of frequent colon hydrotherapy and experienced the most rewarding emotional and physical "highs" comparable to what you might recall as the last day of grade school before summer broke out. A child-like mentality and physical ease came over me on a daily basis. I was able to achieve this level of health because I would "test" the Natural Laws that were offered to me. I started really working with proper food combining and implemented a fresh vegetable juice in my daily routine without exception. My diet became more vegan/raw-based with some vegan-cooked food thrown in on occasion. I read the books of Prof. Arnold Ehret, Norman Walker, and carefully experimented with vegetable juice fasting. I also bought a trampoline for my workouts and watched my health jump up another notch. I trained as a colon therapist and began feeling the power of the work and the positive impact it had on people. In addition, saunas, massage, yoga, and daily prayer are all gifts that I treasure and practice. Presently, I am surrounded by loving friends who exemplify family, as I am forever grateful to be "working" at Chakra17, fostering the lifestyle that I believe is the one true healer. If you have any inquiries about your own or my journey, please feel free to contact me at Chakra17 East, (212) 679-6576, or spinningjoy@mac.com.

Thirteen years ago, while I was living in Mexico, I was having problems with recurring ear infections. A friend of mine took me to a homeopathic physician under whose care my ears healed. It was the first time I was introduced to a healing modality different from western, allopathic (conventional) medicine. Thus began my search for a healthy lifestyle focusing on the whole person (body, mind, and spirit) and "preventive medicine."

My studies in the United States and India, which included yoga, nutrition, anatomy, physiology, psychology, ayurvedic medicine, quantum mechanics, Advaita Vedanta Philosophy and energy field medicine convinced, me that there are better paths to health and wholeness.

The Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique is a healing modality, which draws from these many fields and focuses on treating the body, mind, emotions, and spirit ­ the whole person. B.E.S.T. addresses the underlying causes of pain, illness, disease, and other dysfunctions.

I became a certified B.E.S.T. practitioner in 1998 after studying under Dr. M. Ted Morter who developed B.E.S.T. over 25 years ago. I feel truly blesses to continually be in the presence of miracles² and to be a facilitator in peoples' healing.

For more information regarding B.E.S.T., go to "Therapy Specifics" on this website.

Jennifer Moyer, Certified B.E.S.T. Practitioner - by appointment - 212-679-6576

Please note: credit cards are not accepted at either location