Transitions and Growth
- Erika Hawley L.Ac, MSAOM
- Nov 30, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Dec 11, 2023
Both are a part of life yes? And you might be saying, "Again, Erika??!" lol. Well boy do some of us know both traits intimately! At least I know I do and have gone through lots of changes and growth through the years. Maybe you can relate? ;)
Change is woven into our very nature. The Chinese I Ching which is a part of the Embrace Qi foundation as well as Human Design and a very deep and wonderful story about life from our Chinese relatives, in all its intricacies, is also referred to as literally the "Book of Changes". So it goes into how shift and growth and change are natural! Nice to have a book to refer to yes? Haha. Every bit helps Id say.
Quite literally the embodied dance of Yin and Yang in our lives is on both the micro and macro levels. Infinitely turning from one into the other and back again. Night into day, cold into heat, seasons into each other, friends into enemies, enemies into friends etc.... Life IS an endless dance of shift, change and growth.
So as you may have guessed, todays blog is about a few particular transitions related to changes for Embrace Qi's leadership and the upcoming growth that is happening!
I love the writings of Anais Nin on the subject of living and growth to help bring meaning and perspective and which have come into play in my life in as many and more ways. Maybe you can relate to her words as well?!
Here is one of my favorite quotes of hers, a story of my story!
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom..... Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death. Living never wore one out so much as the effort not to live. Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity and stumble from defeat to defeat. Perfection is static, and I am in full progress. Abnormal pleasures kill the taste for normal ones. -Anais Nin
"I AM in full progress!!" Ah! Love that so much and it feels so refreshing to let that be ok.
I invite you to try that on in your own life story and maybe identify somewhere you might be craving more room to bloom?
My mission to teach and learn to "Embrace QI" began over 20 years ago... myself just a bud at that time. Feeling a bit too tight and wanting to blossom has led me to this very moment itself. Truly an incredible gift and adventure it has been.
When I was at last able to start Embrace Qi as an official foundation in 2021, after a lot of work to get there, I still had the "dream" to create a larger impact, but was not able to implement it due to my already very full schedule and the restrictions on my time and energy then.
It has been one wonderful and wild adventure of learning to Embrace QI in all the ways, including getting the nuts and bolts in place for this to be an active 501c3.
Being of service and helping others has always been in my heart and I feel so grateful for all that has occurred to this point.
What an honor it is to Serve others, right? However it occurs is GOOD. And Enough ;)
It is my greatest wish to see this foundation continue to grow and benefit many hundreds and thousands of lives and future generations that will follow ours now.
So now ironically, the way I am being guided to Embrace QI is a bit different that I might have expected and is still unfolding day by day. It is my honor to now pass this foundation along to some other worthy and enthusiastic souls and officially donate Embrace Qi!
I look forward to the changes that the next chapter brings for both this wonderful sprout of an organization with good intentions and big dreams, and for myself as a human being in an unfolding experience.
There has been a good and building response to this idea and the theme of Embracing wellness and more positivity in life in general- aka "Qi" or "Chee".
I hope it will grow and touch even more hearts and minds with a sense of PEACE and well being for many years to come!
I feel lucky to be able to pass the torch and the foundation's keeping to new caretakers and Board of Directors, on a mission to create even more GOOD in the world....
Please welcome with a round of applause, and without further Ado, our new CEO and Directors-
Yvonne Gee and David Eddy!
Yvonne Gee- CEO, Founder and Director
An original board member and founder of Embrace Qi, Yvonne has a hat full of tools and skills to bring to the foundation! It is her life long dream to run her own non- profit and now its coming true. She worked as a geriatric physical therapist for 20+ years while raising her two boys.
She an Oiler, a Bucket List Coach, Death Doula/coach for end of life needs and a Wellness Advocate. With a passion for hot springs, crystals, and all things magical, she is a true fairy Godmother to all who meet her. She leads by example, living out our inspiring motto and bringing her own vitality and healthy QI flow back into life!
The Foundation is lucky to have her here :)
Follow her here for more inspiration and information at https://www.yvonneyehgee.rocks/
David Van Zandt Eddy- Co-Founder and Director
David is a full time working artist and teacher residing in the Columbia Gorge in South Washington State. His preferred Media are bronze sculpture and oil paint. He loves helping artists of all ages discover their natural abilities to create and play with form and color.
He has previously served as an Officer and Director of a 501-C3 Non -Profit for 7 years. The organization was concerned with providing a drug free healthy lifestyle for young people focused on yoga and meditation as a path promoting clean living and high thinking.
To see his creations and learn more about him check out www.vanzandtstudio.net
They are two dynamic, creative and passionate individuals who love bringing people together! I cant think of two more appropriate people to direct this mission and continue to build the container for Embrace Qi to grow and help others as a foundation and community.
They are the Grateful owners and stewards of the Rising Phoenix farm in Washougal WA, which will now be the official new home for Embrace Qi Inc- woohoo! This will be much better to host in person events and feel fully charged by the connection that in person experiences can bring and co-create.
The theme of the foundation will continue, with slight variation and additional options in the future to cultivate your Qi and positive energy with a stay on the farm, work in the garden, teach/learn/move/create together and more...!
And the best part is, you will definitely have fun :)
Here is a special message from Yvonne and David to the community here regarding the additions coming up:
"Dear Community!
Thank you for being here and all you have contributed thus far. We know many of you and have many others yet to meet! We look forward to collaborating and carrying this mission and energy forward into its next formation.
Here are our main updates for now:
Our Mission statement is now shifted slightly to:
Embrace Qi provides a platform for a more holistic way of living in harmony within ourselves, our natural environment and each other, that makes health and well being more accessible to all. This includes activities and resources with the community that empower members and guests to embrace their inner qi (pronounced "chee" :)!
We will also offer practices, resources and activities that promote the benefits of embracing qi.
These benefits include; Maximum health, self healing, optimal wellbeing and longevity.
We are expanding the scope of our offerings and activity to all those that promote balancing and cultivation of qi.
Special note: If you or others you know might be interested in serving on our board or participating in other ways, please reach out and say hello! We would love to have more energy, ideas and heart beats to make this a truly fun and exciting platform for growth and well being. As they say, "It takes a village!" Please email us at support@embraceqi.com
We will now be including the following to expand our scope of service to: Organic gardening Regenerative gardening and permaculture Personal wellness practices such as yoga, meditation, tai chi, qigong.
As well as community building events to promote connection such as:
Sound baths, house concerts, wellness and art classes, music and art events, and discussion groups for all stages and ages of life.
We look forward to partnering and collaborating with you to Embrace Qi: yours and ours!
Sincerely,
Yvonne Gee and David Eddy
Special Note:
Memberships and sessions with Erika will be paused for now until all info is transferred and new membership structure is in place. She will pop in and volunteer to teach and share more in the future-stay tuned! ;)
If you wish to continue working with Erika directly, please follow her and connect on her website for offerings at www.quantumpurposecoach.com or directly at quantumpurposecoach@gmail.com
Bless you! We are SO Grateful for you!!
As the original Board of Directors steps down, we wish them well on their other adventures as they move along. And offer a special note of thanks to our Founding members and students so far! You have made all the difference.
Thank you all for being a part of the beginning and helping this little seed grow!
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