Free to therapists, health spas, training schools and shops in London, as well as those who provide professional services to this sector.

A series of LDA-funded breakfast seminars by industry experts including: Marketing Tricks for Therapists on 2nd July, PR for Therapists and Health Centres on 23rd July and Search Engine Optimisation for Holistic Businesses on 30th July 2008.

Plus: quarterly therapist networking events, one-to-one business advice with a qualified adviser and registering for self employment seminars for newly qualified therapists.

For more information, phone Lucan on 020 7278 5757 or visit: http://www.holisticbusinessevents.co.uk

The Holistic Directory Guide is for Therapists and Traders within the Holistic world. Holistic Directory Guide is a monthly A5 glossy colour directory, distributed from Cornwall to Kent, south coast up to the M4. Holistic Directory Guide is available FREE at many pick up points including Complementary Centres, NewAge stores and Inner spirit Holistic Fayres.

Holistic Directory Guide also features a classified section. Holistic Directory Guide is currently 10,000 copies per publication each month, with expansion to seperate areas anticipated. Holistic Directory Guide is fully indexed for easy look up

Tel: 02392 366117
Working in association with Innerspirit Fayres

Visit: http://www.holisticdirectoryguide.co.uk

Aya-Aya invites you to join us in Brazil in September for a life changing spiritual retreat.

You will be guided on sacred journeys using the wisdom and healing power of nature. Our workshops combine both the ancient plant teacher Ayahuasca with creative self-development courses to reconnect with our hearts and restore inner harmony.

Ayahuasca has been used for thousands of years by indigenous shamans of the Amazon for healing, empowerment and spiritual growth. Ayahuasca helps us uncover a wisdom that we all possess but has been hidden away and forgotten. It strips away ego behaviour that impedes our personal development and allows us to release emotional baggage to conquer our deepest fears and enable us to attain our higher potential.

Click here to find out more about Ayahuasca Retreat

We are an accredited and recognised College and training school Courses are in Somerset, Devon, Wiltshire, Essex, Cheshire, Gloucestershire, York, Avon, Surrey, West Midlands, Merseyside, Hertfordshire & North London

We offer One-Day Practitioner Diploma Course in: Indian Head Massage, Thai Foot Massage, Hopi Ear Candle, Oriental Face Massage, Oriental Hand Massage

Reiki Courses we offer

Reiki I, Reiki II & Reiki III (Master Level)

Fully accredited Diploma courses for membership and insurance

Contact: Tara Jewell on 01643 703964

Email: massagecourses@hotmail.co.uk

Web site: http://www.naturaltherapystudio.co.uk/

Based in Stockport, Cheshire we are a specialist massage & holistic training centre for unusual CPD courses. All courses are accredited with the main awarding bodies and include: Tibetan Acupressure Head Massage; Korean Hand Massage; Mongolian Koyashai Massage; Mongolian Milk Body Massage; Ayurvedic Face & Ear Massage; Solestry – The Art of Foot Reading; Prevention for Massage Therapists & Reflexologists; TSUBOKI Japanese Facial Massage; Deep Tissue Techniques; Hopi Ear Candling; Hot Stones Massage; On-Site Massage; Teaching Baby Massage and much more…

Have a look at our website for more information or call us with any questions or queries.

Contact: Georgeene
Tel: 0161 221 2673
Web: www.massageofcourse.com

Back to nature, pure air - pure Qi, camp fires, outdoor practice, family friendly, camper van friendly, tent friendly. Actually… just very friendly. Deep in the heart of Dartmoor amongst leafy lanes, stone circles, pure water rivers and panoramic views is our special Tai Chi Camp. We use a venue where we simple indoor facilities (including shower and hall), a big field for camping,and plenty of places for outdoor practice. This is a long weekend of relaxed fun and community spirit, sharing food and cooking, bringing people together for a memorable experience. Oh, and lots of opportunity to learn and practice Tai Chi and Qigong with experienced enthusiastic practitioners. Kids (including ‘big kids’ ) welcome.

Dates: 22nd to 25th August 2008
Costs: full board, £150 per person, reduced rates for children
Options: camper vans extra (£20), holistic therapy (£40)

Visit: http://www.taichination.com/camp.php

This is an opportunity to buy one of the most important spiritual networking hubs in Wales. The Retreat Centre and Cafe in the heart of Swansea is the major space for holistic and interfaith projects to meet. It has been central in Swansea’s creation of a spiritual community that includes all faiths and approaches.

The Retreat does not make a huge profit, but it ticks over in a very harmonious way. If you want to run a café and networking centre that fulfils your soul’s mission, then purchasing The Retreat might be perfect for you.

150 Square metres. Café, shop, information centre, meeting room, meditation room, office, therapy space. £195,000 www.theretreatcentre.shopxt.com

Telephone Nigel or Hazel on 07904 413721

The BBC blog has responded to criticism about their decision to remove their section about complementary health.

“The removal of the complementary health section of the Health area of bbc.co.uk has caused a bit of a stir, resulting in several complaints and accusations flying around that we’ve bowed to the demands of pressure groups.

In reality, it’s not nearly that exciting. The fact is that we review the content on bbc.co.uk on an ongoing basis, making sure that it’s both of a high editorial standard and as up-to-date and complete as possible. We’ll often remove elements of the site which we feel do not meet these requirements, and where significant investment would be required to bring it up to scratch…”

For the full response go here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2008/02/complementary_health_site.html

Apparently the BBC has recently deleted all their information about complementary medicine and therapies. Here’s a recent letter sent out by Mary O’Meara of the Complementary & Alternative Medicine Researcher’s Network (CAMRN):

BBC Health Website Deletes Complementary Medicine

Last week the controllers of BBCHealth (www.bbc.co.uk/health) , the health section on one of the most accessed websites in the world, decided to remove all coverage of complementary medicine!

They used to have substantial coverage with over 40 pages on this subject covering all the major therapies, their pros and cons, evidence for their effectiveness, how to find a qualified practitioner, etc.

However the site has in recent months been sent a deluge of letters and emails claiming that complementary therapies such as homeopathy and cranial osteopathy should be removed. As a result large chunks of this part of the site were simply removed overnight and now, following recent cutbacks, it was decided that, rather than update this part of the site, it should simply be removed altogether!

It may seem incredible that a public service site this prominent can deem complementary medicine so insignificant that it no longer warrants any coverage other than the odd news story. This is despite the fact that complementary medicine is used favourably by a significant proportion of the population (recent surveys have estimated that around 1 in 5 Britons use it at some point or other) and that increasing numbers of people are now seeking to train in these therapies.

However, as the ‘quack busters’ become more organised and active, evidence of the backlash against complementary medicine is appearing all over the place - such as the removal of PCT funding for homeopathy, the threatened closure of the homeopathic hospitals, many negative news stories in the press and so on.
Rather than taking a reasoned view and considering the evidence from good research studies on complementary medicine some groups seem simply hell bent on trying to ’stamp out’ complementary medicine in any way possible. The BBCi removal of complementary medicine coverage (which has been in place for almost 15 years!) is one example.

If you believe information pages on it should be returned to BBCi, please, please take just a minute to express your views using their online comment form at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/feedback/

to make your view known. As a public service company they have to listen to your views so your email will make a difference. Apparently for all the many letters and emails that they received that were against complementary medicine they only received a handful in support. Therefore if you are in support please let them know so they may revise their thinking on this subject.

Please act as soon as possible and pass on these details to anyone else you know who may also be willing to write in support of complementary medicine.

………………………………………………………………….
Mary O’Meara
Complementary & Alternative Medicine Researcher’s Network (CAMRN)
Research Council for Complementary Medicine
The Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital,
UCLH NHS Foundation Trust
60 Great Ormond Street
London
WC1 3HR
Website: www.rccm.org.uk

Developing the evidence base for complementary medicine The RCCM is a charitable trust dependent entirely upon grants and voluntary donations