It wasn't long after the press release went out about Dr. Margaret Smiechowski's Himalayan salt cave opening in Pennsylvania that we started getting bombarded with requests for information from a self-appointed "watchdog" organization in that area whose members were concerned that the use of Himalayan salt in salt caves was a scam. Among other things, these people ridiculed the notion that salt could provide any real benefit, ridiculed Dr. Margaret's "foreign" education, and claimed that no scientific evidence exists to support the use of Himalayan salt. Further, they challenged us to produce even one study that shows beyond a reasonable doubt that there are statistically significant benefits to using the salt.
The truth is that there are literally dozens of scientific studies that have been conducted over decades that show without any question that there are medical benefits to using Himalayan salt. If this is true, one might wonder why these organizations waste their time trying to discredit speleotherapy and halotherapy?
The answer to this question is fairly complicated. The main reason is because most of these studies were conducted in Europe and Asia and were published in scholarly journals in languages other than English. They are not translated into English and discussed in the US because in general we are putting our research dollars into more traditional, pharmaceutical-based research. Truthfully, Americans do not care about the research of salt. Those who have experienced its benefits do not need to see the multitude of studies that exist--they just know and believe. And those who will not believe no matter what do not want to see the studies. For those who are on the fence, we created this blog entry so you can see what research actually does exist.
Most of the dozens of clinical trials thus far, mainly reported in Russian-language journals, have focused on the use of speleotherapy or halotherapy as a treatment for asthma, chronic bronchitis, a range of respiratory conditions and potentially against systemic diseases. Clinical studies have also been published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2006) demonstrating that the inhalation of saline produces sustained mucus clearance and improved lung function in patients with Cistic Fibrosis. In 1995 the Journal of Aerosol Medicine reported significant improvements in patients with various types of respiratory diseases (bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive and non-obstructive bronchitis, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis) who were treated with halotherapy in a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Here is a small sample of some of the other relevant studies:
Chernenkov RA, Chernenkova EA, Zhukov GV.
The use of an artificial microclimate chamber (salt cave) in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1997 Jul-Aug ;( 4):19-21. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 9424823
Chervinskaya AV, Zilber NA.
Halotherapy for treatment of respiratory diseases
J Aerosol Med. 1995 Fall;8(3):221-32.
PMID: 10161255
Gorbenko PP, Adamova IV, Sinitsyna TM.
Bronchial hyperreactivity to the inhalation of hypo- and hyperosmolar aerosols and its correction by halotherapy
Ter Arkh. 1996; 68(8):24-8. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 9019826
Grinshtein IuI, Shestovitskii VA, Kuligina-Maksimova AV.
Clinical significance of cytological characteristics of bronchial inflammation in obstructive pulmonary diseases
Ter Arkh. 2004; 76(3):36-9. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 15108456
Grigor'eva NV.
Halotherapy in combined non-puncture therapy of patients with acute purulent maxillary sinusitis
Vestn Otorinolaringol. 2003;(4):42-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 13677023
Abdrakhmanova LM, Farkhutdinov UR, Farkhutdinov RR.
Effectiveness of halotherapy of chronic bronchitis patients
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2000 Nov-Dec ;( 6):21-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11197648
Maev EZ, Vinogradov NV.
Halotherapy in the combined treatment of chronic bronchitis patients
Voen Med Zh. 1999 Jun; 320(6):34-7, 96. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 10439712
Chervinskaia AV.
The scientific validation and outlook for the practical use of halo-aerosol therapy
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2000 Jan-Feb ;( 1):21-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11094875
Farkhutdinov UR, Abdrakhmanova LM, Farkhutdinov RR.
Effects of halotherapy on free radical oxidation in patients with chronic bronchitis
Klin Med ( Moscow ). 2000;78(12):37-40. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11210350
Borisenko LV, et al
The use of halotherapy for the rehabilitation of patients with acute bronchitis and a protracted and recurrent course
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1995 Jan-Feb ;( 1):11-5. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 7785211
Roslaia NA, Likhacheva EI, Shchekoldin PI.
Efficacy of therapeutic use of ultrasound and sinusoidal modulated currents combined with halotherapy in patients with occupational toxic-dust bronchitis
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2001 Jan-Feb ;( 1):26-7. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11530404
Maliavin AG, Filiaeva IuA, Umakhanova MM, Chervinskaia AV.
Halotherapy-a new treatment for bacterial vaginosis
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2004 May-Jun ;( 3):35-7. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 15216790
Wark, P.A.B. and V. McDonald (2004), "Nebulised Hypertonic Saline for Cystic Fibrosis," Cochrane Review (abstract), www.update-software.com/abstracts/AB001506.htm (as of August 3, 2004).
In case these thirteen clinical studies are not enough, the following websites offer additional support:
Tano, L Tano
Salt mine rehabilitation center
http://www.kopalniasoli.pl/en/objects/health-centre/about-the-centre/about-the-centre.html
http://www.sanatoria.org/eng/sanatorium/kopalniasoli.html
http://nationalnursingreview.com/2010/08/halotherapy/
http://www.pravasolnajaskyna.sk/ClinicalResults.htm
http://www.crklan.com/speleotherapy-and-halotherapy-for-healthy-lungs-and-skin/
http://www.aai.mf.vu.lt/alerimun/renginiai/99_05_palanga/2dalis.htm
http://www.salinetherapy.com/html/asthma___bronchitis.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18019972
http://www.saltrocks.org/Salt-Pipe_Clinical-Trial-Study-of-Asthma-Bronchitis-COPD.html
http://www.saltrocks.org/Salt-Pipe_Clinical-Trial-Study-of-Children-With-Asthma-Etc.html
http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=12047
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jorbons/souterrains/art/saltrome.html
http://www.salt-touch.com/articles/speleochamber.aspx
http://www.salitair.co.uk/published_studies.php
http://www.pravasolnajaskyna.sk/ReferencesNCBI.htm
http://www.saltspacolorado.com/research.html
If you are still reading, here is something else that might be of interest from Dr. Smiechowski about the mines at Wieliczka: http://www.wieliczka.com.pl/site.php?
In 2004, the Wieliczka Salt Mine Underground Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre received the International ISO 9001:2000 Certificate in the Quality Management in health care in the field of treatment of the respiratory system and allergic conditions in adults and children. [Surely this is not granted to institutions using non-scientific methods or quackery?]
Thanks to the agreement signed between the Wieliczka Salt Mine, the Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum and the Academy of Physical Education on co-operation in teaching, research and scientific activities, the Centre is a venue of research on the influence of the special microclimate of the Wieliczka Mine on the human body.
The scientific research conducted at the Centre is supervised by Professor Krystyna Obtułowicz - the head of the UJ Collegium Medicum Allergology department, as the Plenipotentiary of Collegiom's Vice-chancellor for of Co-operation with the Mine.
So you see, much research does exist.
Do people really think we would waste our time, money, and other resources (not to mention risk our professional reputations) on something that was a scam? While Dr. Margaret had the benefit of growing up in Poland where no one would even think of questioning the benefits of salt, I did not--so when she approached me to build a salt cave at the Pyramid, you better believe I did my research. Although I do not speak Russian, Dr. Margaret was able to summarize the studies for me and it did not take long for me to realize that things like the Salt Cave and Halotherapy Room hold the potential for incredible wellness benefits. I've done the research myself, so I know that even though we must say that these treatments are just for relaxation, I know that they are so much more. People living near salt therapy options in general do not understand the potential they hold, and so we find ourselves trying hard to raise awarenes without violating the rules of the FDA. The other complaint that the watchdog members had was that if these studies exist, why are they not on our Pyramid website? The answer to this is quite simple; because of FDA regulations, we cannot make any medical claims about salt, so it would be wrong for us to advertise it as anything except a relaxation technique. Why would we point to studies on our website that is designed to give people information about what we have to offer that would suggest that salt could be used as a medical treatment?
Of course, it is hard enough in this world to get people to try new things, especially in this economy when you must charge for the service. The watchdog organization members claimed that we were ripping off the public and probably making a lot of money off this scam. At $10 per session, we are hardly getting rich off the Salt Cave. Most days we do not even cover our own expenses to run the cave, but we continue to offer it and other similar treatments because we believe in them, we see them work, and we want to provide people with effective tools to manage their own wellness.
The bottom line is that it is not our job to convince people that they need Himalayan salt. The research is out there if someone wants to take the time to look. The benefits are there if someone wants to take the time to experience it. We actually invited the members of this organization to come have a session on us. They declined.
As I watched them ridicule everything I believe in, I learned some very valuable lessons. There are people out there who are just plain miserable and want to attack others via the Internet for the fun of it and the power that it must make them feel. They do not feel empowered to be well, so they do not want to see anyone else feel empowered, either. And they would rather put their lives in the hands of medical doctors because it is easier to turn that responsibility over to someone else instead of accepting that they have some ability to treat themselves as a complement to regular medicine.
Although I was sad to see this incredibly healing treatment attacked, it was a great opportunity for me to return to the original research that convinced me. Now more than ever, I feel strongly that speleotherapy and halotherapy are two ways that we have as humans to use the power of salt crystals from the earth itself to help us stay well.
Thank you for reading.
Be well!
William Kelley, Ph.D.
Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center
http://www.pyramidvt.com/
http://www.massageschoolvt.com/
Showing posts with label salt cave. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salt cave. Show all posts
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Community
It's all about community.
Over the last few months, concerned people have pulled me aside: "Are you sure you want to invest any more in Rutland? There's nothing here! People are leaving left and right, the economy is bad, and there are already some great fitness options in Rutland. The downtown area is crumbling. Why don't you do this somewhere else, like Burlington?"
I appreciate these concerns more than I can say. Believe me, I've thought about them over and over. I've crunched the numbers, I've done research about the current wellness of Vermont and Rutland County, and I've looked at how many people are actually using these fitness options. I know the economy is not as good as any of us would like, and people are having to make very careful choices about what and how they spend. There is no question--this is a challenging time to open a fitness center--or anything--in Rutland.
But those of you who know the Pyramid team members know that we are not doing what we are doing because it is easy, or because we are just interested in making money. We are here in Rutland because we feel a strong desire to help where it is needed. If Rutland is going to become the amazing place I am told it once was, we need to be part of the positive change. We cannot leave because it is challenging. We cannot ignore that Rutlanders now more than ever need MORE healthy options, not less.
We want to create a place where people of all walks of life can come and feel safe and comfortable to improve the quality of their lives. We have worked hard over the last (almost) four years to do that with the Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center and Salt Cave. We've all put our professional and personal lives on the line to create this place. Now, we are again putting our professional and personal lives on the line to create another place...Pyramid Fitness and Oxygen Bar.
While I have lots of great reasons for wanting to open this new facility, the main reason, to be perfectly honest, is that I long for another place where I can work on my wellness supported by a community of like-minded people who also want to work on their wellness. I know--it's purely selfish, I admit.
I want to walk into a place where I immediately feel welcome and at ease. I want to be greeted and feel like I've just come home. I want to know that for the time I am here, I do not have to worry about anything. I can just focus on myself and getting stronger and healthier. And I know that for this time, I will be surrounded by other people who feel the same. It's not a competition or a show...just a place of support and growth. I want to feel like my presence means something, and that my business is appreciated. I want to see smiling faces all around as people set and reach their goals.
And that is what Pyramid Fitness is all about. Do we have 200,000 square feet? No. Do we have 400 treadmills? No. Do we have 500 pieces of fitness equipment? No. What we do have, though, is a very powerful combination of what you really need in a health club in a healthy environment, supported by an amazing customer service and fitness staff.
We've designed Pyramid Fitness to have just enough space and equipment so you get a very efficient workout. We've got the classes that will keep you interested and motivated, and where you will really see results. We've got a customer service staff that is going to work very hard to get to know you, and help you stay focused on your goals. Our fitness team is going to be there when you work out to make sure you are staying on task and that you don't hurt yourself. And of course, although we do not have warehouses full of it, we have top of the line equipment that is always well-maintained. There is nothing like the Nautilus Nitro line of equipment.
Add to that our very unique offerings for Vermont--the far infrared sauna and the oxygen bar, as well as some creatively-packaged memberships, very affordable prices, and convenient hours, and I think we are on the way to creating something very special. There are definitely benefits to being a member of a well-established fitness center, but there are also benefits to being on the ground floor of a new venture; among these, our charter members will have the ability to shape the atmosphere of the club and have input in ways that you just do not have in established businesses. It is definitely an exciting time to join Pyramid Fitness!
To add to the excitement, Dr. Margaret Smiechowski, North America's foremost expert on Himalayan salt and the creator of salt caves around the US, has just announced that she will be introducing a brand new technology to North America called halotherapy, and she will be taking a break from building salt caves to build the first and only halotherapy treatment center in North America--where? Right at Pyramid Fitness!
So good things are happening, and although I have been cautioned, I am willing to move ahead with a focus on the hopes of building a new community of wellness. I do not believe that Rutland is dying...and I believe now more than ever is a great time to provide people with another option for improving the quality of their lives.
Hope to see you at Pyramid Fitness!
William Kelley, Ph.D.
Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center
120 Merchants Row
Rutland, VT 05701
802-775-8080
www.pyramidvt.com
www.massageschoolvt.com
kelleyw@pyramidvt.com
Memberships on sale now!
Over the last few months, concerned people have pulled me aside: "Are you sure you want to invest any more in Rutland? There's nothing here! People are leaving left and right, the economy is bad, and there are already some great fitness options in Rutland. The downtown area is crumbling. Why don't you do this somewhere else, like Burlington?"
I appreciate these concerns more than I can say. Believe me, I've thought about them over and over. I've crunched the numbers, I've done research about the current wellness of Vermont and Rutland County, and I've looked at how many people are actually using these fitness options. I know the economy is not as good as any of us would like, and people are having to make very careful choices about what and how they spend. There is no question--this is a challenging time to open a fitness center--or anything--in Rutland.
But those of you who know the Pyramid team members know that we are not doing what we are doing because it is easy, or because we are just interested in making money. We are here in Rutland because we feel a strong desire to help where it is needed. If Rutland is going to become the amazing place I am told it once was, we need to be part of the positive change. We cannot leave because it is challenging. We cannot ignore that Rutlanders now more than ever need MORE healthy options, not less.
We want to create a place where people of all walks of life can come and feel safe and comfortable to improve the quality of their lives. We have worked hard over the last (almost) four years to do that with the Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center and Salt Cave. We've all put our professional and personal lives on the line to create this place. Now, we are again putting our professional and personal lives on the line to create another place...Pyramid Fitness and Oxygen Bar.
While I have lots of great reasons for wanting to open this new facility, the main reason, to be perfectly honest, is that I long for another place where I can work on my wellness supported by a community of like-minded people who also want to work on their wellness. I know--it's purely selfish, I admit.
I want to walk into a place where I immediately feel welcome and at ease. I want to be greeted and feel like I've just come home. I want to know that for the time I am here, I do not have to worry about anything. I can just focus on myself and getting stronger and healthier. And I know that for this time, I will be surrounded by other people who feel the same. It's not a competition or a show...just a place of support and growth. I want to feel like my presence means something, and that my business is appreciated. I want to see smiling faces all around as people set and reach their goals.
And that is what Pyramid Fitness is all about. Do we have 200,000 square feet? No. Do we have 400 treadmills? No. Do we have 500 pieces of fitness equipment? No. What we do have, though, is a very powerful combination of what you really need in a health club in a healthy environment, supported by an amazing customer service and fitness staff.
We've designed Pyramid Fitness to have just enough space and equipment so you get a very efficient workout. We've got the classes that will keep you interested and motivated, and where you will really see results. We've got a customer service staff that is going to work very hard to get to know you, and help you stay focused on your goals. Our fitness team is going to be there when you work out to make sure you are staying on task and that you don't hurt yourself. And of course, although we do not have warehouses full of it, we have top of the line equipment that is always well-maintained. There is nothing like the Nautilus Nitro line of equipment.
Add to that our very unique offerings for Vermont--the far infrared sauna and the oxygen bar, as well as some creatively-packaged memberships, very affordable prices, and convenient hours, and I think we are on the way to creating something very special. There are definitely benefits to being a member of a well-established fitness center, but there are also benefits to being on the ground floor of a new venture; among these, our charter members will have the ability to shape the atmosphere of the club and have input in ways that you just do not have in established businesses. It is definitely an exciting time to join Pyramid Fitness!
To add to the excitement, Dr. Margaret Smiechowski, North America's foremost expert on Himalayan salt and the creator of salt caves around the US, has just announced that she will be introducing a brand new technology to North America called halotherapy, and she will be taking a break from building salt caves to build the first and only halotherapy treatment center in North America--where? Right at Pyramid Fitness!
So good things are happening, and although I have been cautioned, I am willing to move ahead with a focus on the hopes of building a new community of wellness. I do not believe that Rutland is dying...and I believe now more than ever is a great time to provide people with another option for improving the quality of their lives.
Hope to see you at Pyramid Fitness!
William Kelley, Ph.D.
Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center
120 Merchants Row
Rutland, VT 05701
802-775-8080
www.pyramidvt.com
www.massageschoolvt.com
kelleyw@pyramidvt.com
Memberships on sale now!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Introduction
Greetings and welcome to the first posting on our new blog site!
If I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting you, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. William Kelley, and I am the owner and one of the practitioners at the Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center in downtown Rutland, Vermont. But this blog is really not about me at all--it's about you. Or, rather, it's about the current state of wellness in the world, and how you can find a "home" in our wellness community. Whether you are brand new to thinking about holistic wellness, or you are a holistic wellness expert in your own right, the Pyramid is a place for everyone to come together and teach and learn with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of EVERYONE's life.
The story of the Pyramid is very interesting, actually. (And you can read more about it at our website, http://www.pyramidvt.com/.) Basically, to sum things up, I was working at a small liberal arts college doing a job I absolutely loved, but feeling the deep yearning to do something more. As a psychologist/mental health counselor, hypnotherapist, musician, fitness instructor, and Reiki Master Teacher, I've had a wide variety of work-related experiences in my past, and I knew that there was somehow going to be a way for me to combine all of my interests into one career. So one day while raking my leaves, I just asked. It's amazing how we sometimes forget that we have the ability to get the answers we need--often just from the simple task of asking. So I asked for some guidance...some direction...I meditated on it, and as I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth, I saw a "vision." It was a row of practitioner spaces, and although I didn't know where it was, I did know that it was a new kind of place for Vermont...a place that combined everything I love to do, but also had tons more practitioners, and we would all come together to create a place of peace, where everyone would be welcome.
From there, I just started talking to my friends about my vision, and piece by piece, things fell into place for the Pyramid to start. There is obviously a lot more to it that I won't drone on and on about...I understand what are exciting details to me are probably not as exciting to everyone else. (I'm happy to talk with you about more of the details if you like, though!) Suffice it to say that to me, it was like magic the way everything came together...and the calling for me to do this became stronger.
Although no job is really, truly, 100% safe these days, I felt like I left a rather safe and comfortable position at the college to do this. I wouldn't say it was my dream...more like my mission. And I recognize it was a huge risk at the time, but I wasn't scared at all. I didn't have any doubts, because I knew on some level that this was all going to work because it was supposed to work. At the risk of sounding insane, I do know that I was being directed and assisted in allowing the Pyramid to develop. It was miraculous. But even more miraculous was the way everything came together to allow this to happen.
At each step of the way, the exact right person has shown up in my life. I needed the confidence to get this started, and then BOOM! There is Pat Murphy who tells me that there is no reason why this cannot happen now. Although it was work, the finances all fell into place and the right location at the time opened up at the exact perfect moment. All of my friends (Mara, Mark, Martha, Brian, Becky, Matt, and so many more!) pitched in to help with the initial building of the Pyramid...it was amazing. And then those who would become the core of the Pyramid staff--Margaret, Josh, and Darya--each ended up crossing paths with me in different and interesting ways, and "coincidentally" we were all in a position to be able to immerse ourself in the development of this very special place. Along the way, other people have come and just at the right time added their energy to push us to the next step...Traci, Darci, Karen, Jane, Alison, Bryn, Kammie, Gianna, Lina, Zach, Scott, Raven, ...and the rest of the gang each came and added their expertise. And as they say, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. What has emerged over the last two years has been entirely unbelievable! I cannot tell you how much gratitude I feel for each and every person who has helped...and for all of the clients who have helped us stay afloat through good times and bad.
Certainly our very well-publicized catastrophe (when the downtown Rutland area was flooded on June 14, 2008) is familiar to anyone who lives locally--and this caused us to have to move to our new location. While it was certainly a trying time, like most traumatic events, they do lead to something positive on the other side. Forcing us to move gave us the opportunity to re-build the Pyramid--having had the benefit of being open for almost a year, we knew what worked and did not work in the old location, so we were able to rebuild. And it was our goal to make the new Pyramid (which we call "P-2") bigger, stronger, better, and even more affordable.
You see, center to our philosophy about wellness is that it should be affordable. We are completely turned off by elitism that exists in our industry...especially when it comes to Americans who do not really understand the ancient history of the modalities they practice. For example, take Yoga...many Yoga instructors have a very strong elitist attitude...only taking Yoga from certain instructors who have trained in a certain style of Yoga or with a certain instructor. But Americans have only borrowed Yoga from India...and unfortunately borrowed only the parts of it that fit with American ideas about wellness. So many peoples' experience with Yoga is just doing the physical asanas or breathing--yet they do not even know about the other principles of Yoga. In short--many people are totally missing the point of Yoga because they are so caught up with who taught whom. At the Pyramid we only have instructors who have excellent credentials--but our instructors have down-to-earth attitudes that make the whole system of Yoga achievable to our clients.
Beyond our desire to eliminate elitism, we also work hard to keep costs down while operating a sustainable, environmentally-friendly business. Naturally we are a business when it comes down to it, and we have to pay our expenses and eat, but the philosophy at the Pyramid is that if we have many things going on at once, all of these things can share the operating expenses, and therefore we can afford to offer products and services at lower prices. Our classes, for example, are $6 each...and I have had the situation where in my Yoga class, there is a billionaire sitting next to someone who scraped quarters from the laundrymat floors to be able to pay for class. And for that hour, socioeconomic matters do not matter--we are all just people trying to achieve and maintain wellness. Our services are also incredibly reasonable for a small city downtown...most services are $30 or $60 per hour. And you may be able to find less expensive services if you go to individuals, but when you come to the Pyramid, you get a lot of extras...such as top-notch customer service, a comfortable, peaceful waiting area, and other perks that you would not get elsewhere. At the Pyramid, you are a person--and we look at you that way. We try to get to know you. And our mission is that every single person who enters the Pyramid will leave feeling a little bit better than when they arrived.
In addition to cost, we have created one of the most unique menus of wellness services around, focusing on all areas of total fitness. So whether you are interested in improving your physical fitness by working with a trainer or taking Pilates or Yoga, or you are interested in improving your health by working with our homeopathic doctor, acupuncturist, or one of the ten massage therapists...or you are interested in improving your emotional wellness by working with one of our six highly-trained and experienced counselors or hypnotherapists, the Pyramid is here for you. Since we are open seven days a week and offer daytime, evening, and weekend appointments, we can meet with you at your convenience, not at ours. Please see our website for our complete line-up of services.
One thing we love to do it put together a mini-spa day for individuals or groups. Because we have everything right here and our prices are affordable, for less than what you might expect to pay for one hour at an expensive spa or clinic, you can spend a whole day at the Pyramid. So let us know what you like to do, and allow us to create the perfect mini-vacation for you!
Our salt cave is currently only one of two public caves in North America that use Himalayan salt. (Although as I write this, more caves are being built!) There are other caves in Chicago, Miami, and Toronto that use other forms of salt...but nothing is as pure or healing as Himalayan salt. And with North America's foremost expert on Himalayan salt on our staff (Dr. Margaret Smiechowski), you are in good hands here whether you are just using the cave for relaxation, or you are using it under the supervision of a doctor for a medical condition. Regardless, the salt cave is just one of the many things that makes our Center special.
Or if you are looking for truly unique gifts that will help improve the wellness of your loved ones, the Pyramid Wellness Marketplace is a shopping destination! Filled with 90,000 products, our items are all one-of-a-kinds. You will find things here that are not usually available in rural areas like Vermont. From our hand-dipped incense (which are more subtle for those with sensitivities to chemicals!) to our amazing collection of books published here in Vermont, to the music CD's, Yoga DVD's, and our extensive collection of gems and crystals, you will find something for everyone here. In general, our prices are amazingly affordable...lower than most similar stores. However, we also believe in old fashioned values of taking care of the customer...so with some of our items, we have them in the store even though they are more expensive because they are of the highest quality, or we really support the person or company who sold us the items because of their business values. In other words, I will happily sell you something at a higher price than the store across the street if it came from a company that created it with care and treated us right during the sales process. Regardless, you can come to the Pyramid and shop in the tranquil, bright, open Marketplace...forget the crowds...allow our staff to help you find just what you are looking for.
The other great thing about the Marketplace is that we will not sell any homeopathic or other remedies that could be harmful to you. Other stores claiming to be "holistic" or "homeopathic" place these items on their shelves without fully understanding what they are selling...and without anyone on staff who has a lifetime of knowledge. At the Pyramid, every person behind the counter is also a practitioner...and all of the practitioners here have dedicated their lives to holistic medicine.
Unlike pharmacies who sometimes advertise themselves as being "holistic," we don't make our money off the sales of prescription medications. We actually make our money by providing a really high quality service at reasonable prices--by caring about seeing that our clients actually get matched up with products and services that will be helpful--not harmful.
And it is truly the people at the Pyramid that make the difference...our practitioners and instructors are truly amazing. Every day I cannot wait to get to work to see my coworkers who I feel are my friends and adopted family. We have so much fun together. Don't get me wrong--we work very hard...but in this caring environment that has formed here at the Pyramid, it is hard to feel like we are working.
We are truly blessed to be able to be part of this amazing center.
But our work is hardly done...for now that the Pyramid is built (and rebuilt), the next phase of our existence is really dedicated to education. And that is in part why we have started this blog. Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine and found contradictory information about health? Of course you have--because wellness is in many ways an art, not a strict science. We call it medical "practice" rather than medical "perfect"--the so-called experts in our society are at best caring humans who want to make a difference...but the human body is so complicated that one field of study cannot pretend to answer it all. In many ways, we live in the best of times because we have the knowledge and technology of today--but we also have the ancient wisdom. And the best practitioners I know live in modern times but are able to blend the best of both worlds. We at the Pyramid have a strong respect for Western medicine...but we also have a strong respect for the ancient wisdom of our ancestors. And we believe strongly in the benefits of holistic wellness rather than just treating someone's symptoms.
More importantly, we believe that there is so much misinformation out there about wellness--much of it even potentially harmful. Companies trying to sell you products and services will say just about anything within what is allowed by the FDA to make you give them money. They bank on the idea that humans want the quick fix.
So please check back on our blog site regularly for more information. I will often post information as I get it that is reliable...and I will welcome your comments and questions. From time to time I may also post relevant information from other experts in the area and beyond...regardless, you can count on this blog site as a place for good, solid information.
If you've read this far, you probably have been sitting at the computer for too long...now, go stretch or drink a glass of water.. ; ) Thanks so much for reading, and we are so glad you've joined us on the quest for wellness!
Be well!
Dr. William Kelley
Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center
120 Merchants Row
Rutland, VT 05701
802-775-8080
www.pyramidvt.com
kelleyw@pyramidvt.com
If I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting you, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. William Kelley, and I am the owner and one of the practitioners at the Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center in downtown Rutland, Vermont. But this blog is really not about me at all--it's about you. Or, rather, it's about the current state of wellness in the world, and how you can find a "home" in our wellness community. Whether you are brand new to thinking about holistic wellness, or you are a holistic wellness expert in your own right, the Pyramid is a place for everyone to come together and teach and learn with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of EVERYONE's life.
The story of the Pyramid is very interesting, actually. (And you can read more about it at our website, http://www.pyramidvt.com/.) Basically, to sum things up, I was working at a small liberal arts college doing a job I absolutely loved, but feeling the deep yearning to do something more. As a psychologist/mental health counselor, hypnotherapist, musician, fitness instructor, and Reiki Master Teacher, I've had a wide variety of work-related experiences in my past, and I knew that there was somehow going to be a way for me to combine all of my interests into one career. So one day while raking my leaves, I just asked. It's amazing how we sometimes forget that we have the ability to get the answers we need--often just from the simple task of asking. So I asked for some guidance...some direction...I meditated on it, and as I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth, I saw a "vision." It was a row of practitioner spaces, and although I didn't know where it was, I did know that it was a new kind of place for Vermont...a place that combined everything I love to do, but also had tons more practitioners, and we would all come together to create a place of peace, where everyone would be welcome.
From there, I just started talking to my friends about my vision, and piece by piece, things fell into place for the Pyramid to start. There is obviously a lot more to it that I won't drone on and on about...I understand what are exciting details to me are probably not as exciting to everyone else. (I'm happy to talk with you about more of the details if you like, though!) Suffice it to say that to me, it was like magic the way everything came together...and the calling for me to do this became stronger.
Although no job is really, truly, 100% safe these days, I felt like I left a rather safe and comfortable position at the college to do this. I wouldn't say it was my dream...more like my mission. And I recognize it was a huge risk at the time, but I wasn't scared at all. I didn't have any doubts, because I knew on some level that this was all going to work because it was supposed to work. At the risk of sounding insane, I do know that I was being directed and assisted in allowing the Pyramid to develop. It was miraculous. But even more miraculous was the way everything came together to allow this to happen.
At each step of the way, the exact right person has shown up in my life. I needed the confidence to get this started, and then BOOM! There is Pat Murphy who tells me that there is no reason why this cannot happen now. Although it was work, the finances all fell into place and the right location at the time opened up at the exact perfect moment. All of my friends (Mara, Mark, Martha, Brian, Becky, Matt, and so many more!) pitched in to help with the initial building of the Pyramid...it was amazing. And then those who would become the core of the Pyramid staff--Margaret, Josh, and Darya--each ended up crossing paths with me in different and interesting ways, and "coincidentally" we were all in a position to be able to immerse ourself in the development of this very special place. Along the way, other people have come and just at the right time added their energy to push us to the next step...Traci, Darci, Karen, Jane, Alison, Bryn, Kammie, Gianna, Lina, Zach, Scott, Raven, ...and the rest of the gang each came and added their expertise. And as they say, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. What has emerged over the last two years has been entirely unbelievable! I cannot tell you how much gratitude I feel for each and every person who has helped...and for all of the clients who have helped us stay afloat through good times and bad.
Certainly our very well-publicized catastrophe (when the downtown Rutland area was flooded on June 14, 2008) is familiar to anyone who lives locally--and this caused us to have to move to our new location. While it was certainly a trying time, like most traumatic events, they do lead to something positive on the other side. Forcing us to move gave us the opportunity to re-build the Pyramid--having had the benefit of being open for almost a year, we knew what worked and did not work in the old location, so we were able to rebuild. And it was our goal to make the new Pyramid (which we call "P-2") bigger, stronger, better, and even more affordable.
You see, center to our philosophy about wellness is that it should be affordable. We are completely turned off by elitism that exists in our industry...especially when it comes to Americans who do not really understand the ancient history of the modalities they practice. For example, take Yoga...many Yoga instructors have a very strong elitist attitude...only taking Yoga from certain instructors who have trained in a certain style of Yoga or with a certain instructor. But Americans have only borrowed Yoga from India...and unfortunately borrowed only the parts of it that fit with American ideas about wellness. So many peoples' experience with Yoga is just doing the physical asanas or breathing--yet they do not even know about the other principles of Yoga. In short--many people are totally missing the point of Yoga because they are so caught up with who taught whom. At the Pyramid we only have instructors who have excellent credentials--but our instructors have down-to-earth attitudes that make the whole system of Yoga achievable to our clients.
Beyond our desire to eliminate elitism, we also work hard to keep costs down while operating a sustainable, environmentally-friendly business. Naturally we are a business when it comes down to it, and we have to pay our expenses and eat, but the philosophy at the Pyramid is that if we have many things going on at once, all of these things can share the operating expenses, and therefore we can afford to offer products and services at lower prices. Our classes, for example, are $6 each...and I have had the situation where in my Yoga class, there is a billionaire sitting next to someone who scraped quarters from the laundrymat floors to be able to pay for class. And for that hour, socioeconomic matters do not matter--we are all just people trying to achieve and maintain wellness. Our services are also incredibly reasonable for a small city downtown...most services are $30 or $60 per hour. And you may be able to find less expensive services if you go to individuals, but when you come to the Pyramid, you get a lot of extras...such as top-notch customer service, a comfortable, peaceful waiting area, and other perks that you would not get elsewhere. At the Pyramid, you are a person--and we look at you that way. We try to get to know you. And our mission is that every single person who enters the Pyramid will leave feeling a little bit better than when they arrived.
In addition to cost, we have created one of the most unique menus of wellness services around, focusing on all areas of total fitness. So whether you are interested in improving your physical fitness by working with a trainer or taking Pilates or Yoga, or you are interested in improving your health by working with our homeopathic doctor, acupuncturist, or one of the ten massage therapists...or you are interested in improving your emotional wellness by working with one of our six highly-trained and experienced counselors or hypnotherapists, the Pyramid is here for you. Since we are open seven days a week and offer daytime, evening, and weekend appointments, we can meet with you at your convenience, not at ours. Please see our website for our complete line-up of services.
One thing we love to do it put together a mini-spa day for individuals or groups. Because we have everything right here and our prices are affordable, for less than what you might expect to pay for one hour at an expensive spa or clinic, you can spend a whole day at the Pyramid. So let us know what you like to do, and allow us to create the perfect mini-vacation for you!
Our salt cave is currently only one of two public caves in North America that use Himalayan salt. (Although as I write this, more caves are being built!) There are other caves in Chicago, Miami, and Toronto that use other forms of salt...but nothing is as pure or healing as Himalayan salt. And with North America's foremost expert on Himalayan salt on our staff (Dr. Margaret Smiechowski), you are in good hands here whether you are just using the cave for relaxation, or you are using it under the supervision of a doctor for a medical condition. Regardless, the salt cave is just one of the many things that makes our Center special.
Or if you are looking for truly unique gifts that will help improve the wellness of your loved ones, the Pyramid Wellness Marketplace is a shopping destination! Filled with 90,000 products, our items are all one-of-a-kinds. You will find things here that are not usually available in rural areas like Vermont. From our hand-dipped incense (which are more subtle for those with sensitivities to chemicals!) to our amazing collection of books published here in Vermont, to the music CD's, Yoga DVD's, and our extensive collection of gems and crystals, you will find something for everyone here. In general, our prices are amazingly affordable...lower than most similar stores. However, we also believe in old fashioned values of taking care of the customer...so with some of our items, we have them in the store even though they are more expensive because they are of the highest quality, or we really support the person or company who sold us the items because of their business values. In other words, I will happily sell you something at a higher price than the store across the street if it came from a company that created it with care and treated us right during the sales process. Regardless, you can come to the Pyramid and shop in the tranquil, bright, open Marketplace...forget the crowds...allow our staff to help you find just what you are looking for.
The other great thing about the Marketplace is that we will not sell any homeopathic or other remedies that could be harmful to you. Other stores claiming to be "holistic" or "homeopathic" place these items on their shelves without fully understanding what they are selling...and without anyone on staff who has a lifetime of knowledge. At the Pyramid, every person behind the counter is also a practitioner...and all of the practitioners here have dedicated their lives to holistic medicine.
Unlike pharmacies who sometimes advertise themselves as being "holistic," we don't make our money off the sales of prescription medications. We actually make our money by providing a really high quality service at reasonable prices--by caring about seeing that our clients actually get matched up with products and services that will be helpful--not harmful.
And it is truly the people at the Pyramid that make the difference...our practitioners and instructors are truly amazing. Every day I cannot wait to get to work to see my coworkers who I feel are my friends and adopted family. We have so much fun together. Don't get me wrong--we work very hard...but in this caring environment that has formed here at the Pyramid, it is hard to feel like we are working.
We are truly blessed to be able to be part of this amazing center.
But our work is hardly done...for now that the Pyramid is built (and rebuilt), the next phase of our existence is really dedicated to education. And that is in part why we have started this blog. Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine and found contradictory information about health? Of course you have--because wellness is in many ways an art, not a strict science. We call it medical "practice" rather than medical "perfect"--the so-called experts in our society are at best caring humans who want to make a difference...but the human body is so complicated that one field of study cannot pretend to answer it all. In many ways, we live in the best of times because we have the knowledge and technology of today--but we also have the ancient wisdom. And the best practitioners I know live in modern times but are able to blend the best of both worlds. We at the Pyramid have a strong respect for Western medicine...but we also have a strong respect for the ancient wisdom of our ancestors. And we believe strongly in the benefits of holistic wellness rather than just treating someone's symptoms.
More importantly, we believe that there is so much misinformation out there about wellness--much of it even potentially harmful. Companies trying to sell you products and services will say just about anything within what is allowed by the FDA to make you give them money. They bank on the idea that humans want the quick fix.
So please check back on our blog site regularly for more information. I will often post information as I get it that is reliable...and I will welcome your comments and questions. From time to time I may also post relevant information from other experts in the area and beyond...regardless, you can count on this blog site as a place for good, solid information.
If you've read this far, you probably have been sitting at the computer for too long...now, go stretch or drink a glass of water.. ; ) Thanks so much for reading, and we are so glad you've joined us on the quest for wellness!
Be well!
Dr. William Kelley
Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center
120 Merchants Row
Rutland, VT 05701
802-775-8080
www.pyramidvt.com
kelleyw@pyramidvt.com
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