Northern Reflections on Health

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Refuge from domestic abuse

June 7, 2017 By Wendy Margolese Leave a Comment

freedom from domestic abuseMy latest article published in the Christian Science Monitor.

A few years ago, a friend of mine needed refuge from domestic abuse. She’d had the courage to leave the imprisoning situation that had become untenable, but now she was looking to actually heal the fear and hurt.

Emma, who doesn’t want her real name used, had been a student of the Bible for most of her life. It felt natural for her to turn to some of the scriptural stories of people released from prisons – some physical, some mental – who had been helped and healed. One verse that meant a lot to her was from the prophet Isaiah: “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you” (66:13, Common English Bible).

Emma said she was also inspired by the idea that we are all made in God’s spiritual image, and by the promise that everything in creation (including her) was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). She began to glimpse that her identity was not worthless, as she’d been led to believe, but that she was the actual spiritual creation of God, which the Divine saw as “very good”!

This helped her gain a deep sense of being loved, that she was not alone, and that she was cared for. The comforting idea of God’s Mother-love began to feel very real to her. She found it also in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science and founder of this news organization, who wrote, “Father-Mother is the name for Deity, which indicates His tender relationship to His spiritual creation” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 332). This gave her a very natural sense of being embraced by divine Love.

Emma found a deeper sense of worth and freedom from fear, which has continued to this day.

God’s comforting, healing presence is here at all times, for everyone. The light of divine Love leads to comfort and safety.

God’s goodness dispels the darkness

April 24, 2017 By Wendy Margolese 12 Comments

God's goodness dispels darknessMy article published in the Christian Science Monitor:

In my late 30s, my mother and my mother-in-law, both cherished people in my life, passed away within days of each other. I reeled from grief and felt a darkness overwhelm me. I felt orphaned – bereft of the unconditional love that both these women had expressed toward me.

But I love the Bible, and I knew that it challenges us to look outside the human sense of things and to have faith in God and His role in our lives – that is, to understand God as the source of all good. I’ve also learned that this divine goodness is the truth of our experience, in which happiness and health are our normal condition.Continue Reading

Knowing who you are

March 27, 2017 By Wendy Margolese 5 Comments

Genes do not define youDoes our genetic code determine who we are? Studies initially suggested we are our genes – we’ve inherited them. We can shrug off certain personal traits, such as a tendency towards obesity, because it’s part of our inherited nature. But with the advent of the science of epigenetics, new studies now suggest there are ways to alter the way genes behave and thus change that predetermined path.

According to the latest theories of this science, we can modify our genetic health patterns through lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise. This may sound promising and appealing, particularly to many of us living in conditions that allow us to eat well and stay active. However, much of the world’s population does not necessarily follow a recommended diet, nor in many cases, have access to what is considered healthy lifestyle opportunities. This appears to create a disparity in having any hope of affecting the epigenetic calculation.

Yet, there is a way to view our heritage that does not leave us defenceless with what seems an undesirable genetic code or dependent upon lifestyle circumstances in order to experience good health.Continue Reading

Unimpressed by the press

February 20, 2017 By Wendy Margolese 11 Comments

unimpressed by the mediaThe 24-hour news cycle makes it tough to get away from the multi-media frenzy that feeds non-stop it seems, on political pundits’ opinions or the latest global health hazard. And confusion can abound now between what is true and not – adding new lexicon such as “alternative facts”!

Add to that turmoil our current cloudy and cold days; and, mental health experts warn that all this can have significant effects on our mental and physical well-being.

While I’ve read helpful tips from mental health advocates that include taking breaks from the barrage of news to look for good headlines, I’ve found it important to reach out and help others who may feel vulnerable in the midst of this tumult.

Christian reformer Mary Baker Eddy recognized how the media of the day could influence our health. Continue Reading

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Wendy Margolese

Wendy_Margolese

I was born and raised in a small Northern Ontario mining town. You can never take the warmth of the North out of a girl’s heart. So, I would like to take this opportunity to share heartfelt thoughts with you about a topic important to each of us – our health and well-being. Visit my About page to learn more.

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