Dear OHNA Members and Friends,
We hope this message finds you and your families well and safe in the midst of the stress and uncertainty of living through the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is a challenging but important time for holistic nursing and leadership. The decisions that each of us make must consider our own well-being as well as the safety of the community and the greater good. After much consideration, and although we are sad to do so, the OHNA Board of Directors has decided to cancel the OHNA conference for October 2020.
We don’t know for sure what the future of this particular virus holds; but October seems premature for holding a gathering of health care workers in close quarters given what we are experiencing now, and in light of future projections.
Trying to plan the conference amid uncertainty and constantly shifting factors is challenging at best. Making this decision now allows us to shift gears and put our energies into creative solutions. As you read this, we are working with presenters to bring you online CE presentations this year at an affordable rate.
We would like to encourage everyone to consider scheduling a personal retreat at Breitenbush this year if it is safe and right for you to do so. Scheduling during our original conference dates of October 18-21 could be advantageous for networking when the potential is higher for other OHNA members and holistic practitioners to be there also.
This decision is especially sad for us since we had worked with Breitenbush Hot Springs to reserve the full camp for our group for the first time this year. Fortunately, Breitenbush has graciously reserved this full camp arrangement for us next year, with the dates of October 17-20, 2021. We encourage you to put these dates on your calendar now and plan to join us for next year. We have the highest hopes of fulfilling our dreams for OHNA and holism as we head into the future.
When we set intentions, we never know exactly how things will go. The seeds we have been planting
in recent years—our positive, holistic visions for the future—are still there, strong as ever. I believe the universe responds to our intentions for change, although we may not always understand how or why things need to unfold the way they do.
Now, more than ever, we hope you will join us in standing in your intentions and your visions of healing and change. When things become challenging or feel overwhelming, remember that you are only one deep breath away from connecting with the forces that heal. Be present with what you are experiencing, care for yourself, and you will know what to do.
We know that after last year’s conference, many of you committed to beginning or growing a regular meditation practice. Caring for yourself in this way is more important now than ever. If you’ve gotten off track, forgive yourself and start anew. Every present moment is an opportunity for shift.
Keep shining your light. Each of us is a role model for someone else. Each of us is a leader. When we remain aligned with compassionate, creative, and caring ways of being, we show others the way. We, your OHNA Board of Directors, will continue to be present with what is happening, how we can respond in compassionate, creative, and caring ways, and how we can all stay connected and grounded on the holistic path we are committed to helping expand.