I was feeling extremely exhausted from extreme stress – which started with Covid oppression, then two deaths in the family, a violent/angry family member (abuse/assault), purchasing and establishing a 160 acre off-grid ranch for myself, business stressors (tariffs, resignations, restructuring, increased compliance/regulation, deadlines, etc.), prolonged separation from my husband as he had to be in the UK to support our youngest son and then his 91 year old mother – and after five years of doing this, my body gave me an ultimatum!
Me on my beautiful but challenging ranch!
Remembering a previous collapse…
I’ve been to this place before and I didn’t listen in time then. I had a toddler and was breastfeeding my 6 month old daughter with no help/support/family and I collapsed from dehydration and exhaustion, went into shock and passed out. My husband then called an ambulance. At the hospital I needed seven bags of electrolyte saline to rehydrate myself and then I went home.
BUT my mom came the next day to help me for a few weeks and I hired someone to cook and clean three times a week (even though we couldn’t afford it and had to go into debt to pay for it). And I slowly fought my way back to health.
Prevent another hospital visit
So yes, I know what that extremely run down state feels like where you collapse if you don’t get help and I do NOT need to be taken to the hospital for electrolytes again!
I immediately increased my fluid intake and added Muscle Matrix electrolyte blend to every glass of water and herbal tea I drank. Then I started looking for some sort of residential healing retreat center. So I didn’t have to worry about animals or people and could only concentrate on myself.
WiFi free healing retreat
But here’s the thing: After two days of thorough research, I could only find ONE healing place that doesn’t have WiFi in the properties! Okay, yes, there were two others on the planet – one in Peru (too far) and one in Costa Rica (mosquitoes and I don’t argue).
When I’m exhausted, I become very sensitive to electromagnetic radiation (EMR). My home is a WiFi-free zone and I’ve been blogging about this health hazard for over a decade, but most of the world – even healing centers! – are clueless or ignorant.
© Angie Evans
Thank goodness for my friend Jeromy, an electrical engineer and EMR expert, who already gave us his list of the most popular hot springs in California with little/no WiFi. Of course, I looked for WiFi-free healing resorts in Hawaii or Mexico, but no, no luck.
Harbin Hot Springs in Northern California
One of those hot springs – Harbin in Northern California – on Jeromy’s list also offers a wide range of healing therapies that you can book at the same time while staying in cottages that do NOT have WiFi. Yay!!
Harbin hot springs also have real natural spring water (not chlorinated). I find the hot/cold dives or saunas very beneficial. AND they offer a large list of healing therapies.
Healing therapies offered
These are the ones I planned during my stay:
WHO IN TSANG:
Gentle, deep massage of the abdomen to “train” the internal abdominal organs to function more efficiently and increase physical and emotional well-being.
CRANIOSACRAL
The focus is on promoting the movement of fluids in and around the central nervous system with the goal of strengthening the body’s natural healing abilities. With a very light touch, tension in your body’s connective tissue network, known as fascia, is released. This can relieve pain and release both emotional and physical stress and tension.
LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE
A form of gentle massage that promotes drainage of the lymph nodes and the movement of lymph fluid throughout the body.
PRIVATE SOUND BATH
Includes instructions for maintaining a successful meditation practice. Experience the restorative power of a private chakra-balancing sound bath, enriched with crystal and Tibetan singing bowls, tuning forks and mantra chants that promote inner harmony of mind, body and soul.
THE ROSEN METHOD
Uses touch and movement to release tension in the body and promote deeper awareness of felt experiences. The techniques go beyond the physical level and help individuals connect with hidden emotions and experiences.
ACUPUNCTURE
Chinese medicine that promotes overall health and disease prevention by regulating the flow of energy through a person’s bioenergy system. Primary treatment involves inserting and manipulating fine needles into specific locations on the patient’s body. A session may include other oriental medicine techniques such as: E.g. herbal medicine, moxa (burning herbs to warm acupuncture points) and cupping (suction to draw out toxins and eliminate stagnation).
BREEMA
Focuses on balancing energy in the mind and body while connecting with our own natural life energies to promote well-being. This is achieved through a combination of nurturing touch, guided stretching, supported postures and rhythmic movements.
AQUAQI
A mantra-based transcendental guided meditation that takes place in water and is enhanced by Tibetan and crystal singing bowls and mantra chanting.
SPIRITUAL COACHING
A mantra-based transcendental guided meditation that takes place in water and is enhanced by Tibetan and crystal singing bowls and mantra chanting.
SPIRITUAL HYPNOSIS
A tailored hypnosis session that addresses your needs, concerns and heart’s intentions for wellbeing and self-determination.
Is this healing retreat experience cheap?
No, sir. The hut was $1628/week and the healing therapies averaged $200/session. Is it worth the money? You can bet on it!
Unfortunately, I didn’t go because I live in a remote place and Harbin is in a remote place. So getting there would have been a travel nightmare with multiple flights and car rides that would have taken two full days. POOH. This didn’t work for me. Especially not when I’m already exhausted.
But I still wanted to publish this post and info in case any of you are already in the US or California and are looking for a great healing spa experience.
What I would take with me…
If I had gone to Harbin, I would have taken my remedies with me:
This would have allowed me to maintain a semi-elemental diet and high-dose probiotics during my time at Harbin Hot Springs and Healing Resort.
Healing goes beyond the physical
Keep in mind that I had already been on a semi-elemental diet with lots of rest, journaling, and bodywork therapies (craniosacral, chiropractic, massage) for a month before I planned to go to Harbin Healing Resort. But that wasn’t enough – it wasn’t enough to give my body what it needed to reset and heal.
Why? Because the main cause of my imbalance was stress! And as long as I was exposed to all of my stressors and burdensome relationships and responsibilities, my nervous system couldn’t subside, my adrenal glands couldn’t relax, and my physical body couldn’t heal.
I had booked an Intuitive Coaching session with Rebecca Barry and she suggested that I attend a healing retreat ALONE and just focus on myself. She also gave me great insight into the roots of my stressors so that I could express them in the healing sessions in Harbin.
As it turned out, I did my intensive healing work at home and booked it with a Somatic Experiencing coach, along with several sessions with Jen Snow – a very talented, well-rounded healing facilitator. I also flew my mother out to cook for me and hired a regular cleaning lady. I organized a lot of support so I didn’t have to do a single thing in the house or on the ranch.
Finally, I made an appointment with my naturopath (Dr. Scott Tyler, with whom I did a podcast on thyroid and hormone health) to have my blood work done and to test my thyroid and hemoglobin. Two things that have historically diminished when I’m stressed. This way I was able to approach my healing on all levels.
One day I hope to visit Harbin for its restorative healing experience. According to Jeromy, Cottages #10 and #11 are the best cottages for the healthiest EMF, Magnet and EMR levels. He tests with at least 3-5 professional measuring devices. If you go, be sure to let me know how it was!
Jini Patel Thompson is an internationally recognized expert in natural healing for digestive diseases. She healed herself from widespread Crohn’s disease and has been medication and surgery free for over 25 years. Jini has appeared on numerous podcasts, TV and radio shows in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, giving people hope and vision on how to heal their colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using all-natural methods. Her books on natural healing of digestive diseases have been sold in over 80 countries worldwide. Jini is married and has three children, nine sheep, 11 horses, a cat and three dogs.
