ABOUT BERKANA
Mission
Berkana seeks to provide educational and healing opportunities to people in the Cadillac area community seeking inner growth, wellness, and harmony of the mind, body, and spirit. Berkana serves as a haven within a home setting for seekers to experience a brief retreat from the business of life.
Our objects are to offer:
- opportunities for knowledge, healing and wellness for those seeking ways to integrate their own well being
- a venue for practitioners who wish to offer their services to help others in their journey toward optimal health
Our Philosophy
We explore and integrate ways of being and staying well. We advocate integrating various wellness practices using a holistic approach that considers the needs of the body, the mind, the emotions, and the soul.
Our bodies require wholesome nutrition, appropriate exercise, fresh air, and rest, but we also need to nourish ourselves through meditation, contemplation, prayer, and silence.
We believe the mind should be stimulated to pay attention to the messages of the body. This can be accomplished through practices like massage and therapy. Another component of integrated wellness is to calm the emotional climate surrounding our relationships in our home, at work, and during life transitions.
Wrapped around the health of the body, the mind and emotions nourish the spirit. This nourishment may be found through the search for meaning and purpose in one's life. Thus, we advocate the study of various philosophies, ancient wisdoms, and religions to help each person on his or her own individual journey. An aid to this process is discussion and spiritual growth. The added benefits of music and art to the refreshment of the soul are also part of being alive and healthy.
History of Berkana
Berkana was founded in 1999 by Mary Dillon, a retired professor of education and developmental psychology. She holds advanced degrees in education, child development, administration, and marriage and family counseling. She also has lay minister training through the United Church of Christ and has studied various philosophies of spiritual development. She has a certification as a Spiritual Director, is a Master Reiki and teacher with VI and V degree Reiki.
Berkana began when Mary met with seven friends about creating a healing center that would integrate various healing modalities with medical treatment and give practitioners a venue to offer their skills. Dr. Jim Wilson, Barbara Blackman, Chris Bernard, Leah Simontal, Pat Porter, Penny Phelps and Mary's brother, Jerome Namaste were all instrumental in guiding Mary through the process of mission, objectives, logistics as well as continued advice and encouragement on this journey.
Many wonderful independent practitioners had a start a Berkana and have moved on to their own businesses—Sandy Guant with Yoga, Ruth Essig with massage and the many others. Berkana owes much to these amazing people. Berkana began in Mary's home on Cass Street and in 2004 moved to the current building at 214 E Harris in downtown Cadillac.
What Berkana Means
Berkana is a ancient Nordic term from the Rune stones which means, growth, new beginnings, and transformation.
The symbol associated with Berkana is the Birch Tree. The Birch tree
loosens its bark once a year to slough off the old and make way
for new growth. This bark is then often made into useful items.
As healing occurs—whether physically, emotionally
or spiritually—there is a new usefulness to life.
The Birch tree reaches upward for the limitless sky and is rooted in the rocks and soil of earth. The human spirit searching for enlightenment often needs to be open to the new, while securely grounded in the familiar. Berkana means harmony between Physical, Social, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual well being.
Growth defines the mission of Berkana which is to offer educational and healing opportunities for people to find peace of mind, healing of body and a search for meaning in their lives.