Wow! I had a couple friends tell me this place was the bomb dot com but I had no idea. I went to…read moreCommon Ground for a meditation on Sunday but arrived a little late and didn't want to interrupt the session. Lucky for me, I was able to come back a few weeks later for a people of color meditation session. Whaaaaaa!!! I didn't know they had such things! You get to the center and if it's not super busy you can park in the lot. For most of their bigger events or weekend meditation days you'll want to get there plenty early since it fills up fast. When you enter there are spots for your shoes (like a yoga studio) and coat hangers. They recommend you take any valuables with you or don't bring them since it not a monitored area. There are two meditation rooms on the first floor, one with a kitchen where you can get tea or water if there's not a session happening. The second is a large room where we had the people of color event. Chairs, blankets and cushions are provided so you don't have to worry about buying anything. The instructors and space are very welcoming. They have great ways to ground and connect everyone together quickly but also authentically. I'm definitely going back, it was a great experience and you learn about mindfulness, Buddhism and the practice.

I absolutely adore this hidden gem for regaining your Zen! I've been to other Buddhist Meditation…read morecenters in Minneapolis and have felt somewhat intimidated.. This place and it's participants are so approachable and its philosophy entirely undogmatic. I go to the Sunday morning 10:30 a.m. Dharma talks. If you're a Mama or Papa you can even bring your 1-8 year old to be part of the kids group while you get your Buddha on. The space is small, spare, and perfectly relaxing. Sit on a chair or cushion and choose to donate whatever amount you're comfortable with for all activities. They have any number of special issue groups, retreats, yoga, T'ai Chi, and even a program for teenagers. Mark is insightful without being at all preachy or superior. I LOVE that after the talk, participants ask questions regarding real world challenges they are facing in terms of integrating their practice into their daily lives. Somehow it manages to make that day's talk clearly applicable to everday life without feeling as though anyone is engaging in 'T.M.I.' or some sort of New Agey therapy group. I float out feeling much lighter and calmer!

Dr. Russell is helping my 5 year old daughter with her Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. I met him…read morethru a seminar he gave at our local health food store speaking about his integrative approach to wellness. I was struck by his straightforward manner and impressive lifelong quest for alternative medicine knowledge, most particularly his advanced nutrition degrees. It took a bit of coaxing to get my husband on board, but after meeting Dr. Russell and hearing about his whole body approach, it has been the best decision for our daughter's health. Dr. R's treatment is truly integrative. He works around and in complement with my daughter's prescription medication therapy prescribed by her Rheumatologist. With his suggested dietary changes, manipulations, energy work and natural supplements, she is thriving and in great health. From a mom's perspective, I am reassured by his patience with me and the gobs of questions I ask him each visit. My daughter is reassured by his healing touch and looks forward to her visits with him. As long as he is practicing, Dr. Russell will always be an integral part of her health care. I'm next on the list of his new patients!

I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in February and the doctors at Mayo did not have a very…read morepositive outlook on my recovery due to the cancer having spread throughout the liver and lymph nodes in much of my body. I was not a candidate for surgery and heavy chemotherapy was the only option. I decided that I wanted some form of additional perspective as I took this challenge head-on. I visited several integrative medicine doctors in a very short amount of time before finally meeting Dr. Desmarais and felt that I had found the right fit. Although we live almost 2 hours south of St. Paul I felt it was clearly worth the drive. Dr. Desmarais has a deep knowledge and understanding of nutrition, eastern medicine, acupuncture, qi gong and chiropractic care. His help in changing my diet, tri weekly treatments and approaching healing from a holistic prospective saved my life. Only two and a half months later I had a completely clear PET scan and was cancer free. The doctors at Mayo were surprised and overwhelmingly impressed at the speed and significance of my recovery. I attribute this to the positive healthy life changes Dr. Desmarais guided me through as well as the various treatments. This has not only clearly benefitted me, but my entire family has embraced a much healthier lifestyle by participating in this journey with me. This has even spread to many friends and more distant relatives as they have followed my story and learned more about nutrition and holistic approaches to health along the way. I strongly recommend anyone looking to better their health the have a preliminary meeting with Dr. Desmarais. Especially those who are not "sick". I have learned the value of preventative care and am grateful that I was able to heal from such a severe illness. I believe that if I had engaged in such practices years ago I would not have developed the cancer in the first place. I also believe that my current lifestyle will help prevent this disease from coming back. As Dr. Desmarais has said to me "you never know what diseases you prevent".

She is an amazing teacher that puts her students first. She says to do it to your comfort level…read more She has the skills and training to teach you to get and achieve positive zen and a good aura and She is skilled and is also a farrier and is an amazing person with great knowledge. I'd give her 10 stars if I could.

Andrea is a great teacher because she explains about the elements, the internal organs, emotions,…read moreand more when teaching us the Qi Gong movements. I never knew how connected our emotions and our organs were and that we could heal ourselves with energy work that is dynamic, kinesthetic and meditative. This stuff is really COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love Qi Gong!

From the owner: Phoenix Healing Hands includes a variety of Asian Bodywork Arts including:…read more Shiatsu Anma Massage ~ Is a Japanese style of fully clothed Acupressure massage that includes Kneading and meridian work to improve the health of the internal organs and muscular skelital structure of the body. Thai Yoga Massage ~ Is the traditional massage of Thailand and includes active stretching and massaging techniques that increase the mobility and vitality of the the body through palm and finger pressure. Deep Tissue Massage ~ Is a western style of unclothes massage that inculdes the use of oils, deep trigger point pressure and gliding strokes that break up deep tightness in the muscle tissue and improve health and circulation of blood throughout the entire body. Chi Nei Tsang ~ Is a Chinese abdominal massage technique that includes techniques to address the internal organs of the body manually. Any function performed by the internal organs can be supported and improved with the manual maninpulation tech of Chi nei Tsang. This modality is expecially helpful for digestive issues and any organ related issues and diseases. Medical Qigong Therapy ~ Is a physical therapy movement meditation that includes gentle range of motion, strength and Qi building exercises that restore the health of the organs and movement of the energy through the meridians of the body. It can also be applied as a fully clothed energy bodywork form to support the health of the major organs of the body.

I loved my visit to the Tree of Life Wellness center. I had the rebalancing head spa treatment by…read moreArianna. She was very kind and patient to answer any questions I had. The front desk staff were very welcoming too. The locker room and lounge were so nice too! They have showers, hair dryers, hair styling products, lotions, etc to help you freshen up after your treatment. The location is across from Coborn's and is easy to find. Thanks again for the pampering experience! My hair and scalp feel so nice and clean!

Here for a little detox and maintenance. The atmosphere is so calming and soothing. I immediately…read morefelt comfortable. The smell of essential oils wafted through the air. The soft instrumental music was piped in. I felt relaxed and ready to be pampered. The staff is quite lovely as well. They seemed quite knowledgeable and made sure my experience was a positive one. I will absolutely be back.

The Owners are extremely friendly Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctors with tons of experience. You…read morecan start out with a private session to evaluate your needs and fine tune with Group Acupuncture. Many styles of Massage, infrared Saunas, private Pilates, group Classes, Qi Gong, Cupping... it's a well rounded health experience.

From the owner: Personalized, professional integrative medicine promoting both physical and mental well-being.read more

SO RELAXING. I have been getting a monthly 1.5 hour massage…read morehere for about 5 months. I am so pleased with the long lasting results. I have decreased neck, shoulder, and back pain. Each massage gets better and better. I am very physically active and have scoliosis, and Beth intuitively knows the right amount of pressure and techniques that relieve my chronic muscle and joint pain. I highly recommend Meraki Massage!

From the owner: Massage and CranioSacral Therapyread more

I purchased a Groupon for 10 kettlebell classes based on a good review from a fellow coworker who…read moreraved about Christian's instruction and quality of the classes. I've been to four so far and really recommend this studio. He promotes safety by requiring everyone take a Foundations class where he teaches you the basic moves and things such as squat mechanics. It's way better than throwing you into a class with risky form. As a fellow movement professional, safety and form is high priority for me. He also puts together well balanced exercises. Many group fitness classes I've attended don't incorporate all muscle groups (just working the "beach body muscles" you can see in the mirror), and he goes through a wide range of muscle groups in each class. Christian is a very good spirited and fun person. He will kick your butt with good instruction. 30 minutes is perfect for this high intensity interval training type class. It's the perfect length, too. I can just pop over and not feel like I've had to sacrifice my entire evening exercising/bored on a treadmill. I bought a Groupon to save money and will buy some full priced classes afterwards. I'm thrift oriented, so that says something about the quality!

Love the kettlebell classes. Christian is super helpful and always encourages you through the…read moreworkout. The space is beautiful and welcoming. I only wish they were open for classes on Sunday's too but, work like balance is good.