Blue Cross & Complementary Care Sonia Choquette in Woodbury The Peoples Gathering Creativity awakens in Anoka Earth Star Gathering Unity Village hosts healing symposium Blue Cross offers members new complementary care network EAGAN, Minn. -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is now providing its two-million members access to a complementary care network. The program, which began serving members on May 1, includes discounts for acupuncture, massage therapy and online discounts to health and wellness products. In addition, members will have access to a network of fitness centers at the lowest possible rate available for the type of membership available when they join for the first time. Under this program, administered by American Specialty Health Networks (ASHN), members make appointments with complementary health care providers across the nation and pay them directly for their services. These providers are credentialed by ASHN and have agreed to accept a reduction in fees for Blue Cross members. ASHN is a national managed care organization focused on delivering complementary health care. "We know that our members are already using complementary therapies," said Kathy Kelly, Blue Cross director of new product development. "More than ever, people are more informed about their health care options and we wanted to meet the need for these types of services and products at a lower cost." Blue Cross members now have access to Healthyroads, an educational resource on complementary and alternative medicine. It provides access to health and wellness products at competitive prices. Healthyroads can be accessed through the Blue Cross website at bluecrossmn.com. The program is a value-added service, not a benefit plan. Fees are not covered by Blue Cross and it will not affect insurance coverage premiums or other aspects of members' health plans. In an interview with The EDGE, Kelly said this new effort by Blue Cross is not intended to be a stepping stone toward eventual health insurance coverage of complementary care, though in time it may prove to be so. "I think in the future, that certainly could be a possibility," she said. "I'm not saying it's coming around the corner. I think there are one or two Blue plans nationally that recently have written in complementary care as an option, but no insurance companies have really gotten to a point of offering complementary care as an insurance benefit for everyone. "We don't see that the market demand is ready for complementary care to be written in the policies at this time, frankly." Kelly acknowledges that the demand for complementary care is growing. "We know that there is pretty serious demand for complementary health therapies. From research we've done and a lot of national research, we know people are well-informed about different health-care options. For those who are interested in such options, we wanted to make an opportunity for them to get care on a discounted basis from complementary providers who are credentialed." Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan. It is the largest health plan based in Minnesota. For more information, call toll-free 1 (888) 289-4325 or visit bluecrossmn.com. Sonia Choquette brings True Balance to the Twin Cities WOODBURY, Minn. -- Internationally renowned intuitive healer and spiritual teacher Sonia Choquette invites the public to join her for a workshop, "True Balance: Creating Heaven on Earth," from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, at the Unity Church in Woodbury. Teaching for more than 30 years, Sonia is an author of four best-selling books. Her workshop is designed to help you bring your life into balance and get to know your spirit. In this playful hands-on day, she teaches you how to listen to the needs of your soul and maintain your own intuitive equilibrium, moment-to-moment, regardless of the challenges in your life. Sonia examines balance as it relates to your soul's seven core energy centers, or chakras, and she translates these core energy centers into everyday English. She shows you how the balance of charkas determines your ability to successfully navigate life's journey. In this workshop, Sonia demystifies how the chakras work, helps you determine whether your chakras are in balance or not, and offers immediate remedies for restoring balance in each of the seven chakras, so that you can live a healthier, happier, more-fulfilling life. Sonia Choquette will deliver the Sunday lesson at 10 a.m. at Unity Church in Woodbury on "True Balance: Learning to Love Yourself." The workshop follows at 1:30 p.m. The workshop cost is $45. Call (651) 731-5330 to register. The Peoples Gathering WILSONVILLE, Ore. -- The Peoples Gathering Conference, a multi-cultural, multi-dimensional spiritual gathering whose main intent is to awaken the heart energy and to gather the people, will convene for the second time this year on Sept. 7-9 at Namaste Retreat Center in Wilsonville, just outside of Portland. The Peoples Gathering debuted in March in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, opening a wave that spread throughout the world and changed the life of every person who attended. At the Gathering, people will explore the multi-faceted aspects of the awakened heart with teachers, healers, leaders and elders from a wide variety of backgrounds. There will be ongoing presentations and intensive group workshops. Participants will experience everything from music, drumming and miracles. Guest speakers will include Wallace Black Elk, Golden Eagle (aka Standing Elk), Aluna Joy, Sharon Looking Woman, Barbara Morningstar, Grandmother Nagi, Kari Chapman, Hank Wesselman and many others. Go to www.heartoftheheart.com for more details. Creativity awakens in northern suburbs ANOKA, Minn. -- Creative Awakenings, a new metaphysical store, has opened in Anoka. Located on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Van Buren Street, this new store is a unique experience for the senses. As soon as you walk through the doors of this old carriage house, a sense of peace envelops you as you are surrounded by the positive energy within these walls. Creative Awakenings offers a large variety of metaphysical items: books, candles, incense, crystals and stones. The unique atmosphere is augmented by the local talent that is featured in the store: artwork, candleholders, music, and jewelry, just to mention a few. This store will be a constant display for a myriad of original items lovingly created by local artists, craftpersons and musicians. The shop also offers ongoing services, such as Intuitive Design consultations, intuitive healing, massage therapy, psychic readings and tarot readings. Classes are being arranged now for Reiki and yoga, and others are planned. Dr. Kyra Mesich, author of The Sensitive Person's Survival Guide, will speak and sign books from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at the store. For more information, call (763) 712-5692 or go to www.creativeawakenings.com. Creative Awakenings is at 241 Van Buren St. in Anoka. Earth Star Gathering LAKE MILLS, Wisc. -- Namaste Retreat Center will present two events in mid-August to help uplift you individually and all of us, collectively. On August 14-15, Golden Eagle (aka Standing Elk) will present the "Teachings of the Natural Laws of Mankind" as well as workshops on the 11:11, 12:12 and 13:13 at the Namaste Retreat Center. Workshops begin at 10 a.m. and registration is $22 for each workshop. "A Gathering of Hearts: A Star Family Union" will be presented August 17-19 by Namaste Retreat Center and Earth Star Gathering at The Lake Country Inn in Lake Mills. The keynote speaker from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday will be Frank Joseph, author of The Lost Pyramids of Rock Lake and Atlantis in Wisconsin. He will present a slide presentation on the Pyramids in Rock Lake and talk about his recent dive and the new discoveries. Golden Eagle also will be a guest speaker, covering his recent soul exchange and that connection to Rock Lake and Stargate 14. Kari Chapman of Namaste Retreat Center will speak on her experiences and why Spirit asked her and Namaste to be in this specific location. The weekend event will include much more on ancient Mound Builders, the intrigue of Miracle the White Buffalo Calf, Jane Eagan on adventures aboard a Pleiadean mothership, Gabriel Naga Ra on the nature of immortality and the science of deathless living, Liz Miller and Star Gate initiations, and more. Many intuitives, healers and vendors will be available. Openings for vendors and speakers are available. Pre-registration is $88 for weekend pass, $111 during the event. Call the Namaste Retreat Center at (920) 648-3580 for more information or credit card registration. For updates and schedules, go to www.namaste-wi.com Unity Village hosts healing symposium UNITY VILLAGE, Mo. -- A Healing Symposium, featuring Donna Eden, Dr. Judith Orloff, Wendy Palmer, Rev. Jim Rosemergy and Michael Stillwater will take place September 14-16 in the Activities Center of Unity Village. The event, sponsored by Unity Village Chapel, will kick off on the evening of Friday, Sept. 14, with a keynote address "Healing Ourselves, Healing the World" by Rev. Rosemergy, executive vice president of Unity School of Christianity. Saturday will begin with a discussion of Energy Medicine by Donna Eden, author and international practitioner. After lunch, "Cultivating Intuition and Compassion in Daily Life through Conscious Embodiment" will be presented by Wendy Palmer, author of The Intuitive Body and co-founder of an aikido instruction center. Following that address is a seminar entitled: "Touching the Heart of Humanity: The Practice of Living Presence" by Michael Stillwater, a pioneer in the field of intuitive singing and contemporary chant and founder of Inner Harmony/Medicine Music. Dr. Judith Orloff, who offers to psychiatry what physicians like Larry Dossey and Dean Ornish have offered to mainstream medicine, will present a keynote address at 7:30 p.m. on "The Power of Your Intuition to Heal: Steps to Health, Happiness and Passion." The symposium will conclude on Sunday with a presentation by Rev. Rosemergy on "Return to Love," a talk by Dr. Orloff on "The Alchemy of Dreams" and a closing prayer service. For those who do not reserve accommodations at Unity Village, the symposium events are offered on a love-offering basis. For more on reservations or other information, call (816) 251-3540.